
AFP has a story about a 24-year-old Nigerian physics undergrad who builds backyard helicopters out of car and bike parts (and a crashed commercial plane).
The chopper... is made from scrap aluminium that Abdullahi bought with the money he makes from computer and mobile phone repairs, and a donation from his father, who teaches at Kano's Bayero university.It is powered by a second-hand 133 horsepower Honda Civic car engine and kitted out with seats from an old Toyota saloon car. Its other parts come from the carcass of a Boeing 747 which crashed near Kano some years ago.
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I think I got an email from this guy.
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RIP Abdullahi 1983-2007.
A bit melodramatic perhaps, but I just personally don't think that a helicopter is something you want to "poor-boy".
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@rich.thomas- Bwahahahahaha!!!
Hey...for workin where he is and what he got.....A+ MAKEr!!!! No, I DONT want a ride!
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This is incredible. Building a working helicopter from the ground up is a very complex feat. To do it with no specialized resources is definitely even more astounding.
This said, I wouldn't ride in it, I must agree with aolshove.
and rich.thomas, that comment is inappropriate. I live in Montreal and we take great pride in our rich telemarketing/online fraud heritage. Nigeria has nothing on us. ;)
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My uncle built a heli from a mail order kit once. He built it, flew it about 15 feet off the ground before nearly pooping his pants, and never even turned it on again. I think it's still rotting in his garage after more than 20 years.
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Video or it didn't happen.
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If that thing can go up and come back down in one piece, he should get an offer of an green card and a free ticket to the US.
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1 wonder how heavy that thing is well hellichper ( it looks very small)
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