49-year-old Yadwinder Singh Khokhar, a farmer from Punjab's Bathinda district, decided to proceed with his passion by dabbling in aeromodelling a few years ago. Till date, he has created models of numerous aeroplanes using high-density thermocol.
Over the years, he has further partnered with various colleges to impart the basics of aeronautics to numerous students.
Khokhar claims that as a child, he desired to "fly like a bird". I wished I could soar like a bird. After finishing my studies in 1996, I started farming, but somewhere along the line, this drive and this passion persisted, he added.
The latter had his early education in Bathinda and Muktsar, and completed his higher coursework from Punjab Public School in Nabha. After receiving his graduation degree from DAV College in Jalandhar, he returned to Bathinda to pursue a diploma in computer application.
"I began farming in my village in 1996 after finishing my education. However, when I visited the United Kingdom in 2007 due to a wedding in the family, in one of the local flying clubs, I saw some aero models", he said.
From there, I brought two small aviation models. I started searching the internet for more information about aeromodelling. Later, I took an aeromodelling course at a Delhi-based institute that was then run by several retired Army and Air Force personnel. They also used to issue a monthly journal in which several facets of the subject were thoroughly described, including flight theory, electronic setup, engine setup, and how planes fly, he further told.
After going through the training and passing the course, Khokhar began creating his own aero models.
He has constructed a runway covering an acre of land, a workshop, and an aeromodelling lab at his farmhouse. He also constructs model aircrafts and flies them over his fields.
These remotely controlled aero models can take off and land properly. I create enormous models using a particular high-density thermocol, Khokhar said.
"I have recently created a model of the C-130 Hercules cargo plane, which was recognized by the India Book of Records as the largest handcrafted aircraft model in the country", he added.
The Sukhoi jet is one of the numerous planes that he has modelled. He is now creating a model of an Antonov transport aircraft, which will be a 225 model with a 12 foot wing span.
According to Khokhar, the work he is doing complies with all regulations set forth by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, including those relating to the height to which such aero models are permitted to fly.
Khokhar also teaches students some of the finer points of aeronautics and believes that teaching young minds to build model aeroplanes is an excellent method to introduce them to scientific ideas, the fundamentals of aeronautics, and the mechanics of aeromodelling.
The Chandigarh University, Maharaja Ranjit Singh Punjab Technical University, Bathinda, and GNA University are among the three universities he claims to have partnered with.
