A 17-year-old teenager sneaked into the compound of his neighbour, a tycoon in Gilgil, and attempted to fly an aircraft that was parked in the ranch on Friday, March 24.
According to police reports, the teenager went into the compound at around 9.30 am and boarded the cabin of the aircraft.
The owner told the police at the Gilgil Police Station that the young man started the engine although the aircraft did not take off the ground.
However, in his attempt, the young man hit the edge of a live electric fence and the aircraft's engine went off immediately. The wheels of the aircraft were also damaged in the incident as well as the propeller and the front curling.
Luckily the teenager escaped unhurt and was placed under police custody to help the officers with investigations.
"The teenager has been arrested and is in police custody aiding in investigations," read part of the police report which also indicated that the motive of the action was yet to be established.
According to the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA), one is required to have a license that is issued after a flight and medical training from a recognised and certified institution in order to fly any aircraft
KCAA also requires a person to receive a logbook endorsement from an authorised instructor, be at least 18 years old, pass the required knowledge test on the aeronautical knowledge areas as well as pass the English language proficiency exam.
Notably, several creative Kenyans have designed and built aircraft using materials either locally found or imported.
One of them was Fredrick Onyango Oyamo, a self-made engineer who built a chopper that surprised many in Nairobi Central Business District (CBD).
According to the innovator, his passion for building aircrafts was rooted in conserving the environment since most of his materials were waste including cartons and well-cut glasses.
On the other hand, Geoffrey Otieno built a chopper with scrap metal he collected in his village in Siaya County.
Otieno expressed a desire to pursue aeronautical engineering and other relevant courses to sharpen his engineering skills and perfect his chopper that was yet to take to the sky.
