Oddly Enough Blog
News, but not the serious kind
I’m going to my Rotary Club, dear….
Email 
Print
Quick quiz: The guy in this picture is making…
a) a helicopter-shaped ice sculpture
b) a helicopter-shaped lamp for his living room
c) a helicopter-shaped playhouse for his children
d) a homemade helicopter
As bizarre as it may sound, d) is the answer.
I blame myself. I’ve spent so much time in this blog warning about homemade submarines that I haven’t actually mentioned, if you’re going to go straight up in the sky in a vehicle, it should not be put together from crap in your back yard.
Kids, this especially goes for you….
Join the Oddly Enough blog network
Follow this blog on Twitter at rbasler
Gao Hanjie (top) installs the rotor blades on his homemade helicopter in Shenyang, Liaoning province, China, June 9, 2010. The graphic designer and helicopter enthusiast, with help from his friends, has spent more than a month building the helicopter. Gao claims he will eventually fly the contraption as a personal project, according to local media. REUTERS/Sheng Li
Comments RSSPost Your Comment
-
Author Profile
-
He was 22.
Huh?
More than a whole month… Wow, all this time, Sikorsky had it wrong. Where can I sign up for flight lessons with Mr. Hanjie?
We just built a helicopter training simulator for the ANA – took two weeks. No engines or rotors, just a box that looks kinda-sorta like an Mi-17.
“Be a rotor-head, join the Oddly Enough Blog network”. Apologies to ifly.
sweet…
He was 22 when he met with that horrid helicopter accident????
Unca, I think the other rotor is currently in use as a ceiling fan.
He was 22 when he died in a helicopter accident…
I suppose if the rotor doesn’t stick out much past the actual roof, it reduces the desire to do that pointless ducking thing whilst getting out. But “helicopter” would be high up on the list of things I don’t think should be homemade.
I wonder how many doughnuts it’ll take to get that thing off the ground?
Personally, I can’t knock anyone for pursuing their dreams. I’m building an F-16 myself.
unca … BS&T is some of my favorite flying music. ifly and I will sit in the back while you and E fly. Wait … we’ve got to make room for Shra and Blog Guy and Onedoor and … man, we’re gonna need some extra doughnuts!
The rotor, if that is what that tiny thing is supposed to be, is waaaay too small. The tail rotor is way too small to compensate for the torque needed to get this dinorsaur in the air. Helicopters and fixed wing craft are nothing to screw around with. I speak from experience.
My cousin Dave and I both enlisted into the First Aviation Brigade (“Above the Best”) right out of high school. Dave became an air traffic controller; I became an MP. He was on the ground; I was in the air. Dave was the smart one.
Mrrrow!! Mommy’s busy drawin’ sompin’, luks like she wants ta build a hecilopter?
Meow! I juz wants cheezburger!!
Etc.
My Unca is a Philospher! I like it!
Cam – mini donuts and we will all fit:) Only in a helicopter once. One of the small ones that looked like a dragonfly. I was so enjoying the view through the front that it took me a moment to realize it had lifted off!
Doc, you may have been in the air; but you are not flighty. Well, so far, anyway. Then again, that is my opinion, and you just know I am not quite right…
Bill could me my obscure psychic brother: I think we are related by mirth.
I just hope that the maiden flight is caught on video, and posted on YouTube for all of us to see!
The “orange crush” patch I wore. The sound effects give me chills. http://www.armyflightschool.org/
Their ability to work with paper mache is the envy of elementary school children everywhere! I can’t seem to see where there would be room for an engine though. Perhaps they just got done reading “The Mouse and the Motorcycle” in which they think if they just make the sound of a helicopter it will fly!
::::wuppa wuppa wuppa::::
No apologies Dave. It’s all of our Oddly Enough duty to spread the word and increase the ranks.
Umm….no….
Unca, I’ll fly with ya!! I belong in the sky! Let’s go!!
E.
I think they are preparing for next year….
No need to worry about the tail rotor being too small: This guy has gone way beyond the NOTAR concept and has gone straight to NOENGINE.
::::wuppa wuppa wuppa wuppa::::
It’s not working!!
::::wuppa wuppa wuppa wuppa::::
Unca, between the two of us we’ll keep that thing in the air! Me from my sheer will, you from keeping the rubber band wound up
What a team we make!!
E.
I think the plans here include a sewing machine motor.
Just keep thinking happy thoughts E!!
E, you can be like Jane from X-Men (Yes, i so completely dig those kinda flicks and I am all GaGa for Hugh Jackman)… she was fab!
Rubber band winder upper dude at your service!
@justCAM…when you are done with you F-16 I will be more than happy to be part of he maintainence crew and chew all the gum for ya!
Hey now… I own a plane! Or have you guys forgotten!!
Unca, I would be glad to bring you guys sandwiches? Tuna or Egg & Cheese?
Hey, am I invisible here, or what? Do you not recall that making aircraft at home is my second job?
http://blogs.reuters.com/oddly-enough/20 10/05/11/flying-high-with-my-secret-care er/
Hush BG…
By the way, I am very easy to find on FB, Jibberish….
All you need to do is LOOK!
Shra…do you mean Jean?
Looks like we’ve got our crew together for this flight! Yay! If we survive this flight we should start our own Airline…OE Air!
E.
“OE Fly-by-Night Airlines”
Sorry, E, was her name Jean? I thout it was…. oh no! wait a minute I was confusing her with that other redhead… Mary Jane…
Jean it is E!
I am more than happy to continue flying the BT-69 Mr. B., it is a fine aircraft to be sure. I do however have one request. A parachute. I can not for the life of me figure out why you would install an ejection seat. First off, my head really hurts from getting shot through the frame and second, you are lucky I was able to flap my arms fast enough to land just under terminal splatocity.
I mean really, just what is going on in that backyard factory of yours?
or “OE Fly-by-the-seat-of-our-pants Airlines”
Shra, yeah those redheads are hard to tell apart! Mary Jane from Spiderman was hot, but Jean Grey is hotter I think! For a red-head that is lol!
E.
That depends E. Are we talking Famke Janssen Jean Grey vs. Kirsten Dunst Mary Jane Watson? If so then yes, Jean Grey is way hotter! However, if we are going with pure comic art then I would have to say Mary Jane was drawn with nicer curves.
Whoever decided on Kirsten Dunst as Mary Jane was smoking way too much mary jane.
I think so too E… Jean Grey was too good.. Somehow Cyclops paled in front of her… and Wolverine seemed too much…. Dont you think?
And whoever cast Anna Paquin as Rogue was the supplier.
I know… she kinda fell flat didnt she… but nevertheless… I liked X men…