Exterior Camera mounting

[Pictreed]

How do you mount your camera on the outside of the fuselage?  Sticky mounts or suction cup?

Tim

[Raptor05121]

The flat sticky mounts provided by GoPro. You can buy extra from any major retailer. I plan to put one under my left wing looking inboard, and another under the right horizontal stabilizer looking forward, as well as two in the cockpit.

[mpg]

Wow!   that sounds like some great coverage,,,,    of you working on your plane!!

OK,,  I kid,,,   but seriously,,  when you gonna start flying that thing?

 

OTOH, I wrote about checking a Mooney 350 mi away,,   but talked my way out of it!   problems...

I did view a Mooney 60 mi away last Sat.  but wouldnt buy a plane, before the cops came,,  with a dead battery, and tanks 3/4 full of water!

Oh,, and NO title!!!

[Raptor05121]

Haha soon. I'm actually planning a ferry flight (again) to a full-time on-site mechanic who can hopefully devote his full attention to it.

[Oscar Avalle]

First I used the suction cups, lost two cameras... Now I am using the sticky pads that come with the cameras and they work better, as long as you don't use them when it is very, but very hot (+100 degrees).

 

[Pictreed]

2 hours ago, Oscar Avalle said:

First I used the suction cups, lost two cameras... Now I am using the sticky pads that come with the cameras and they work better, as long as you don't use them when it is very, but very hot (+100 degrees).

 

 It would be nice in that case if they have a little parachutes so they don't go through somebody's windshield. 

Is anyone using the Sony action cameras?

IFR check ride today, maybe I can video it?

Thanks for the responses. 

Tim

Edited December 4, 2015 by Pictreed

[gsxrpilot]

I'm using the Flat sticky mount on the tail skid and the Curved sticky mount on the horizontal stabilizer.  I have used a suction cup mount, but only the actual GoPro branded suction mount, for temporary use. It's never been more than for one quick trip around the pattern. I needed pictures of my AOA vane and used the suction mount for a quick once around the pattern.

[carusoam]

Rocket, did you get a good view of the AOA vane in action?

Best regards,

-a-

[gsxrpilot]

2 minutes ago, carusoam said:

Rocket, did you get a good view of the AOA vane in action?

Best regards,

-a-

Yeah... there was no action. Evidently it's because it was mounted too far from the leading edge.  I plan to go pick the plane up from the avionics shop today and the AOA is supposed to be properly mounted as per the instructions this time. 

Previously I'd mounted it in one of the inspection panels under the wing but so far back from the leading edge, the airflow just doesn't change much and the vane didn't seem to move anywhere between straight and level and full stall.

[Oscar Avalle]

2 hours ago, Pictreed said:

 It would be nice in that case if they have a little parachutes so they don't go through somebody's windshield. 

Is anyone using the Sony action cameras?

IFR check ride today, maybe I can video it?

Thanks for the responses. 

Tim

Great idea. I don't see why not. As long as you agree with the examiner.

[gsxrpilot]

Here are pictures of the mounts. On the horizontal stabilizer I only use the GoPro Hero 4 Session. It's a very small camera, much smaller than the other GoPro's. I use a GoPro Hero 3 on the tail skid.

 

[Pictreed]

Thanks Paul. Pics helped. 

Examiner said FAA doesn't like the video stuff so I didn't record it. They called him on one someone recorded without his knowledge. Not a good idea. 

[Raptor05121]

Paul, I love your mount pics and action pics. I think I am going to steal those. Thanks.

[kevinw]

On 12/5/2015 at 7:49 PM, gsxrpilot said:

Here are pictures of the mounts. On the horizontal stabilizer I only use the GoPro Hero 4 Session. It's a very small camera, much smaller than the other GoPro's. I use a GoPro Hero 3 on the tail skid.

