Chinese farmer builds home made helicopter

[Frenchrotorhead]

Does anyone have more information about this ?

Gotta love the security level in which the "flight tests" take place ...

Pictures of the day: 4 August 2009 - Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/picturegalleries/picturesoftheday/5964917/Pictures-of-the-day-4-August-2009.html?image=2)

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/01455/helicopter_1455223i.jpg

[widgeon]

I would be more concerned for the spectators. Fwd landing gear looks a bit dodgy.

[serf]

Tail rotor looks static too.

[birrddog]

I wonder if he worked out a weight and balance?

That engine looks rather precariously positioned.

Maybe he could hang a cinder block off the tail boom?

[Runway101]

please ignore.

[slowrotor]

Not bad, for two months work.
At least he knew enough to skip the human power plan and get an engine.

[Outwest]

I think he has some great ideas. A very ingenious way to avoid a tailrotor gear box........why didn't Igor think of that :ok:

He must have had W&B in mind......look at the placement of the fuel tank vs the engine.

And safety wasn't overlooked either, notice the fully enclosed by roll cage cockpit :}

[Avtrician]

It would be a bit awkward when doing hot refueling, tho vapours wouldnt be much of a problem.

[gadgetguru]

snippet taken from local rag (so believe what you will of the detail):

"Chopper Builder unveils his air-conditioned model

Showing his skill base extends beyong raising stock and cultivating land, Chinese farmer Wu Zhongyuan fires up his home-made helicopter in Jiuxian County. The 150cc contraption cost Wu $1500 to build, but the 22-year-old is banned from flying it for safety reasons."

[rotorspeed]

Reckon it might be safer overall if he did fly it!

[helimutt]

You really do have to admire the locals sitting watching him expectantly, waiting for him to lift into the hover. :)


What were they expecting? :D

[SASless]

"TW&T?" He's on retainer from Heli-One as we speak....lucrative contract terms.....headed for Nigeria as Chief Engineer!

[ReverseFlight]

I think he overlooked just one small detail in designing and building his kit helicopter - the airspace from the ground upwards in China is wholly owned by the military and he'd need a special permit to venture into that airspace.

[havick]

I'm pretty sure that's a rotorway kit.

[helimutt]

Heli one? Now that doesn't surprise me.

[PoloJamie]

Wasn't this story brought up a little while ago with an accompanying video of a Chinese bloke flying it round his neighbourhood?

[VH-XXX]

Apparently they are innovating in all areas, not just the airways as you can see from this homebuilt submarine which cost near $5k and took 2 years to build.

http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/4/2009/09/500x_Homemade-Chinese-submarine-thumb-550x297-23526.jpg

[Warm Ballast]

Do you reckon he is as Dim as he Sims?

[RaymondKHessel]

Wasn't this story brought up a little while ago with an accompanying video of a Chinese bloke flying it round his neighbourhood?

And pics of a Nigerian helicopter too. Link to video (http://wikirfm.cyclicandcollective.net/2009/08/third-world-helicopters/).