August 30, 2011 — Flying saucers are no longer only things out of the movies. Just ask Shu Mansheng, a 46-year-old farmer in China who has built a flying saucer that now sits in front of his home.
Mansheng recently completed his first flight attempt in the saucer and it partially got about two meters high while sitting in the center cabin. He has invested about $9,400 into his project, which is powered by eight motorcycle engines mounted vertically with propellers on top, worldstourist.com reported.
The engines are arranged in an inner and outer group of four engines each. An open cockpit located in the center is mounted above spokes that both support the engines and extend to an outer circular ring.
With a basic school education, Mansheng said he taught himself everything he needed to build the aircraft.
It isn’t the first thing he’s built, however this is his fifth attempt at building an aircraft, including two jets. (The first could not take off because its tire exploded and the second was destroyed before takeoff.)
Mansheng told China Today that he hopes to attract public attention and seek support to build a special school where children can learn about subjects they won't have in ordinary schools. Unfortunately, even his family doesn’t support his idea, they reported.
He said he plans to continue to improve his aircraft and its performance. To see his trial flight attempt, click here. (Note: narration and graphics are in Chinese.)
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Farmer Shu Mansheng builds a flying device in front of his house. The round steel device, 4 meters in diameter, has eight motorcycle engines and a propeller on top. In the center is a cabin that two people can sit in. [Photo/CFP]
Shu Mansheng works on his “flying saucer.” [Photo/CFP]
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