Homemade Malawi Helicopter

It has never taken off, and could well be a death trap, but a home-made helicopter built in Malawi is drawing crowds captivated by its creator's determination to succeed against all the odds. Felix Kambwiri, 45, has spent the last four months constructing his dream machine out of scrap metal and fibre glass in his garage in the village of Gobede. Kambwiri, married and father of seven children, built the helicopter to his own design after failing to find any books to help fulfil his life's passion. But he has been warned that he should not undertake any test flights until the civil aviation authorities have completed safety checks. Kambwiri, who left school aged 16, has spent about $350 on the project, including $100 on its converted motorbike engine, which he hopes to upgrade if a donor comes forward with extra funds.