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Man builds plane using Youtube, will fly it to his own wedding…!
How does one arrive at a wedding? Car? Carriage? How about homemade airplane?
That’s the plan for aviation geek Asmelash Zeferu. After an aborted attempt earlier this year, he is taking to the skies in K-570, his handcrafted light aeroplane.
On November 28 the intrepid Ethiopian will fire his engine at an airstrip near Addis Ababa, and if all goes well, marry his fiance Seble Bekele the moment he lands. What makes it truly remarkable? The fact that Zeferu has never, ever flown before. Back with a bang.
Although this news dates back to 2015, it remains captivating as it highlights a man’s inspirational journey. His dedication and hard work brought his dream to life, making it an extraordinary achievement.
Airplane cleaner becomes pilot after 24 years of hard work
The Ethiopian’s second attempt comes five months after he first taxied to a runway 40 kilometers from the capital. That time a broken propeller — sculpted from laminated wood — scuppered his chances, but now he’s back and more confident than ever.
His engine has been upgraded to a model salvaged from a Volkswagen Transporter, doubling his power to 78 horsepower. Moreover, he’s sought professional advice to help him in the air.
Captain Solomon Gizaw of Abyssinia Flight Services and Captain Abera Lemi of the National Aviation College both confirmed to CNN that they had been helping out the budding pilot.
Their mentorship sits alongside that of Rene Bubberman, chairman of the NVAV, the Dutch Experimental Aircraft Association — part of an international cohort backing Zeferu’s endeavor.
It’s been a long and remarkable journey, and for the Ethiopian a successful flight will be a moment over 10 years in the making. Zeferu, 35, says that ever since childhood he’d wanted to become a pilot. He was on the right track, but when the time came, Zeferu was denied for the most arbitrary of reasons.
9 years child applies for a job at NASA here is how NASA replied
Leaving Alemaya University with a Bachelor’s degree in Public Health, he tried to enroll at the Dire Dawa branch of the Ethiopian Airlines Aviation Academy.
“I couldn’t fulfill the air school height requirements,” he explains. Zeferu was a centimeter too short. Despite this setback, Zeferu was unperturbed. “I decided to build my own aircraft if I couldn’t be a pilot,” he reasons, “then I’d be able to fly high in the sky.”
The first stage of his labor of love lasted 10 years. Aviation manuals and YouTube tutorials were his guiding stars; every aspect of aircraft manufacture gradually imbibed in painstaking detail. When the time came, Zeferu opted to model his plane on one used by trainee pilots in the U.S. in the 1920s and 1930s.
Some items were salvaged, others bought second hand from the Merkato market in Addis Ababa. The 8.5 meter wing was crafted from timber imported from Australia, with each wooden panel hand-sculpted. But there was one element of the plane Zeferu could not imitate.
The design called for a Ford engine, but the amateur engineer “couldn’t get [it] cheap in Ethiopia,” settling instead for a four cylinder, 40 horsepower model stripped from a Volkswagen Beetle — since upgraded to a 78 behemoth at a cost of 12,000 Birr ($570).
But after a year and seven months Zeferu had finished. Not bad for someone who had “never stepped onto an airplane,” never mind worked within the aviation industry.
Zeferu’s earlier disappointments are now behind him and he’s ready to complete the task at hand. In doing so he would take a seat among a pioneering group of amateur enthusiasts from the continent. Not all have been successful: Kenyan Gabriel Nderitu has attempted to take off 13 times, but like his dream, his plane has so far failed to fly.
Nigerian student Mubarak Muhammed Abdullahi created his own helicopter in 2007 with parts stripped from, amongst other things, a Boeing 747. Abdullahi had more luck, and after lifting 2.1 meters off the ground went on to gain a TED Global Fellowship and an aircraft maintenance scholarship in the UK.
Zeferu has made some modifications after receiving advice from fellow flight enthusiast Rene Bubberman, chairman of the NVAV, the Dutch Experimental Aircraft Association. “We gave him some well-meant advice about his prop and especially about test flying,” says Bubberman. “[His project] deserves a lot of respect… [it] truly breathes the spirit of the early airplane pioneers and his enthusiasm is contagious.”
On November 28, Zeferu will return to the same air field and rev his newly-modified machine. Taking off at 90 mph, the dizzying height he will aim for is 10 meters — not unreasonable considering he has “no parachute or anything to protect me.”
