Air to Air Photography Mods?

[Gerbil]

Is anyone doing air to air photography with their Mooney? If so what mods if any are you using? 

I used to do air to air photo work with my Cessna. With that plane I would take the door off so my photographer would have unrestricted visibility. I will not be able to do that with a Mooney when I get one but I was wondering if there are any window mods out there for the passenger side of the plane. While it is not my primary mission I would like to find a way to continue doing the photo work once I switch planes.

Gerbil

[StinkBug]

I think your biggest difficulty will be the wing location. Really the photographer will need to be shooting out of the rear window. I don't know of anyone making anything specific for the mooney, but have seen people get field approvals for oversized storm window openings on various aircraft for the right side. 

[Gerbil]

17 hours ago, StinkBug said:

I think your biggest difficulty will be the wing location. Really the photographer will need to be shooting out of the rear window. I don't know of anyone making anything specific for the mooney, but have seen people get field approvals for oversized storm window openings on various aircraft for the right side. 

Once I have a plane I plan to make a couple of flights to learn where to place myself and my photographer for good shots. No doubt the wing will be an obstacle but I had a wing strut to deal with before. I am guessing my opportunities to get shots of the upper quarters of aircraft will be tougher but I should still be able to get forward and rear quartering, level and lower from the Mooney. Test flights will let me discover what sort of window mods I might like to have too.

Gerbil

[thinwing]

Remove baggage door and if you weight is 120 lbs shoot out of that

[carusoam]

Do we know if @Canopyman's company lives on?

He was able to thermoform plastic canopies for experimental aircraft.  If anyone would be able to make a bubble window, they would be a go to group for ideas on how to get it done.

We lost Canopyman a while ago...RIP.

Best regards,

-a-

[Jeff_S]

The problem I always have shooting pics from my Mooney is reflection from the windows. I can never seem to get rid of the glare. If you slow to less than 132 KIAS and can shoot with the side window open that might work, but it limits what you can aim at.

[Gerbil]

4 minutes ago, Jeff_S said:

The problem I always have shooting pics from my Mooney is reflection from the windows. I can never seem to get rid of the glare. If you slow to less than 132 KIAS and can shoot with the side window open that might work, but it limits what you can aim at.

That's just the thing...... I need an opening. 

I think I am looking for a mod to get the biggest window opening on the passenger's side. I have to determine how big is good and where should it be located. The rear passenger window might be a possibility too.

Anyone know what happens if you open the little window at over 132 kias?

Gerbil

[kpaul]

3 minutes ago, Gerbil said:

Anyone know what happens if you open the little window at over 132 kias?

That is the placarded speed that the window can be opened, mine is listed as 150 mph (131 kts)

[Jeff_S]

Opening the side window at >132 KIAS will cause a massive depressurization of the cabin, will suck the pilot's cheek up against the window and render the airplane unflyable!

It would be an interesting discussion with the test engineers to determine how that threshold was defined. There is obviously a pressure difference between the inside and outside of the cabins, so perhaps this was set to prevent false readings from the pressure-sensitive instruments in the cockpit like altimeter, ASI, etc.  I'm just guessing there...anybody else know the impacts?

[EricJ]

1 hour ago, Jeff_S said:

Opening the side window at >132 KIAS will cause a massive depressurization of the cabin, will suck the pilot's cheek up against the window and render the airplane unflyable!

It would be an interesting discussion with the test engineers to determine how that threshold was defined. There is obviously a pressure difference between the inside and outside of the cabins, so perhaps this was set to prevent false readings from the pressure-sensitive instruments in the cockpit like altimeter, ASI, etc.  I'm just guessing there...anybody else know the impacts?

My guess would be that buffeting, etc., at the higher speeds might make the plastic flutter and fail.   But, then you'd have a clear view to take pics out that side.  

[peevee]

this guy's got it down.

 

 

[steingar]

If the mission is aerial photography I can think of worse platforms than the Mooney, but not too many.

[EricJ]

42 minutes ago, steingar said:

If the mission is aerial photography I can think of worse platforms than the Mooney, but not too many.

Especially from the back seat, unless you want a lot of pics of the wing.

I think this is why the Bonanza A36 is so popular for this application.   Take the back doors off, strap somebody back there, and they have completely unobstructed view up and down, and about a ninety-degree lateral spread.  

[steingar]

Yup.  A camera ship needs a door to come off, otherwise the photos suck.

[Mooneymite]

For a really great platform, may I suggest a lawnchair and some helium-filled weather balloons?

[Hank]

3 minutes ago, Mooneymite said:

For a really great platform, may I suggest a lawnchair and some helium-filled weather balloons?

Don't forget the BB gun for when it's time to descend.  

[Gerbil]

8 hours ago, steingar said:

If the mission is aerial photography I can think of worse platforms than the Mooney, but not too many.

Thanks for the suggestion on where to put the photo window. How many photo flights have you made with your Mooney to arrive at this opinion? What type of aircraft were you trying to shoot?

Seriously, I am buying a Mooney because my research has led me to recognize that it will be the best choice for my PRIMARY mission for performance and cost. Photography is not my primary use but I will still want to enjoy the challenge of aerial photography and I will have to learn how to do what I can.

Thanks for the help though.

Gerbil

 

 

[steingar]

On mine the pilot side window can stay open under 150 mph.  Pretty easy to keep slower than that.

[StinkBug]

I can say that I've done enough formation flights that involved a camera toting passenger that I know it's quite difficult to get a shot that does not involve part of the wing in the frame. I think that's the point Steingar was trying to make. If this is even a secondary mission of importance it makes sense to take the level of non-suitability of the aircraft into consideration before buying.