They wanted a model, he built a real chopper
KOTTAYAM: Defying the laws of gravity on self-made flying objects seems to have become a trend these days, at least in this part of the world.
Some time back a man from Idukki had hit the headlines after he designed and flew a twin-seater ultralight aircraft on his own from used parts and recycled material which got him into the record books. This time around, a man who had studied only till Class X and who has been running an engineering workshop, has managed to make a chopper on his own in his yard.
The chopper was displayed before the students of a private school in Kanjirappally on Tuesday and the first test flight will be conducted in a month.
54-year-old D Sadasivan, took four years to make his home-made craft. “I began to build the chopper after the school principal requested me to do so. In fact, he wanted me to build only a model of a helicopter to keep it the school. I thought why not make a fully-operational one,” said Sadasivan whose daughter studies in the same school.
Sadasivan put into use the engine of a Maruti 800 and a reduction gear box used for industrial purpose. “The rest of the parts were made at my workshop in Kanjirappally,” he said.
“The chopper’s interior is made of iron and the exterior of aluminium,” he added. The glass of an autorickshaw was used as the windscreen of the chopper. He said he needs a month’s time before flying the machine. “I need to get clearance from various agencies for permission to fly. However, before that I can fly the chopper within the limits of the property I own,” he said.
He is planning to conduct the initial flight in the school ground next month. It was a year-and-a half back that Saji Thomas-person with physical disability- flew a small aircraft which he made all on his own. It had taken five years for the 45-year-old to build his aircraft. Interestingly, his story has inspired the Malayalam film industry to make two feature films based on his life.
