Edgley EA-7 Optica

The Edgley Optica was an innovative light aircraft designed for observation and surveillance work. It was able to fly at very low speeds powered by a small piston engine that drove a ducted fan (which also made it very quiet). It had a cabin like a small helicopter with all round visibility.

(SDASM archive)

Information
Manufacturer:	Edgley
First flight:	1979
Propulsion:	Textron Lycoming IO-540-V4A5D piston engine
Number built:	22

The Optica first flew in 1979 and entered production in the early 1980s. Only a small number were built, and some of those destroyed in an arson attack on the factory. It is possible that production could resume soon after a very long break.

The Optica served with a number of police forces and could be fitted with an infrared camera and loudspeaker. The Optica can loiter at one hundred and thirty kp/h (about eighty mp/h).

(SDASM archive)