Edgley EA7 Optica
Combining the visibility of a helicopter with outstanding slow-flying capabilities, the original concept for the Edgley EA7 Optica was as a three-seat touring aircraft. Designer John Edgley, at that time a post-graduate student at the Imperial College of Science & Technology, London, began the final aerodynamic design in 1974 and a model was wind tunnel tested in 1975. Construction of a prototype began in 1976 in London, and final assembly was carried out at the College of Aeronautics, Cranfield. The first flight was made on 14 December 1979 with a 119kW Avco Lycoming O-320 engine but this was later changed to a 134kW IO-360. The engine drives a five-bladed fixed-pitch ducted fan, and the Optica is claimed to be the world's quietest powered aircraft.
Mounting the whole cockpit assembly ahead of the fan and engine gives the pilot and passengers 270° panoramic vision, plus almost vertical downward vision; the cockpit canopy design allows photography through the panels. The tricycle landing gear is fixed and unfaired, with maintenance-free solid suspension, and the airf rame is of all-metal construction; its internal cabin width of 1.68m permits three-abreast seating, while baggage space and positions for mounting specialised observation equipment are provided behind the seats and in the unrestricted floor area in front of the two passenger seats. Roles for the Optica are virtually unlimited, from the obvious aerial photography and surveillance patrols to traffic reporting, powerline inspection etc, and it has the ability to perform much of a helicopter's work with fixed-wing economy and range. Considerable interest was shown in the Optica from the time of its first appearance, and at the 1981 Paris air show the announcement of a first production order was made - 25 for Australian distributor H. C. Sleigh Aviation Ltd.
With GBP 2.3-million funding, Edgley bought Old Sarum airfield near Salisbury, and set up a production line in existing hangars. Initial plans covered the construction of 200 aircraft, beginning in mid-1983, with first production models to be available at the end of that year for approximately GBP 55,000 each. However, the crash of an early production aircraft in 1985 led to the collapse of the company. In October 1985, Optica Industries was formed to continue activities, and by the end of 1986 15 aircraft had been produced. In January 1987 the factory was destroyed by arson along with all but one airworthy Optica. The company was reformed again as Brooklands Aircraft (later Aerospace), and the Optica Scout, renamed the Scoutmaster, returned to production with a 194kW Textron Lycoming O-540 engine. Six had been delivered to customers by the end of 1989. In March 1990, after building another five aircraft, all manufacturing was halted and a receiver called in. In July 1990 the Optica project was acquired by Lovaux Ltd at Hum and a resumption of full-scale production and marketing is planned. Continuing optimism for the Optica concept is supported by market studies indicating that around 8,000 aircraft are used wholly or partly for observation work, ranging from expensive helicopters to simple single-engined fixed-wing types, but none specifically designed for the task, and a sales penetration of 5% or 10% would bring substantial business. www.aviastar.org
