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Ethiopian man will arrive in a self-made airplane on his wedding
India Today ^ | 11-26-2015 | Sanjana Agnihotri

Posted on 11/26/2015 1:01:20 PM PST by Citizen Zed

On November 28, the fearless Ethiopian will make a flying debut and marry his fiance Seble Bekele the moment he lands. This will be his second attempt after he first taxied to a runway 40 kilometers but a broken propeller ruined his chance of flying.

However, Asmelash Zeferu is all set with a new engine that doubles his power to 78 horsepower and has even sought professional advice for flying.

Flying has always been a dream for Zeferu, since childhood he wanted to become a pilot but he had to meet with disappointment when he got to know he did not meet the air school height requirements. He was just a centimeter short.

But Zeferu did not take the setback too hard, instead he decided to build his own aircraft and fly in it. It took him ten years of hard labour to achieve it, with aviation manuals and YouTube tutorials being his teachers.

Zeferu modeled his plane on one used by trainee pilots in the US in the 1920s and 30s. There were some parts of the plane which were bought second hand and some salvaged, but he could not find a cheap Ford engine.

But completing all the finished task, he is also set to be among a pioneering group of amateur enthusiasts from the continent. He has even taken advice from fellow flight enthusiasts and made modifications.

Zeferu will return to the same airfield and attempt to fly in his newly modified machine. For him the main concern is about landing safely and plans to take off at 90 mph and 10 meters height.

The aviation geek hopes a flight school accepts him after his attempt turns a success. Zeferu dreams of becoming an aerospace engineer at NASA.

(Excerpt) Read more at indiatoday.intoday.in ...


TOPICS: Chit/Chat
KEYWORDS: 201511; 20151128; aeronautics; aerospace; aviation; ethiopia; zeferu
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Maybe he should get married first?


1 posted on 11/26/2015 1:01:20 PM PST by Citizen Zed
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To: Citizen Zed

This has don’t do it written all over it.


2 posted on 11/26/2015 1:04:47 PM PST by Husker24
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To: Citizen Zed

About 25% of new general aviation aircraft in the USA are home built, but not from junkyard parts.

I admire this guy and his don’t quit can do attitude.


3 posted on 11/26/2015 1:06:55 PM PST by cyclotic (Liberalism is what smart looks like to stupid people.)
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To: Citizen Zed
Interesting propeller. Can that thing thrash the air with enough authority to get airborne?
4 posted on 11/26/2015 1:07:34 PM PST by 4yearlurker (Enjoy your Thanksgiving Day!)
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To: 4yearlurker

At first I thought that was a propellor, too. But I’m guessing that is a heat shield to prevent the engine exhaust from catching the doped fabric/canvas on fire.


5 posted on 11/26/2015 1:12:53 PM PST by ProtectOurFreedom (For those who understand, no explanation is needed. For those who do not, no explanation is possible)
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To: Citizen Zed

This stunt sounds like it could come to a bad end-the guy sounds a bit eccentric...


6 posted on 11/26/2015 1:13:36 PM PST by Texan5 ("You've got to saddle up your boys, you've got to draw a hard line"...)
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To: 4yearlurker

I think that’s the heat shield, to keep the exhaust from setting the fabric alight...


7 posted on 11/26/2015 1:14:33 PM PST by null and void (We are AmeriCANs. We CAN learn, and learn from history, if we choose.)
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To: Citizen Zed
I admire the guy's tenacity. But a few lines from the article give me a bit of concern...

"... has even sought professional advice for flying"

Well I would hope so. How about seeking some professional advice for building too?

"For him the main concern is about landing safely..."
Can't argue with that, although I hope he has a few other concerns about the events prior.

and

"...plans to take off at 90 mph and 10 meters height."

I think when you're 30 feet off the ground, you've already taken off...
8 posted on 11/26/2015 1:14:39 PM PST by chrisser (This space for rent.)
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To: ProtectOurFreedom

As you say...


9 posted on 11/26/2015 1:15:00 PM PST by null and void (We are AmeriCANs. We CAN learn, and learn from history, if we choose.)
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To: Citizen Zed

Has he heard of John Denver?


10 posted on 11/26/2015 1:15:35 PM PST by aomagrat (Gun owners who vote for democrats are too stupid to own guns.)
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To: Husker24

This has don’t do it written all over it.

...

The marriage or the airplane?


11 posted on 11/26/2015 1:16:12 PM PST by Moonman62 (The US has become a government with a country, rather than a country with a government.)
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To: Citizen Zed

If he is Muslim, he might have a future at NASA - if he lives long enough.


12 posted on 11/26/2015 1:17:10 PM PST by smokingfrog ( sleep with one eye open (<o> ---)
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To: Citizen Zed
Maybe he should get married first?

Safe or dead, Darwin is not to be cheated.

13 posted on 11/26/2015 1:21:55 PM PST by Lonesome in Massachussets (Men need a reason to shop. Women need a place.)
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To: Moonman62

The marriage or the airplane?

Given the choice i’d take the flight confidently!


14 posted on 11/26/2015 1:23:50 PM PST by heshtesh
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To: Husker24

http://youtu.be/5T1m0ZbQfZU


15 posted on 11/26/2015 1:26:33 PM PST by smokingfrog ( sleep with one eye open (<o> ---)
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To: aomagrat
Has he heard of John Denver?

Not to cast aspersions on Denver's airmanship, he was a rich dilettante, this cat is piss poor total enthusiast. He's likely to be a dead one, but you have to love his spirit. Too bad the traits that make him a great tinkerer will never serve him in the great aerospace bureaucracy.

16 posted on 11/26/2015 1:27:53 PM PST by Lonesome in Massachussets (Men need a reason to shop. Women need a place.)
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To: Citizen Zed

I first thought that read “Elephant man...”


17 posted on 11/26/2015 1:27:59 PM PST by WKUHilltopper (And yet...we continue to tolerate this crap...)
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To: Citizen Zed

” with aviation manuals and YouTube tutorials being his teachers”

If I was his wife no way in hell would I get on a plane that he learned to build on YouTube - just saying. =)


18 posted on 11/26/2015 1:33:27 PM PST by Patriot Babe
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To: cyclotic

About 25% of new general aviation aircraft in the USA are home built, but not from junkyard parts.

A Lancair it ain’t.


19 posted on 11/26/2015 1:34:54 PM PST by CrazyIvan (Hey Pope Francis- The Gospels are not Matthew, Marx, Luke and John.)
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To: cyclotic

His kind of immagrant is wanted


20 posted on 11/26/2015 1:34:58 PM PST by knarf (I say things that are true .... I have no proof ... but they're true.)
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