Farmer's homemade plane successfully takes to the sky in Jing County
Xie Baogang and the plane he built. Photo provided by correspondent Li Shuofang
Recently, on a wide road on the west side of the development zone in Liuzhimiao Town, Jing County, Hengshui, a yellow single-seat rotorcraft lifted off smoothly amid the roar of its engine. This is the homemade aircraft that 31-year-old rural young man Xie Baogang finally completed after 8 generations of prototypes, test flights and improvements, in order to realize his childhood dream of flying. Now, parts for the 9th-generation aircraft have already begun to be manufactured, and some people have come specifically to buy them.
Xie Baogang, 31 this year, is a native of Balitun Village, Liuzhimiao Town, Jing County, Hengshui. Since childhood he had a dream of flying. Starting in 2003, he began building aircraft himself. After 13 years of unremitting effort, the 8th-generation aircraft he built finally flew successfully into the blue sky, and his long-held dream came true.
In 2003, 18-year-old Xie Baogang opened a shop in Dezhou processing plastic-steel doors and windows. While busy with business, he never forgot his childhood dream of flying. Normally he ran the business while also studying aircraft manufacturing techniques. "At that time my family often said I was neglecting my proper work, that I had a business but wouldn't run it properly and insisted on studying aircraft." Recalling the past years of building aircraft, Xie Baogang felt very gratified about his persistence.
In 2009, Xie Baogang saw news online about someone building an aircraft, and the idea of building one himself took root. As soon as he raised the idea, his family opposed it. "At that time, my eldest daughter was about to be born, and I was determined to build an aircraft as a gift for my daughter." He acted as soon as he decided. Referring to aircraft manufacturing techniques at home and abroad, Xie Baogang then incorporated his own ideas, doing the design and drawing the blueprints himself. Except for the engine, which was imported from Austria, every component was cut, welded and machined into shape by himself. After working away in silence for more than 4 months, Xie Baogang's first aircraft was completed. Due to insufficient flying experience, the test flight failed, but Xie Baogang did not lose heart. He continued to look for the cause, study further and keep improving.
On December 20, 2012, a CCTV crew of more than 50 people came to Jing County and made a large inspirational film for Xie Baogang titled "I Was Silent for a Long Time." The film became CCTV's most successful inspirational film. "Over these years, only I know the hardships of building aircraft. It would be untrue to say it wasn't hard." When his family saw that Xie Baogang had really built aircraft, and was building them better and better, they no longer complained that he often neglected business because of his obsession with building aircraft, and they all supported Xie Baogang in fulfilling his flying dream.
At the end of last year, the yellow single-seat gyrocopter in the picture was completed. This was the 8th-generation model built by Xie Baogang. "This aircraft has excellent performance and a high safety factor, and is fully equipped with GPS, fixed-speed cruise flight and other functions." At the same time, after 80 hours of study and practice, Xie Baogang obtained a pilot's license. "This aircraft can take off after a runway run of 30 m to 50 m, has a maximum airspeed of 200 km per hour, can fly up to 400 km on the fuel it carries, and has a service ceiling of about 5000 m. I have piloted it at aviation festivals held in Ningxia, Tianjin and Shandong." Xie Baogang not only fulfilled his childhood dream of flying, but also provided technical help to other gyrocopter manufacturers. After his aircraft-building story was reported by the media, some people came specifically to buy the aircraft parts he makes.
Now, Xie Baogang has begun making parts for the 9th-generation aircraft. "On the basis of the 8th generation, I have made further improvements, striving for ever greater perfection." In Xie Baogang's eyes, building aircraft has become an indispensable part of his life. Full of confidence, he said: "I will continue to study further and expand the aircraft's range of uses to patrols, high-voltage line inspection, aerial photography, aerial surveying, firefighting and other fields, so as to provide better aerial services for ground facilities."