Seabird Aviation Australia is looking into the feasibility of producing a three seat variant of its Seeker SB7L-360 to take advantage of the aircraft’s helicopter-like forward sitting bubble cabin and target the sight-seeing industry. The Sight-Seer would take advantage of the aircraft’s pusher configuration, with its cabin located ahead of the high wing and aft-facing engine to maximize visibility for passengers by placing them fore of the pilot. That would provide a nearly unobstructed view for the two passengers and locate the pilot and instrument panel in a center position, behind them. A proof of concept aircraft could fly by mid-2008, providing a platform far more operationally efficient than the helicopters it might replace. The $265,000 Seeker SB7L-360, on which the Sight-Seer will be based carries two, is powered by a Lycoming 0-360, cruises at about 112 knots and can fly at 65 knots for more than 7 hours.
Seabird’s Sight-Seer
Key Takeaways:
