Seeking perfection

Seabird Aviation Australia, developer and manufacturer of the Seabird Seeker patrol and surveillance aircraft, is now upgrading its production baseline aircraft, with expected global market impact in a world increasingly seeking affordable survey and surveillance capabilities.

As a foundation, a range of structural and other upgrades are being introduced and certified. The powerplant is being upgraded to a 210 hp Lycoming IO-390-A1B6 to provide improved “hot and high” performance. The capability to mount dual alternators will mean that without using the primary alternator, the secondary unit will be able to supply power independently to the installed sensor suites. To accommodate a wide range of larger sensor suites, the maximum takeoff weight is being increased from 925 to 974 kg.

Seabird expects that apart from structural approvals the certification upgrade will mostly comprise flight testing.

Seeker’s benign low speed handling characteristics and excellent crew visibility have already proven it to be an effective and affordable platform for fitting a range of sensors. However the aircraft structural layout has now been modified, clearing the bottom of the fuselage for the fitment of a large universal sensor mounting frame. This tray will attach to the frame via four standardised quick-connect hard points, so sensor providers can integrate their sensors to the frame, rather then having to integrate to the aircraft itself. A multitude of quick-change payloads can thus be fitted to suit each mission requirement.

In line with modern trends the aircraft instrumentation is being fully modernised, primarily with a Garmin G-500 Electronic Flight Display, and an L3-Trilogy ESI-2000 Electronic Standby Instrument. This is complemented by twin Garmin GNS-430W GPS Navigators. In addition will be a GTS-330ES Transponder, and a Garmin GMA-347 Audio Panel. To reduce the pilot workload during extended missions, an STEC-55X Autopilot and Yaw Damper is also being installed, and to complement situational awareness, a GSR-56 Satellite Based Weather System, and a GTS-800 Traffic Advisory System is being fitted.

Engine management will be provided by an Auracle CRM-2100 Digital Engine Management System, and web-based aircraft tracking will be enabled by an IndigoSat One Satellite Tracking System. The aircraft will also be fully IFR certified.

Lastly, all the external lightings are being replaced by the latest high efficiency LED versions.

The first two aircraft currently on the production line are destined for Queensland electricity provider Ergon Energy, which will use them to survey its electricity network – some 150,000 kilometres of powerlines – later this year. Data collected from the sensors will be used to build spatial and 3D models, enabling Ergon Energy staff to prioritise regional asset management and save millions of dollars in operational efficiencies.

The new line of sensor-ready aircraft will be outfitted with a specialised high-end LiDAR system by Trimble Geospatial division, enabling the Seeker to perform airborne laser scanning to the highest definition. To complement this suite, an automated flight assist system is also being integrated, which will automatically fly the aircraft along an optimised flight profile, maximising data capture.  The flight assist system has been developed through collaboration with Australia’s largest spatial research program, the Cooperative Research Centre for Spatial Information (CRCSI), and the Australian Research Centre for Aerospace Automation (ARCAA).

Provisioning has also been made in the current structural upgrade of the Seeker, for additionally mounting of a gyro stabilised gimballed camera system. This system will complement the existing LiDAR suite for the inspection and maintenance of transmission lines, distribution and substations. Typical sensor configuration will be a radiometric thermal imaging camera for detecting hotspots and thermal signatures, a solar blind UV camera for detecting corona discharges, a visual daylight camera, and high resolution digital frame camera.

According to Ergon Energy Chief Executive Ian McLeod, the highly-advanced capability forms part of Ergon Energy’s strategy to transform the way it manages its assets. “It is clear that the relationship between Ergon Energy and Seabird Aviation has created an innovative state of the art product that will not only enable us to transform the way that we manage our asset and disaster response but that will more than likely lead to change across the power industry,” Mr McLeod said.

Flight testing is expected to commence at the end of the first half of 2011, so watch this space, the Seabird Seeker is about to revolutionise airborne surveying in Australia and elsewhere.

Seabird Seekers are now operating in patrol and surveillance roles not only in Australia, but also in the USA, Middle East, Eastern Europe and South Africa. The manufacturer and the Seeker will be represented at Avalon.

And an honour for Seabird’s pioneering founder

Don Adams, was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the General Division for “service to the aviation industry” in the Australia Day Honours List.

Aviation pioneer Don Adams

Don and Seabird’s now Managing Director, his son Peter, founded and incorporated Seabird Aviation Australia Pty Ltd in 1983.

He served in the RAAF in 1944 and 1945, and his private and commercial licences were issued at the Bundaberg Aero Club.

In 1957, Don, with business partner and experienced agricultural pilot, Sel Cleary, founded Queensland Airplanters Pty Ltd. Flying Tiger Moths, deHavilland Dragons, and Callairs, Airplanters grew into one of the largest aerial agricultural operators in Queensland, and hundreds of thousands of acres were seeded by air in the developing Queensland’s high yielding “Brigalow Belt.”.

The many years of operating aircraft in remote areas during this period has provided a useful learning experience when applied to aerial work operations – particularly those working a long way from base or maintenance facilities.

Supplementary to the aerial agriculture activities – and working with Adastra – Airplanters also got involved in photographic aerial survey, with a Comanche 250 fitted with a Wild vertical survey camera. The Comanche also earned its keep flying Airplanter’s engineers and parts to service their own aircraft working “in the bush” all over Queensland.

In 1960 Don – with friend Bill English – built the first airstrip on Fraser Island, basing their 1938 Aeronca Chief at Maryborough, but soon replacing it with Airplanters new Cessna 172.

Many young pilots gained their first flying job on this short Maryborough-Fraser Island flight, where 1500 passengers and much freight were carried in the first months of operation, and most of these young pilots went on to become very senior airline captains.

Also in 1960, Don – in co-operation with the local Burrum Shire Council and Rotary, selected the site for the present Hervey Bay Airport, and he made the first landing on this then sandy strip in Airplanters 172 in 1961. Today, Hervey Bay has a major regional airport on this site, with direct jet flights to Sydney.

A “paper-run” delivering the “Telegraph” newspaper was commenced with Airplanter’s 172 in 1963 – picking up the papers from Queensland Airlines DC-3 (and then Fokker Friendships) at Maryborough, delivering the papers and essential goods to eight centres in the hinterland of Maryborough and Bundaberg.

Initially, some localities had no airstrips, and air-drops were made.  This six day a week – 4 hours every afternoon in all weathers – was so useful that good airstrips were developed throughout the paper-run area

Fraser Island developments continued with a new company “Island Airways”, and, with Sir Reginald Barnewell, a new convenient private airfield was built at Hervey Bay, and the Orchid Beach development commenced.

In 1968 the first Britten-Norman Islander for Australia and the Pacific was flown from the UK for Island Airways.

In the same year Don surveyed and built an airstrip on Lady Elliot Island, the southern-most coral cay of the Great Barrier Reef. Lady Elliot was re-vegetated (for which a Conservation Award was made) and today, under the ownership and guidance of Peter Gash, Lady Elliot is a thriving tourist and diving resort.

Over his flying career Don has operated some 50 aircraft – including such unusual types as a 1928 Gipsy Moth, a  1938 Piper J3 Cub (for fire spotting), a 1937 Aeronca Chief, and an ex “Flying Doctor” 3-engined deHavilland Drover.

Pater Adams says: “Having always believed – and tried to follow in all his aviation involvements – Bill Stout’s dictum of “Simplicate and Add Lightness”, we don’t think our Chairman really believes in the complication of “glass cockpits” for simple aerial work aeroplanes.

“At age 85, and “umpteen” thousands of hours, Don doesn’t fly any longer (and remains a resolute “steam gauge” person) – none of this modern “glass cockpit” stuff.  However, he continues to be vitally interested in the exciting developments now taking place at Seabird, and we know he appreciates the opportunity to continue to be part of all this – now and into the future.  He still comes to work every day at Seabird’s Headquarters at Hervey Bay Airport (the airport site he selected 50 years ago) – where the Seeker is in production for world markets under the guidance of Peter Adams.

“In all the “ups and downs” – literally – of aerial work and charter operations in small aeroplanes, Don has often gratefully remarked on the fact that the right person always seemed to come along to provide help, support and encouragement – just at the right time.

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