Morris Gachamba
Morris Gachamba | |
|---|---|
| Born | |
| Known for | First Kenyan to build an airplane |
Morris Gachamba (born 1932) is a basement mechanic in Kenya, a country in East Africa. Gachamba is known for having built and flown his own plane in 1968.[1][2]
Plane project
In the 1960s, Gachamba became friends with an English tourist he would go out fishing with. The tourist owned a small plane and took Gachamba out for a short trip around Lake Naivasha. Gachamba became enamored with flying and soon wanted to build his own. Come the 1970s, he became the first Kenyan to build an airplane.[3]
Education
Gachamba dropped out of Kenya's Standard Four after Ambrose Wambugu, a Maths teacher beat him for not being able to answer a question on addition of fractions. He has commented on his education experience, "“I was never one to remember things easily and that made me a bad student."[3] But, that hasn't turned him off the idea of becoming a teacher. He's said, “I would really like students to come and learn from me. I have a lot of practical knowledge and I want to leave it to them.”[3]
References
- ^ https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2000164999/kenyan-who-made-and-flew-aeroplane
- ^ "Ear‐to‐ground". Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology. 39 (12): 36. 1967. doi:10.1108/eb034325.
- ^ a b c "Mechanic who made a 'plane' eyes 'Hummer'".