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By Barnabas Sibanda
IN May this year, the Sunday News published an article about me which had some negative aspects coming from some Zimbabweans. What was disturbing to me was that all positive aspects of the Zimbabwe Helicopter were left out. The subject of the story was now the man who made a chopper and not the chopper.
Now let us look at what some Americans are saying about the Zimbabwe Helicopter and me. In 2014, a New York media house published a video on the internet of the Zimbabwe Helicopter. Following are some of the remarks.
“Looks like he has taken some inspiration from the Apache. I suppose they will have to wheel it off a cliff to get some air. As for the 65 kilometres that Flight LT suggests it has flown (including through unauthorised air space), I am left wondering about fuel costs, so much talent and so little funding.”
“It’s good that they are aiming high but they should research clean water, agriculture, animal husbandry, you know . . . the basic stuff.”
“As an aircraft engineer I can say this is by far the most advanced technology I have ever seen. Just the landing gear itself is beyond anything I have ever dealt with.”
“Top of the line African engineering here ladies and gentlemen.”
“Maybe if he had an extra quarter, it would work.”
Sibanda, a retired soldier, is still pursuing engineering working from Kelvin North Industrial area in Bulawayo and has created grinding mills and a windmill to pump water.
derick.khumalo