Nigerian Man Builds Helicopter With Honda Civic Engine

Jesda October 23rd, 2007 12:02 PM Link

He funded the project with junk e-mail.

Ron October 23rd, 2007 12:15 PM Link

Seriously ‘boy’? He’s 24 years old, how racist can you guys be?!?!

Clint October 23rd, 2007 12:17 PM Link

Screw this JDM crap. Nigerian econo-copter tuning is going to be the next big thing. See “Fast and the Furious: Nigerian Flight” - Summer 2008.

Jeff October 23rd, 2007 12:31 PM Link

Wow, that’s impressive. Nice to see that at least someone is still resourceful and creative. And yeah, I agree Clint- think of the size of the wings they’ll throw on these things!

Jeb October 23rd, 2007 12:44 PM Link

“We don’t reward talent in this country”

Yeah, not really seeing evidence of that yet…

Carlos October 23rd, 2007 1:26 PM Link

This is impressive. To think that he did not use any CAD tools to design this and make it fly albeit a few feet deserves commendation. This goes to show that there is talent available.

Mena October 23rd, 2007 1:43 PM Link

“Seriously ‘boy’? He’s 24 years old, how racist can you guys be?!?!”

I didn’t even notice that. I’ve never heard a 24 year old referred to as a “boy”. Usually, 24 year olds are considered men since they have reached the age of 18.

Abdul Sachedina October 23rd, 2007 2:24 PM Link

“No orders have come in”?

Is it any wonder, the “boy” needs yet another wrecked 747 to build a second helicopter. If he’s so brilliant, why doesn’t he just fix the 747?
Why didn’t he build a car from the wrecked 747? He already had an engine.

LandCrusher October 23rd, 2007 2:50 PM Link

1. In aviation we don’t say something is flying unless it leaves what we call ground effect. So, this thing doesn’t really fly. It is not a functional helicopter.

2. A physics undergraduate should know that 4 seats was two too many for that engine. Especially in Nigeria and without light weight rotors.

3. He should be stopped until someone qualified can verify that the craft will not kill someone the next time it is started.

4. The young man does have some talent. Getting it off the ground without it losing control and/or coming apart is no small feat. Hopefully he will get pointed in the right direction.

5. He could have tried something really stupid like try to fix a wrecked 747, or proved nothing by building a car. Seriously, was that supposed to be a useful comment?

killpoint October 23rd, 2007 3:00 PM Link

Let me think when the last time anyone you knew built a damm helicopter. In his backyard nonetheless, thats the kind of young talent and creativity that grows technology.

Troy Cardenas October 23rd, 2007 3:41 PM Link

My hat is off to him. He showed creativity and inginuity. There should be more young people like him.

Phil Floraday October 23rd, 2007 5:19 PM Link

I’m very sorry for referring to him as a boy instead of a man. It was unintentional and the corrections have been made.

Jonathan Fung [Gotakon] October 23rd, 2007 10:54 PM Link

Wow. That’s pretty impressive that he even got it off the ground. Just have to wait till vTech kicks in, yo.

Steve K. October 24th, 2007 9:15 AM Link

At first thought, I was thinking “great another scam”.

At least someone in Nigeria was working on something other than a way to scam someone.

Alexander López October 24th, 2007 11:32 AM Link

As an aircraft technician with ample experience with helicopters, my thoughts are two-fold:

1.- This man does deserve credit for doing a working machine with so few resources and making it fly, altough it’s evident it was only a ground-effect hovering. This kind of ‘junkyard wars’ talent is really needed everywhere.

2.- By looking at the picture I can’t tell if there’s a proper cyclic & collective control of the main rotor, so maneuvring capability seems to be certainly on the verge of the danger zone.

And let’s be honest, no government would risk to make an order for a product made by a lone man without a company that offers some warrants of building quality and readily available after market service.

But I still think this man should be encouraged to put his talent to good use.

Winding Road » Archive » Chinese Man Makes Interesting Choice after Being Laid-Off March 28th, 2008 12:30 PM Link

[…] Province of China presents us his answer in the form of this hybrid animal – a three-wheeler-turned helicopter. The 47-year old who has been studying mechanics and engineering from his teens, has long dreamed […]