Zeferu demurs about the achievement of getting off the ground — he has other concerns. “To fly an aircraft is not a big deal,” he explains. “The greatest danger will be in landing.” That will involve slowing the plane down from its cruising speed of 70 mph to 45 mph, then hoping the wheelbase — taken from a Suzuki motorcycle — holds out.
Asked how he has been able to train for this, Zeferu says YouTube flight simulators have been key.
If he does land safely, Zeferu will have overcome the most persistent obstacle in his quest for flight. Despite support from his family, he argues that “the biggest challenge in building my aircraft was the people around me… people calling me mad.
People were asking ‘How can you build an aircraft in Ethiopia? In Africa?'”
He’s emphatic about his chances this time around: “I am very sure that I will fly.”
‘We have lift off…’
Touching the skies in his homemade airplane is only the first step for Zeferu. He hopes a flight school will accept him in the near future so he can train as a commercial pilot. However the long-term goal is to boldly go further still.
“My dream is to become an aerospace engineer at NASA,” he admits. “And I will be.”
Source : CNN
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Airlines
These are the 5 oldest airlines Still Operating in the World
The history of aviation is an exciting adventure formed by the pioneering efforts of several individuals and organizations. The world’s oldest airlines, which have played a vital role in establishing the global travel sector, are among these trailblazers.
In this article, we will explore the five oldest airlines still in operation today, highlighting their remarkable journeys and enduring legacies in the world of aviation.
1. Finnair:
Founded: November 1, 1923
Headquarters: Vantaa, Finland
Primary Hub(s): Helsinki Airport
Fleet Size: 84
Destinations: 132
As a pioneer in European aviation, Finnair, founded in 1923, Marked its remarkable centennial milestone on November 1, 2023. Being among the oldest airlines in Europe, Finnair has witnessed many changes over the past 100 years, going from a small regional airline with few routes to a global leader in both air travel and hospitality.
Finnair’s adaptability has been demonstrated by its ability to quickly adjust to recent geopolitical developments and continue providing clients with exceptional service in its distinctive Nordic manner, even as it expands its services to North America and Southeast Asia.
2. Qantas:
Founded: November 16, 1920
Headquarters: Mascot, Sydney, Australia
Primary Hub(s): Brisbane Airport, Melbourne Airport, and Sydney Airport
Fleet Size: 130
Destinations: 85
Qantas is Australia’s flag carrier and the country’s and Oceania’s largest airline in terms of fleet size, overseas flights, and international destinations. It is the second-oldest airline still in operation.
Australian carrier Qantas holds its name among the oldest airlines in the world, with its foundations dating back to November 1920. Recently On November 16, 2020, QANTAS celebrated its remarkable centenary.
3. KLM Royal Dutuch Airlines
Founded: October 7, 1919
Headquarters: Amstelveen, North Holland, Netherlands
Primary Hub(s): Amstelveen, North Holland, Netherlands
Fleet Size: 116
Destinations: 145
KLM, officially known as KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, is the world’s oldest airline that is still in operation under its original name. On October 7, 1919, the company was founded. Four years ago, On 07 October 2019, KLM celebrated its remarkable centenary. As an airline from the beginning of the 20th century, it survived World War II and is currently part of the Air France-KLM company.
4. Aeroflot
Founded: February 3, 1923
Headquarters: Moscow, Russia
Primary Hub(s): Sheremetyevo International Airport
Fleet Size: 247
Destinations: 146
Aeroflot is Russia’s national carrier and largest airline. It is also Eastern Europe’s oldest airline, having been founded in early 1923. DOBOROLET, or The Russian Society for Voluntary Air Fleet, was the airline’s original name.
Aeroflot concentrated on foreign routes out of Moscow when the airline was separated into several enterprises. In celebration of its 100th anniversary in 2023, Russian airline Aeroflot (SU) recently began a series of retro-style flights, transporting customers on a nostalgic journey through time.
5. Avianca
Founded: December 5, 1919
Headquarters: Bogotá, Colombia
Primary Hub(s): El Dorado International Airport and San Óscar Arnulfo Romero International Airport (Avianca El Salvador)
Fleet Size: 102
Destinations: 114
On December 5, 2019, Avianca commemorated its 100th anniversary. The airline was founded in late 1919, according to its history. After acquiring a number of airlines in nearby nations, Avianca has grown to become one of Latin America’s biggest airline groups, with a fleet of over 130 aircraft and a network of subsidiaries covering almost the entire continent.
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