ALBUQUERQUE — Seeker America, a subsidiary of the global aviation company CSI Aviation, has acquired the Australian airplane manufacturer, Seabird Aviation.
For now, manufacturing operations will continue in Australia, but Seeker eventually plans to move those assets to North America, according to company officials.
“We’ve had a long relationship with Seabird,” said William Collins, the COO of CSI Aviation. “Now that we’ve acquired the company, we’re going to take it to the next level. We hope to sell various types of this aircraft to customers worldwide who are seeking a more versatile and affordable aircraft.”
The Seeker is a fixed wing aircraft that offers many of the same advantages for law enforcement and surveillance typically found in helicopters, company officials said.
The engine placement allows the pilot and co-pilot to fly with 270° of visibility. The airplane has docile handling characteristics that provide for a safe, low-speed stall, responsive harmonized control, minimal pitch change with power and flap changes, and stability to reduce pilot workload, company officials said, noting it is easily configured for a variety of surveillance and sensor equipment.
Last year, CSI Aviation donated one of the two Seeker airplanes it had purchased for demonstration and marketing purposes to the New Mexico State Police. The airplane has since been configured with cameras and other equipment for use in law enforcement, providing a model for its real-world effectiveness and application.
For more information: SeekerAircraft.com
General Aviation News reserves the right to delete snarky, offensive or off-topic comments. See our Comment Policy for more details.