The final stages of production are being nailed down for an awesome looking two seat chopper made and designed in Tanzania. The first of it’s kind for the country.

Flying trials are set to start as soon as the Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority grants permission.

The aim of the chopper is to be affordable to ease transport woes in the country according to Arusha Technical College, department of Mechanical and Engineering who initiated the program.

ATC chopper project, Engineer Abdi Mjema saidL

“We are complementing President Magufuli’s industrialisation policy in pioneering the first locally made helicopters that will be available to ordinary residents at affordable prices,”

The chopper program was only put forward two months ago and has moved very fast. The initial aim was for surveillance and rescue as well as agricultural but it was soon clear this could be great for transportation too.

CCTV-Africa reported:

Now at 50 percent completion the pioneer air craft has a chassis as well as airframe ready and also the popular gasoline powered VW flat engine board that is also used to make the “Robinson” helicopters in the US, but the craft will be ready in three weeks’ time.

src: http://cctv-africa.com/2016/06/20/first-ever-tanzanian-manufactured-helicopter-to-start-flying-soon/

Plans are for around 20 choppers per year and some of them in the skies before 2020, with the first coming in 2018.

We look forward to seeing developments on this project.