Shattered dreams

A self-taught engineer and helicopter designer Daniel Chingoma is a fascinating character. Apart from designing and building the “Zimcopter”, a helicopter that was never allowed to leave the ground he is the founding director of Taisek Engineering (PVT) Ltd.

We hear the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe wouldn’t let the new aircraft in the air either.

Chingoma designed a helicopter in 2003 which he claimed flew from the ground although he had no documentation to prove it.

He built the helicopter from scrap metal and a car engine. The helicopter had a Lexus V8 engine, side mirrors from a Hilux bakkie and a tobacco thermometer in the cockpit.

In 2009 he built a second version of the Zimcopter which the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe would not let in the air either.

Such things happen in life

The homemade helicopter now sits conspicuously outside the Exhibition Park in Harare, probably its final resting place.

Still, it’s interesting what a man armed with a dream can do.

Daniel Chingoma is still alive

The second version of the ZimCopter