Former Chinese Farmer Builds A Flying Saucer

According to aviation news site AVweb, a former Chinese farmer with little formal schooling who later worked as an automobile mechanic has designed and built at least one ultralight that briefly flew (before crashing) — he has now moved on to a flying saucer. Shu Mansheng’s project is a structure powered by eight motorcycle engines mounted vertically. They drive individual fixed-pitch wooden propellers.
The engines are arranged in an inner and outer group of four engines each. An open cockpit located in the center is mounted above spokes that both support the engines and extend to an outer circular ring. Supporters will be hoping for a more positive outcome than the innovator’s last attempt.