New Delhi
The tale of Muhammed Fayyaz is something right out of a Hollywood film. The 32-year-old has caught the attention of Pakistan Air Force after building a plane that runs on a road cutter engine and has burlap wings.
Fayyaz’s talent has captured the hearts of millions in Pakistan where many have limited access to education and resources to construct anything productive or creative, let alone an aircraft.
According to reports, Fayyaz learned to build by viewing TV clips and online blueprints. "I was literally in the air. I couldn't feel anything else," Fayyaz told AFP.
The 32-year-old said he flew his aircraft and his claims are now being taken seriously by the air force, whose representatives have visited him multiple times.
Fayyaz’s aircraft is placed in the empty courtyard of his three-room home in the village of Tabur in central Punjab province. After the news of his creation hit social media, people from many parts of Pakistan have been coming to Fayyaz’s home to view the aircraft.
Fayyaz had dreamt of joining the Pakistan Air Force as a child. But after his father’s death, he was forced to drop out of school and find low-paying jobs in order to support his mother and five siblings.
But his passion for flying remained undiminished and he decided to put all his wealth into creating his own aircraft. Now, Fayyaz sells popcorn during the day and the evenings he is a security guard.
He started to work on his dream by first watching National Geographic’s Air Crash Investigation to acquire knowledge about thrust, air pressure, torque, and propulsion. The 32-year-old later sold a piece of family land and secured a loan of Rs 50,000 to complete his aircraft. He used his funds creatively to buy burlap sacks which eventually found a place on the wings of the aircraft.
After years of hard work, his aircraft was finally ready for flight in February this year. According to eyewitness Ameer Hussain, the plane reached 120kph before taking off.
"It was between two and two and a half feet off the ground. It flew for about two to three kilometers before landing,” Hussain told AFP.
While the news agency was unable to verify the claims, Fayyaz is determined to fly his plane again in front of his village.
On March 23, Fayyaz decided to give it another go. But before he could even start the engine, the police arrived and arrested him.
Representatives of the Pakistan Air Force have already made two visits to Fayyaz’s home and have also issued a certificate which praises his passion for building a “mini basic plane”
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