"Whatever happened to that Optica thingy?"
ShyTorque
The original Optica for the Hants Police Force based at Lee-on-Solent was carrying out Police observation work over Ringwood. It seems as if during operational orbits the Optica went into a deep stall from which they never recovered. The pilot held a PPL (dispensation from CPL for Police Aircraft)
They got another Optica but I seem to remember that it had an engine failure on take off on RW23 at Lee and contrary to all training the pilot managed to turn it 240 degrees and glided to land on RW 35. I think it was Bob R that was the pilot but my memory may not be up to scratch.
I was based at L-o-S with the CG SAR when we took over from the Navy in 1988. I remember that the Optica was still there until 1990 but after Bob's incident the Optica was replaced by a twin engined BN Islander
JohnW