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Aviatorg

Jump Plane Camera Mounts

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Just curious if anybody had some suggestions on different places to mount some Gopros. Currently a Jump Pilot for a 182 DZ. I have one camera on the strut recording exits and one suction cup inside for in-cockpit video.

Looking for some different angles and places to mount. What are you using and where at on the plane have you found successful footage..

-G

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Haha, my friend put a go-pro at the top of the strut and was able to catch an entire tandem skydive from exit to opening. I've also seen the on the inside windshield pointing out the door for the exits too. Not sure of any other good spots unless you let people climb around the outside of the plane [:/]B|

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ridebmxbikes

Haha, my friend put a go-pro at the top of the strut and was able to catch an entire tandem skydive from exit to opening. I've also seen the on the inside windshield pointing out the door for the exits too. Not sure of any other good spots unless you let people climb around the outside of the plane [:/]B|



My Guys Definitely Climb all over the plane!

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My wifi remote worked to activate my hero 3 mounted on an inspection plate. Video and Still shots were great. My IA asked me to remove it though. There is a mount system for struts that would be more FAA friendly and they were selling them at oshkosh. Google oshkosh strut mount and you see it. Basically 2 fiberglass C clamps with plastic wingnuts.

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AFAIK, there is only one system that has been brought forward for flight approval, and it's made of billet aluminum, not plastic/fiberglass.
Legally, without an STC or other FAA approval (unless you can get an A&P to sign off the installation as a "minor alteration"), you run a bit of a risk.
The fact that it's not permanently mounted doesn't change the issue of something mounted externally which can potentially affect the handling, stability, or performance of the plane.
I don't know what "322" refers to, but part 21 of the FARs address this about as well as the USPA addresses cameras, canopies, and wingsuits. It does appear that an STC is required, even for a temporary mount. In the production world, have had this conversation with many, many pilots and A&P's.
The general consensus is that "it's fine" until you're caught or camera drops. :S

If you are going to mount one, I'd suggest the A&P over see it. If the camera decides to slip, will it fall off (sure 'bout that?) or will it potentially slide into a control surface? Does it inhibit any instrument? If it's tethered to the aircraft, will it bang against anything significant when it's flapping in the wind?

You might further cover your butt by talking to the FSDO and asking for a field approval.
http://www.faa.gov/aircraft/air_cert/design_approvals/field_approvals/field_approv_proc/
Bear in mind that each FSDO will have their own opinions about what is or isn't approvable.
It’s illegal to put a camera on the outside of the aircraft. No question.
How illegal and to what end can it be done is subjective. Proceed at your own risk.

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I have a small lipstick camera mounted inside the plane near the top of the door that feeds a camera that I control with a remote switch. Here's a sample.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBqEYqxiNvs&feature=c4-overview&list=UUghBEvRKloe8Lo801J3xECw
Replying to: Re: Stall On Jump Run Emergency Procedure? by billvon

If the plane is unrecoverable then exiting is a very very good idea.

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Just get the students to back out ;) and mount the camera to the yoke pointing out the door. No more issues with the stability now than with your garmin!

Of course the whole potential of a reserve pin snag might cause some concern to the TM's

Remember skydiving priorities! 1.Get a good shot, 2. have fun 3. be safe.

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Someone mounted a GoPro off the outside handrail on a PAC all the way forward, it was turned on and left on through the entire flight.. They used a mount designed for a rollbar that GoPro sells as an assery.. I liked the concept but the camera was to close to the body of the aircraft for "the perfect shot"... I designed a clamp made out of black Delron that extended a small platform out 10" from the centerline of the bar and held two GoPro;s one top and one bottom... I posted the mount on FB (lesson learned) and the next thing I knew Jim Crouch decided sense he's getting such a hard time from the FAA with his aircraft he would enlighten us and save us from ourselves... Our Pilots normally would have been cool with this but its a different story now, The mount is by any means cheap plastic and is very strong, I would put it up against Aluminum in that configuration any day..

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=698392396842397&set=pcb.698394973508806&type=1&theater

I'm not sure if you can view this link but I can upload pictures if you would like to check it out...
Anyhow that's the root of my comment. The extent of my knowledge is no more than a few post shooting anything down not FAA approved involving an Aircraft (inside and out)
The end result is directly connected to the effort applied

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I'm well aware of the GoPro bar and cage mounts. We used them in this shoot.
I wouldn't trust these mounts for a flight, although they were successful for us. Others have mounted just sticky mounts, and for one-offs that aren't overflying congested/residential areas, they'd be acceptable to me, but the PIC has final say.
If you'd put "plastic up against aluminum any day" might be unaware that NHRA and NASCAR have banned plastic screw or stick on mounts specifically because plastic breaks in high vibration environments.
The difference is that people/participants in a race expect to see mayhem, rolled cars, etc. People at a stoplight, in their living room, barbequing in their backyards have a reasonable right to expect that cameras won't come falling from the skies.
A GoPro landed on the tarmac at an Air Force base recently and did some FOD. It's still under investigation. If perchance it is found to be skydiving-related, it might become difficult for skydivers in the area.

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it should make the grade for mounting, but the mount itself with the absorbers isn't worth much.
People who do this all the time have come to know that damping vibration doesn't do squat, and actually enhances jellocam. A locked surface takes care of most of the problem.

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wetrock

i am also interested in mounting a camera on a cessna but i don't want to accidently mount that camera permanently to someone's forehead.
This mount was dicussed earler in the thread. If it was matched with a metal cage and a metal tripod mount metal tripod mount would it be worhy of trying to get FAA aproval?



I wasn't aware of NASCAR banning plastic? The plastic in most manufactured for "use" and "sale" products are cheep materials as in the roll bar mounts gopro sells, Trade name Delrin is tough as hell is not cheap comparatively, The mount I made has three times the cross section of any commercial mount I know of.. I know, That ain't saying much.
I like the idea of Alum and have no problem building one just like the Delrin mount I was concerned with accidental marring the hand rail on the pac.
I would think Alum would be easier getting approved than something that would need engineering data and testing,
No mater what the material they wont be on our planes unless FAA approved.. :(
The end result is directly connected to the effort applied

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Quote

I wasn't aware of NASCAR banning plastic? The plastic in most manufactured for "use" and "sale" products are cheep materials as in the roll bar mounts gopro sells, Trade name Delrin is tough as hell is not cheap comparatively, The mount I made has three times the cross section of any commercial mount I know of.. I know, That ain't saying much.



You might get it approved, but due to a high number of track-damage from cameras flying off of cars, NASCAR currently only allows billet aluminum mounts for cameras on cars.
My method for lensing a car is to use ReplayXD cams feeding Teradeck transmitters inside the car. Cameras are frame/hardpoint mounted with http://www.replayxd.com/product/pro-camera-clamp
Same thing used on the indy cars (Firestone Freedom Team). Even when the cars wreck, these will not separate from the mount point no matter what. Additionally, because they're not damped, they are rock solid and don't need post stabilization.

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I tried to look the mount but your link says webpage not available. I would like to check it out..
I can understand NASCAR's billet rule, I was only considering the relative wind & maybe a nudge by a skydiver, nothing like your talking about, That's good information and a whole new area of video I never considered. Thanks for your input..
The end result is directly connected to the effort applied

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