DennisFetters
Gold Supporter
- Joined
- Jul 18, 2005
- Messages
- 3,287
- Location
- Abu Dhabi UAE
- Aircraft
- 582 Commander Elite
- Total Flight Time
- Stopped counting years ago after 5,000
Well, here we go again. Another great adventure. As I've mentioned before I accepted a position in a large UAV development company in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. First I'm going to build my latest 250kg MTOW UAV helicopter I called the StarLite-2A, which is smaller than the previous UAV helicopters I have built. This one has an empty weight of 116kg so it can be lifted into the back of a pickup truck to be transported. The last ones needed a forklift to load. Yet, the payload capability is 134kg for the new model while the larger crafts would lift 200kg. More bite for the bark.
On January 28 I arrived in Dubai. Abu Dhabi is locked down and you have to have special permission to enter. I was stuck in Dubai until today, February 3, 2021, until I was able to receive my COVID test results from the test upon arrival, and the special clearance from the government to allow me to pass the checkpoints.
This time instead of going directly to the factory, they gave me a GPS coordinate to go to in the middle of the desert. Ok, fishy, but I followed the directions. Upon my arrival and to my surprise, I could myself at the Al Wathba Lugsuray Resort and Spa;
www.google.com

It is massive. Everything in the picture is the resort. I guess kind of a welcome from the Sheikh. They said I'll be here for a week. It's about an 11-minute drive from the factory.

The factory is fantastic, the main building is the size of a football field, and they are expanding with another building on the North-West end that is even larger.

Perfect Gyroplane runway! Maybe someday I can talk them into letting me build my super-gyro.
This is by far the best place that has contracted me to build aircraft. I have a two-year contract for now, and if things go well on this project they will ask me to stay on. This is the first place I've been where I may consider that extended offer.
What a perfect way to make a living. Using other people's money and facilities to build my aircraft designs. And they even pay me to do it!!! FOOLS, I would do it for food!!
I'll try and get pictures of the inside of the factory and make periodic updates for those that are interested.
My big decision this even is whether to haul in my other suitcases and get out my suit and tie to wair to dinner, as I should, or play the Yank-card and bum it.
Talk to you peasants later. ;-)
On January 28 I arrived in Dubai. Abu Dhabi is locked down and you have to have special permission to enter. I was stuck in Dubai until today, February 3, 2021, until I was able to receive my COVID test results from the test upon arrival, and the special clearance from the government to allow me to pass the checkpoints.
This time instead of going directly to the factory, they gave me a GPS coordinate to go to in the middle of the desert. Ok, fishy, but I followed the directions. Upon my arrival and to my surprise, I could myself at the Al Wathba Lugsuray Resort and Spa;
Al Wathba, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Abu Dhabi
★★★★★ · Hotel · MshayrifAl-Wathba South - Abu Dhabi

It is massive. Everything in the picture is the resort. I guess kind of a welcome from the Sheikh. They said I'll be here for a week. It's about an 11-minute drive from the factory.

The factory is fantastic, the main building is the size of a football field, and they are expanding with another building on the North-West end that is even larger.

Perfect Gyroplane runway! Maybe someday I can talk them into letting me build my super-gyro.
This is by far the best place that has contracted me to build aircraft. I have a two-year contract for now, and if things go well on this project they will ask me to stay on. This is the first place I've been where I may consider that extended offer.
What a perfect way to make a living. Using other people's money and facilities to build my aircraft designs. And they even pay me to do it!!! FOOLS, I would do it for food!!
I'll try and get pictures of the inside of the factory and make periodic updates for those that are interested.
My big decision this even is whether to haul in my other suitcases and get out my suit and tie to wair to dinner, as I should, or play the Yank-card and bum it.
Talk to you peasants later. ;-)
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