A 24-year-old Undergraduate builds working helicopter

 A 24-year-old undergraduate from Nigeria, Mubarak Muhammed Abudullahi, a physics student, spent eight months building the helicopter above out of old cars and bike parts.

The 12-meter-long aircraft, which has never flown above a height of seven feet, is powered by a secondhand 133 horsepower engine from a Honda Civic. In the basic cockpit there are two Toyota car seats, with a couple more in the cabin behind. Controls are simple, with an ignition button, an accelerator lever to control vertical thrust and a joystick that provides balance and bearing. A camera beneath the chopper connected to a small screen on the dash gives the pilot ground vision, and he communicates via a small transmitter.

Mubarak says he learned the basics of helicopter flying Mubarak’s new creation will be powered by a brand-new motor straight from Taiwan, normally found in motorbikes.