The story of the Optica planes. YHOX gets a mention too!

[flying dog]

https://youtu.be/nI0pLhhLvns

[KRviator]

Similar in concept to the Seabird Seeker - but I fear the rise of drones will ultimately replace these aircraft for visual-observation-type missions.

[flying dog]

I can't access flickr.

 

Firewall rules.

 

Oops.  Sorry, read the wrong part as the reply.

 

(I Need to go to spec savers)

😉

 

Edited July 12 by flying dog

[facthunter]

Interesting article fd.  Thanks for Posting. Nev

[FlyBoy1960]

I think Peter Harlow (Foxbat) brought one into Australia from memory.

[facthunter]

That would be a fairly difficult plane to construct, in the original material especially. It was really a very heroic effort.  I hope Rod Stiff is eventually recognised for the Jabiru . It's not easy to do such things in Australia. IT takes a lot of Perseverance. Nev

[T510]

On 14/07/2026 at 12:42 PM, FlyBoy1960 said:

I think Peter Harlow (Foxbat) brought one into Australia from memory.

There are 2 on the register, VH OPI and VH BMC.

 

Both owned by C. Waterhouse

[djpacro]

17 hours ago, facthunter said:

.......  I hope Rod Stiff is eventually recognised for the Jabiru . It's not easy to do such things in Australia. IT takes a lot of Perseverance. Nev

https://www.australianflying.com.au/news/major-award-for-jabiru-boss#:~:text=In recognition of his work,recent AirVenture Oshkosh international airshow.

https://www.australianflying.com.au/latest/engineers-australia-recognises-jabiru-founder

1 hour ago, T510 said:

There are 2 on the register, VH OPI and VH BMC.

 

Both owned by C. Waterhouse

I imported the first Optica, G-BMPN, to Australia for the company I worked for at the time and did quite a bit of flying in it. So that became VH-BMC and the person who bought it (Mr Waterhouse I guess, can't remember) also bought a second one.

https://www.airhistory.net/photo/919879/VH-BMC

[BrendAn]

I imported the first Optica, G-BMPN, to Australia for the company I worked for at the time and did quite a bit of flying in it. So that became VH-BMC and the person who bought it (Mr Waterhouse I guess, can't remember) also bought a second one.

 

what was your impression of it.    did you like flying it.

[djpacro]

10 hours ago, BrendAn said:

what was your impression of it.    did you like flying it.

Straining the memory after 35+ years

• first take-off was a surprise with that view out the front, took a bit of getting used to; similar considerations with attitudes in general
• extremely quiet from outside
• inside, it sounded like a vacuum cleaner
• great xwind capability
• very docile stall
• fixed pitch ducted fan was inefficient so poor performance
• 3 seats in front but weight limited structurally
• doors appeared very flimsy
• some deficiencies when we pursued FAR 23 certification: abysmal airframe fatigue life