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In a tragic echo of Abbas Ibn Firnas’ famous flight attempt, Algerian engineer Yazid Douga lost his life while testing an aircraft he had designed and built on his own.
Firnas, a 50-year-old Algerian graduate of urban technical management, had successfully tested the aircraft in Oulad Mansour, M'Sila Province, 260 kilometers southeast of the capital, Algiers.
Like Firnas, Douga dreamed of soaring through the skies in a plane he built with his own hands and limited resources.
On May 31, engineer Yazid successfully tested his aircraft and flew it over the skies of M’Sila.
According to Algeria’s daily Echorouk, quoting those close to him, Douga had previously succeeded in flying his aircraft, which earned him the nickname “the Abbas Ibn Firnas of his time” in recognition of his ambition and determination to pursue his dream despite the hardships.
The engineer had prepared for this experiment for a long time before finally deciding to try it out on the ground, but it failed during the test.
In a statement to Al Arabiya.net, the father of engineer Yazid said, "My son had indeed succeeded in flying during previous attempts, but this time, he tried to fly higher than before."
The incident caused deep sorrow among Algerians after the Civil Protection authorities announced the news, as many admired the engineer’s determination to design and test the aircraft himself.
Firnas was a Muslim scholar who lived during the Andalusian era and is known as the first person to attempt flight.
He left notable marks in various scientific fields, including inventing transparent glass, corrective lenses, and the water clock. However, his most famous achievement was his bold attempt at flight.
He used calculations to measure speed and wind direction, then covered himself with feathers and jumped from a high place. He succeeded in gliding for a short time before falling due to neglecting the importance of a tail for landing, which caused a back injury he later recovered from.
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