Buddhiman,The villager who has a dream to fly his own helicpoter

By:Yangchen C Rinzin, Sipsoo
Buddhiman is optimistic that his dream would come true one day
Showing his Maruti 800 cc engine installed with a iron steel and three pointed blades, 48-year-old villager Buddhiman said he dreams to make his own helicopter one day.

In a corner of Pejorling village in Sipsoo, Samtse, Buddhiman works everyday to make his own helicopter, which he said would fly some day.

“This was my dream since 1999 but people didn’t believe me,” he said. “Now that I’ve assembled bits and pieces, people have started giving my dream a second look.”

He switches on the machine, the engine for which is connected to an empty five liter vegetable plastic bottle filled with petrol. As the engine roars to life, he pulls a handle made of metal covered with polythene pipe that helps his small blade fan on top move and the other to control the energy......

and fly. “You see I still have many things to do to complete the helicopter,” he says.

Every one who passes by makes it a point to take a glimpse of his work. Most people know him as a helicopter Buddhiman.

“I keep thinking while eating and sleeping and suddenly something comes up,” he said. “Then I join here and there as I have imagined and somehow it has always worked.”

Buddhiman had planned to fly his helicopter on December 17 last year but his other works kept him busy to complete his invention. “What ever I have assembled so far is a little portion of my dream,” he said. “I still have miles to go.”

But reactions from outsiders and words from officials who visit Samtse on tour have kept him encouraged. “Sometimes I feel embarrassed when I’ve little to show.”

He has spent about Nu 40,000 on materials and spare parts and Nu 18,000 for the engine. “I am making it myself so it won’t be perfect,” he said. “But even if it’ll fly about 10 feet, I’ll feel I’ve achieved my dream.”

He took about two months to make the fan blades. “I’ve never referred online or any books,” Buddhiman said. “But to come up with the real fan I’ll ‘ve to go to an Indian lab.”

The only challenge he said was to balance the weight and gravity between certain parts, vibration, engine weight and the helicopter’s body. “I am illiterate so it becomes bit difficult to assemble some parts.”

He is at present working on how to come up with a helicopter fan and is also planning to work on the tail part.

Buddhiman said his helicopter will fly only in Sipsoo. “On completion, I’ll keep it safe somewhere and charge people if they come to visit.”

Happy with his own idea, Buddhiman said, he will make the helicopter a single seater. “Hopefully I’ll get to show my complete helicopter at the next National day.”

Yangchen C Rinzin, Sipsoo
Source:Kuenselonline.com