PESHAWAR - Happiness of Qazi family knew no bounds when they invented a gyrocopter – their latest invention in a series of micro-aircraft they have made so far – but they did not know that a flight in this light sports aircraft would seal their fate: a son of the family lost his life in the gyrocopter crash near Balochistan coastal areas. Qazi family, who reside in Landi Arbab area of Peshawar, is well known as they have invented several aircraft and a gyrocopter too. They have been in the headlines for their flying practice since 1970s. Qazi Ajmal (late) was an instructor and had also trained Royal Guards of Saudi Kingdom, for which he had been awarded a gold medal by the chief of the Royal Guards. Qazi Ajmal recently died when he took off his gyrocopter in an emergency situation at night despite the fact that his copter could not be used in night time. He had been invited to the coastal area of Balochistan, the place where he died. His family said the night-time emergency takeoff was necessitated by a message they received that armed robbers were going to attack them soon. This is why they left the place while Qazi Ajmal decided not to leave behind the gyrocopter and he took it off in the darkness while leaving his younger brother Qazi Arsalan with his friends to escape through a vehicle. “I have announced to quit the flying profession. I served Pakistan for several decades in the fields of science and technology as I have invented several aircraft and I have even spoken to government authorities to at least give us support, but all in vain,” Qazi Sajjad told journalists. He said that his and his sons’ performance had been even acknowledged overseas in the shape of good medal and other prizes, but deplored that the government in Pakistan never supported them. “I have been in this (aircraft) profession since 1978. Former governor Awais Ghani and a field marshal of Pakistan Air Force had encouraged me as I was also given a job in the air force. But no-one else from the government has ever supported us,” he added. Qazi Arsalan, a brother of deceased Qazi Ajmal, said that he was accompanying his brother on the night of the mishap. “We landed in the day time and also performed flying for an hour there. Later, we grounded the gyrocopter and decided to stay for the night and then leave the place in the morning. 

However, a situation emerged in which we had no option but to leave the place,” he said.
He said that he had asked his brother not to fly the gyrocopter at night as it was not appropriate for night-time flight and to escape through a vehicle while leaving behind the aircraft. “But my brother used to tell us that if someone took possession of our gyrocopter, they might misuse it. This is why, he did not want to abandon it and took if off despite the darkness,” he added.
He said that after he flew at night, the copter, while flying at around 1,500 metres height, hit a 4000-feet high cliff. The pilot and his crashed aircraft were recovered a few days after the missing.
“My brother was a brave pilot. On the logbook, he had the experience of 4,000 hours of flying, which is a huge experience for a light sports aircraft.
He said that first they had lost an uncle in the flying profession and now they have lost his brother.
He said now his father had decided to sell these aircraft and start some other business as they suffered both human and material losses in this profession while on the other hand they were not getting adequate support from the government too.
“The absence of support is baffling; the aircraft and copters are manufactured in those companies, which consume millions of dollars but here we, Qazi family, are manufacturing aircraft of civil aviation standards right in our homes,” he added.