 

Paul, I've been thinking about buying a GoPro and just curious if the sticky adhesives can damage the paint. Have you had any problems removing the mounts? Thanks, Kevin

[gsxrpilot]

7 minutes ago, kevinw said:

Paul, I've been thinking about buying a GoPro and just curious if the sticky adhesives can damage the paint. Have you had any problems removing the mounts? Thanks, Kevin

They've never caused a problem for my paint. I usually cut through the adhesive pad with a bit of fishing line. Once the plastic bit is off, then a little heat from a hair dryer or just some time in the hot sun and you'll roll the remaining adhesive right off with your thumb.  The mounts are so small, that I rarely remove them anymore. I take them off before sending the plane in for annual, or before a check ride just to avoid having to explain anything. But I did experiment with different locations and so applied and removed several of them. Some after only a few days, and some stayed on for months. I've never had them affect the paint in any way.

[Yetti]

The mount on the horz stab.   I  may be wrong but wind flow over that tab is what helps balance things.  Not sure that is the best place to interrupt the flow. The main function is the weight that is there.   The paint is missing from the top of mine.

[rbridges]

On 12/5/2015 at 8:49 PM, gsxrpilot said:

Here are pictures of the mounts. On the horizontal stabilizer I only use the GoPro Hero 4 Session. It's a very small camera, much smaller than the other GoPro's. I use a GoPro Hero 3 on the tail skid.

 

 

I've been checking out the tie down ring on my plane.  I've thought about using a couple of large washers with some type of rubber pad to sandwich the ring.  I could then use some type of lock washer and nut to secure the go pro.

[Yetti]

many of the cessna people do the large washer thing with wingnuts to the tie down rings on the wings.   Another eye bolt with 1/4 - 20 threads would fit right up to the tie down ring.  The 1/4 -20 threads are what is needed on the bottom of the gopro.  Use a nut to cinch down the camera

[gsxrpilot]

The mount on the horz stab.   I  may be wrong but wind flow over that tab is what helps balance things.  Not sure that is the best place to interrupt the flow. The main function is the weight that is there.   The paint is missing from the top of mine.

I've got close to 100 hours with this configuration and about 30 hours of it in close formation flying. There is no noticeable effect on the airplane.

[Yetti]

Learned a new term today.  Horn aerodynamic balance. (While doing company security training of course)

[kmyfm20s]

I had a mount in the same area of the horizontal stabilizer as you but moved it more toward the fuselage. When I was flying one time I was looking out at it and I realized that in some weird circumstance the GoPro could possibly flip backwards and get caught under the counterbalance of the elevator.  Yes that would be extremely unlikely but that means it would most certainly happen to me!

[Chocks]

On 1/26/2016 at 8:50 AM, Yetti said:

The mount on the horz stab.   I  may be wrong but wind flow over that tab is what helps balance things.  Not sure that is the best place to interrupt the flow. The main function is the weight that is there.   The paint is missing from the top of mine.

 

Let me assure you and anyone else with any notions of some imbalance or slipstream issue with GoPros, that there is none.

I don't care if you stuck it on the leading edge of the wing root, you wouldn't notice or have any issue of any kind.

Now avoiding places that might create a bind, hang up or interference with control surfaces is a different story and you should ensure proper clearances.

Other than that, get some cameras going! You will love being able to review your flights after.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

edit: Just in case there's any confusion, I am NOT recommending that you stick your camera to the leading edge of your wing. Disturbing smooth laminar flow is never ideal, but just making the point that with it's size and weight, you would never notice. The further back you go on the wing, the less it would matter.

Edited January 28, 2016 by FlyingSchmidt
Added Disclaimer

[Yetti]

Of all the places you could stick a camera putting it in front of the horn aerodynamic balance arm would seem to be the worst position on the airplane. But hey to each his own.   I have some jack points that will make for really good gimble remote control mounts.  Static mounts are so yesterday.

This was a fun read.  Much of it way over my head, but it was good to know that even the engineers don't really know all the answers when it come to flutter.

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/pdf/88390main_H-2077.pdf

[Chocks]

This was a great release by BoldMethod too: 

http://www.boldmethod.com/learn-to-fly/aerodynamics/boundary-layer/

[Chocks]

On 1/27/2016 at 9:44 PM, Yetti said:

I have some jack points that will make for really good gimble remote control mounts.  Static mounts are so yesterday.

 

Hey I want to see your gimble mounts when you get them done. Static mounts are tired and "jello-ee" hehe! A nice compact gimble would be awesome!