Seabird Seeker
| Seabird SB7L-360 Seeker | |
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| Type: | Light observation aircraft |
| Design country: | |
| Manufacturer: | |
| First flight: |
October 1, 1989 |
The Seabird SB7L-360 Seeker is a light observation aircraft from the Australian-Jordanian manufacturer Seabird Aviation Australia / Seabird Aviation Jordan .
History and construction
A helicopter is not necessary for many tasks for which a helicopter is used, since vertical take-off and landing are usually not required and therefore a slow-flying aircraft with good visibility can also be used. Don Adams came to this conclusion and founded Seabird Aviation to develop such an aircraft. The machine should have excellent visibility forwards, downwards and to the sides. It should be used both civilly and militarily and be suitable for police tasks such as traffic monitoring , search and rescue , aerial photography as well as pipeline and sea monitoring.
The Seeker is an unusual aircraft that combines the panoramic view of a helicopter with the cheaper maintenance costs of a piston-powered aircraft. The aircraft is a stripped high-wing aircraft. Behind the cockpit is the Lycoming O-360 piston engine that drives a pusher propeller. Because of the propeller, the rear part of the fuselage is made narrow; at its end there is a conventional tail unit. The machine has a non-retractable tail wheel landing gear , very good slow flight characteristics and can stay in the air for up to four hours in patrol flight. The Seeker can be equipped with electro-optical and infrared sensors. It also has two external suspension points, e.g. for additional tanks. The prototype took off on October 1, 1989 (still under the designation SB7L-235 ) on its maiden flight with a weaker engine than the later - also known as Seeker 2 - production version SB7L-360.
Seabird Aviation is currently working on a variant of the Seeker - the Stormer , a 40 to 50% larger, lightly armored and armed variant. In contrast to the Seeker, in which the seats are arranged side by side, the Stormer has tandem seats. In addition, it should have larger wings, external suspension points for up to 1000 kg external loads and a more powerful drive. In addition, a four to six-seater touring aircraft based on the Seeker is being planned.
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Military use
Technical specifications
| Parameter | Data |
|---|---|
| crew | 2 |
| length | 7 m |
| span | 11.07 m |
| height | 2.03 m |
| Wing area | 13.10 m² |
| Empty mass | 590 kg |
| Max. Takeoff mass | 897 kg |
| Cruising speed | 207 km / h |
| Top speed | 239 km / h |
| Patrol speed | 120 km / h |
| Service ceiling | ? m |
| Range | 832 km |
| Engines | 1 × Lycoming O-360 -B2C with 119 kW |
See also
literature
- Michael JH Taylor: Brassey's World Aircraft & Systems Directory. Brassey's, London 1996, ISBN 1-85753-198-1 .
Web links
- Company website
- FLIGHT TEST: Seabird Aviation Seeker - No place to hide, Flight International , accessed December 4, 2018
- Seabird prepares to remodel Seeker patrol aircraft, Flight International , accessed December 4, 2018
Individual evidence
- ↑ A Seabird's-Eye View ( Memento of 26 November 2010 at the Internet Archive ), accessed on June 2, 2013
- ↑ STORMER SB9 ( Memento of May 3, 2013 in the Internet Archive ), accessed on June 2, 2013
- ↑ on defenseWeb , accessed on August 5, 2015
- ^ Paul Jackson, Jane's All the World's Aircraft 2004-2005 , pp. 337 ff.