Yes, on the way - and Conroy Colossus toorifleman2 wrote:is the CP 107 Argus due?
Basler BT-67 turbine DC-3, with Spectrem geophysics modification.
The deployed birds aren't in scale locations, as the larger bird trails approx. 130 metres behind the aircraft.
Originally a piston C47 with maximized engines conducting low-level (90m AGL) terrain hugging geophysics physics, by the early 1990's reliability had become a significant factor, so in 1993 the aircraft was modified by Basler to become a BT-67 (DC-3-TP67). Further modifications back in South Africa to update the geophysics system included adding the nose and tail stingers to carry a 5-wire copper transmitting loop cable, adding an internal APU to power the loop, and winch and cradle systems for the towed magnetic sensing bird and the larger 3-axis coil receiver bird. The system works by pumping out a massive electrical signal through the loop, which travels into the earth's surface, where the differing underlying rock strata reflect that energy back. The larger bird detects the varying return signals, while the mag bird passively collects magnetic field data. Computer systems within the aircraft then create the equivalent of a medical CAT scan image of the underlying morphology - all while precision flying at constant speed (to keep the birds in geometry with the transmitter), and constant height (to keep the field at constant geometry with the underlying rocks). The aircraft has been successfully used for diamond, base metal and water surveys throughout the world since the Basler upgrade in 1993.
