Classic British Flight Sim

There was, at the time, a suggestion the Optica would or at least could replace helicopters in all but the VTOL and hover.

Flying along at about 60 it was said to be ideal for powerline inspections and police patrols

All this a a fraction of the cost

But after the Hampshire incident if sort of faded....until the fire that seem to pretty well end it.

I think they ended up as Brooklands Aerospace or something.

Sosmeone on here was making one until it was discovered there was another one on the go... so that faded as well

Garry

[ The mysterious bit came when a newly established factory, setup to produce Opticas, burnt down. I always thought that was a bit fishy and just too convenient for some.[/quote]

You're right there James, a good freind of mine worked for Optica, he told me they found the water drains "open" in the fuel tanks of the burnt out a/c.

The Optica did (does) look rather nice, but as has been stated the fundamental problem was the marketing IMO. As Gary points out, Chopper Copper and other surveying duties were the main aspects touted, but basically helicopters are more versatile than a fixed wing A/C - and a lot of survey work gets carried out at speeds lower than 50 odd knots - in fact hovering is necessary for a lot of it!
A great shame, but a case of one of those nice sounding ideas that don't quite hold up in analysis. If it were I am sure it would still be in production now, or some American giant would have gotten hold of a manufacturing license for peanuts.

Still a great looking machine mind you.

I come from Amesbury, Wiltshire - right next to Boscombe Down to be precise. We used to see the Optica very often, flying from Old Sarum. Shame it didn't work out.

Hi Gavin and welcome aboard

I hope the wx in Warsaw is being a little kinder to you than ours is over here. ;-)

Boring anecdote time..
When I was but a young pup on draft to Comiberlant in Portugal many moons ago, one of the RAF lads on my watch asked where I came from and when I told him, he asked if he could have the stamps off my letters :o "Why?" I asked.. they're the same as yours! It transpires he thought I'd said I came from Warsaw when what I actually said was WALSALL!

ATB

DaveB :tab:

... that old Booker Polish twang!

Welcome Gavin

DaveB wrote:Hi Gavin and welcome aboard

I hope the wx in Warsaw is being a little kinder to you than ours is over here. ;-)

Boring anecdote time..
When I was but a young pup on draft to Comiberlant in Portugal many moons ago, one of the RAF lads on my watch asked where I came from and when I told him, he asked if he could have the stamps off my letters :o "Why?" I asked.. they're the same as yours! It transpires he thought I'd said I came from Warsaw when what I actually said was WALSALL!

ATB

DaveB :tab:

Hi Dave

Thanks for the welcome. I've heard the Walsall/Warsaw mistake once or twice :-) Often Poles I know have people thinking they are saying Holland when they say Poland

As for the weather, it's brass monkeys here - but not snowing or raining so can't complain.

Cheers for now!

Jim,

I know the technology wasn't available then but in the UK now several Police forces use fixed wing for surveillance duties, I watch one of them buzzing around my head most days. Cheshire use an Islander based at Hawarden

Brian

HI Brian

You are correct, mentioning a big part of the reason (IMO at least) for the lack of uptake for the Optica. The equipment available now is so much more advanced than it was such a short time ago :o

It did seem though to be progessing until that at the time not fully explained crash of the Hampshire Police trial aircraft.

From what I can recall it wasn't so much the crash that was of concern but the lack of a clear understanding as to what caused it.

Maybe it was fully explained, but if it was that was sometime later and I missed it.

Shame as it did have potential to do the job as well as being simple and easy to maintain which made it very cost effective.

It is almost as if there is some other part to the story that has not been released.

After it became Brooklands Aerospace it just seem to fade away almost over night.

Similar to the ARV Super 2....full of hope and promise, then quietly fades away and all this at a time when the industry needed some new to hold on to and get a footning to be built up from again.

Garry