Modified Turbine C206 To Fly Aerial Surveillance Missions

Aviation Solutions has delivered a second Soloy Mark II (MKII) turbine Cessna 206 “Sentinel” aircraft for law enforcement surveillance and patrol support by Arizona’s Pima County Sheriff’s Department. Their first Soloy MKII Sentinel was delivered in late 2013.

Pima County is the nation’s seventh largest county and requires fast deployment of law enforcement surveillance aircraft over long distances with the ability to loiter once on station.

The Rolls Royce powered Soloy 206 “Sentinel” edition is a specially prepared version of the ever popular Soloy MKII 206 turbine Cessna airframe; offering law enforcement an equally capable yet lower cost alternative for aerial observation than that of slower and much more expensive helicopter platforms.

Dave Stauffer, Soloy’s CEO, explains the specific Sentinel configuration. “The Sentinel is an airborne observation platform designed as much for the Observation Officer riding in the back as the co-pilot in front. With the Sentinel, we’re offering a package of necessary observation accessories for law enforcement airborne surveillance ready for your specific mission equipment. We couple that with the high performance and reliability of a turbine engine. The Sentinel surveillance specific equipment provides a 270 degree articulating seat, full length observation window in the back and a redesigned headliner for more room to work that includes comfortable four-point harnesses for the pilot and co-pilot. We place a camera mount on the left wing that can accept virtually any camera up to 100 pounds and 18” in diameter. And with the addition of Soloy’s fixed aileron trim tabs, the effects on flight characteristics are minimal.”

Measured against the needs of law enforcement for successful airborne aerial observation, the turbine MKII Sentinel is a cost effective alternative for a traditional law enforcement helicopter. Says Stauffer, “The turbine 206 platform can be airborne in under seven minutes, travel at over 170 knots true air speed to get on-scene, and then quietly and fuel efficiently loiter at remarkably low speed for hours. The helicopter platform isn’t nearly as versatile for missions requiring both high and low speed operation. And the hourly flight cost and maintenance is a fraction of a helicopter.”

Like the first Pima County Sheriff Soloy MKII Sentinel, the aircraft will be outfitted with a full suite of surveillance electronics and optics. It will be put into active service in the fall of 2014.

(Image provided by Soloy)

FMI: www.soloy.com