This struggling inventor needs assistance to get his creations off the ground

Aiming high in the sky

By Udena R. Attygalle

Yasapala Ramachandra came into our office unannounced on a Thursday morning and silently passed around a letter. It claimed he had a helicopter in his bag that could fly. Deaf and dumb he couldn't explain clearly what it was all about and we were inept at understanding his sign language. 

But when he took a clumsily-made contraption out of his bag and made it fly perfectly, the understanding on both sides didn't need a language.

The helicopter circled over us a couple of times, sometimes remaining static in mid-air. 

Amazing! Made out of plain rigifoam and PVC pipes, the helicopter was balanced perfectly. A skill that would give pride to any maker of model planes. A simple twisted rubber provided the energy for the flight.

Educated at St. Joseph's School for the Deaf at Ragama, Yasapala had mastered the art of making model planes on his own. 

Fascinated by this hobby he has come up with unique low-cost models. Cheap rubber, plastic, pieces of wire, rigifoam, electric motors and a 12V battery are his raw materials.

He believes that if provided with the necessary equipment and raw material he could even construct a craft big enough for people to fly in. But home-made aircraft are at present a security threat in this country. So Yasapala's future lies abroad. 

Married and having one child, Yasapala says it is with difficulty that they find the money for the bare necessities of day-to-day living. 

After a couple of spins with his helicopter, he passes a hat around. A collection after the show. He gives his address as Jayanthi MHTA, Athurugiriya and leaves as unobtrusively as he had come. 

The last paragraph of his letter reads: "I can now put my mechanical skills to work in an aircraft factory. My long apprenticeship has taught me the virtue of simplicity and returning to small models. I have learnt to pay attention to principle and budget."

A struggling inventor in need of assistance to get his creations off the ground.

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