Tanzania: Choppers – Made in Tanzania

By Marc Nkwame

Arusha — Tanzania has started to build its own helicopters in a project that will see the first batch of such choppers taking into the sky sometimes in 2018.

Already, the prototype model, a two-seater aircraft is in its final stages of completion at the Mechanical and Engineering Department of the Arusha Technical College, which runs a fully-fledged factory producing various forms of machinery, including a prototype motor vehicle and a number of industrial engines.

But it is the Tanzanian-made new helicopter that seems to be turning heads here; “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,” explained the man behind the ATC chopper project, Engineer Abdi Mjema.

The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Ms Maimuna Tarishi, who also toured the project over the weekend seemed surprised at the development and wanted to know when exactly the chopper will hit the skies.

“We are contacting the Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA) for the permission to fly the chopper for trials,” said Engineer Mjema.

He assured the PS that the future of the ‘affordable,’ chopper – to ease the country’s transport woes – is approaching. “The Tanzania-made helicopters will fly before 2020 — and specifically 2018, which is two years from now,” he added.

The idea was hatched two months ago by two engineers at the Arusha Technical College; Engineer Adisai Msongole, now serving as the ATC Bursar, and Engineer Abdi Mjema. The chassis as well as airframe for the pioneer chopper is ready – complete with a mounted flat engine.