PHNOM PENH: There’s a saying, “When you aim high, you reach high”. That’s how Johnny Churne overcame his difficulties as an orphan boy dreaming to be a pilot and started producing his own radio-controlled aircrafts. The airplane models being shown at his Facebook page “Khomnit”, which means “Idea” in Khmer. The inventor is now looking for investors to expand his product and achieve markets overseas.

Johnny Churne is an entrepreneur with a strong vision and perseverance. He can produce 100 radio-controlled aircraft a month with the help of just one extra person. But opening a production business with technological features such as a remote-controlled airplane is a challenge that only a visionary is committed to overcome.

Johnny shared his stories with EAC News, talking more about his longtime dream to be a pilot. He says, “Since I was small, I really like aircraft because I have a dream that I wanted to become a pilot. So, from that point, I had a vision I would become a pilot. But unfortunately, I am an orphan so I didn’t have the opportunity to go to school of aeronautical pilot training. Because I lived in an orphanage that’s why I tried to do something to improve myself and to study about airplane. I’ve been spending my time for 15 years until I know how to make aircraft. Because there was an Australian guy that went to my orphanage and he asked me about my dream, so I told him I love airplanes and I want to build airplane. When he came back to his country, he sent me books about making aircraft. And from that time, I learned how to make aircraft. But it’s very difficult, the mathematic is very hard for me to solve the problems and also the physics. But when I graduated in high school that time, I learned how to make aircrafts. But it’s not successful yet, because I need some money for doing the research and applying for the real practical.”

Johnny used to have an investor and a team working with him, facilitating the production and test runs of even big aircrafts. However, Covid-19 pandemic affected the income and teamwork of Khomnit. Now Johnny is focusing in the production of two kinds of airplane model.

He has added, “We have two types of aircraft, one is a throwable aircraft it means is an airplane that flies without a machine, with no remote. Just throw and can fly for 45 meters. It’s a cheaper airplane that everyone can play. Now we updated our airplane into a next version that can remote for hundred meters distance and hundred meters altitude. For selling I think is not a big problem for us, but the problem is production. I need to make into a production that can produce faster and make it into a good packaging and also find a marketplace overseas”.

The price range of the throwable aircrafts are between 5 and 15 dollars depending of the model, while the radio-controlled aircrafts are costing $30 or more. He hopes “Khomnit” success in the future can be a prove that everyone is capable of achieving his dream if they fight for it.

Churned says “I wish that I could make this product into the market, not just domestic but it goes to global market, and everyone can play this airplane to inspire many kids that with this product it will tell them if they have a dream they must fight for their dream. So, this airplane is not just to entertain but it also to remind them about my story”.

^{PHOTO: SARY}