The Seeker Aircraft Was Designed Specifically For Surveillance
Seeker Aircraft has just announced that both the FAA and the Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) have issued Normal Category Type Certificates (TCs) to the Seeker SB7L-360 series of aircraft. So what does that mean? In addition to private and personal use, Seeker Aircraft will now be able to sell its aircraft for commercial operations.
Company officials have stated that Seeker A and A2 models went through an extensive improvement process, which included numerous upgrades and modifications such as a complete NVG compatible cockpit redesign with a glass navigation system, the standardization of various parts and components for the aircraft, and improvements to the fuel system.
During the certification process, a series of FAA validation flights were conducted to evaluate the cockpit and ergonomics, the general flight characteristics of the aircraft, and more specifically, the stall characteristics of the Seeker.
Williams Collins, the President and CEO of Seeker Aircraft, had this to say, “The issuance of Normal Category Type Certificates to the Seeker is a testament to the hard work of Seeker Aircraft, Seabird Aviation Australia, CASA and the FAA over the past year. FAA certification positions the Seeker for increased commercial sales throughout the world, by virtue of the various international bilateral agreements and general recognition and desirability of FAA certification.”
Now that they have received the Part 23 Normal Category Certification, Seeker Aircraft expects a “dramatic increase” in North American sales.
The Seeker, a light aircraft specifically designed for surveillance missions, features a cockpit designed to provide maximum visibility. The aircraft also features strong STOL capabilities and “benign” stall characteristics, aimed at making it a safer option for surveillance missions, such as traffic monitoring, search and rescue, fire spotting, power line and pipeline surveillance, news reporting and more. In the US, the Seeker is currently flying missions for the New Mexico State Police.
Featured Image: Seeker Aircraft
