Garmin GoPro VIRB Mount For Mooney?

[Mooney217RN]

I have a Garmin GoPro VIRB, and need a recommendation on which mount to use for best views from the cockpit.  Your opinion would be greatly appreciated, and I know that there's no lack of opinions around here.

Edited April 20, 2020 by Mooney217RN

[carusoam]

RN,

Where do you want to mount it?

inside overhead?

under the wing?

on the tail hook?

under the horizontal stabilizer?

Chest mounted!   

Best regards,

-a-

[Mooney217RN]

I'd like to mount it on the center post in the wind screen.  I won't mount it externally, I want to mount it in the cockpit overhead.

[gsxrpilot]

I've mounted GoPro camera's in every conceivable location, inside and outside of my Mooney. For inside the cockpit I like this one the best. It is the plastic "tray" that comes in every GoPro box. It's not meant to be a mount other than to just hold the camera in the original box. 

It also holds my CO detector when not holding a camera.

It's mounted using two of the original trim screws.

[gsxrpilot]

Here's what the picture looks like from that mount. You can also see a second camera on a suction mount on the right side of the windshield. It is also plugged into the audio panel.

[Mooney217RN]

Paul, nice looking 252 you have there!  It was my #1 choice when I traded up, but I got an Ovation 3GX.  Some things were meant to happen, and I am happy I got the Ovation, I love it.  My hangar neighbor has an Encore, beautiful bird.

My GoPro didn't come with that tray.  I like how you mounted it however.

[SkyBound]

12 hours ago, gsxrpilot said:

I've mounted GoPro camera's in every conceivable location, inside and outside of my Mooney. For inside the cockpit I like this one the best. It is the plastic "tray" that comes in every GoPro box. It's not meant to be a mount other than to just hold the camera in the original box. 

It also holds my CO detector when not holding a camera.

It's mounted using two of the original trim screws.

@gsxrpilot - what a great idea! could you share other locations where you’ve mounted both inside and outside?

Thanks.

—Alex

[M20F-1968]

This little clamp can be used to clamp onto the Mooney bar above the glare shield: 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07ZRMXXGV/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This can go onto the camera side, It has both 3/8" and 1/4" threaded holes:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/360-Degree-Swivel-Rotating-Aluminium-Tripod-Mount-Adapter-Universal-for-GOPRO/263387202079?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

Then you can pretty easily make a threaded part to connect the two out of aluminum.  (You could also 3D laser print such a part if you are not good with tools).

I am working on this project for myself.  

John Breda

[gsxrpilot]

1 hour ago, SkyBound said:

@gsxrpilot - what a great idea! could you share other locations where you’ve mounted both inside and outside?

Sure, be happy to...

Inside the airplane that ceiling location is my favorite view and location. I've also mounted cameras using suction mounts to all the window surfaces in the cockpit. The side windows are easy as they are flat. Mounting to the windshield is tough as it's curved. I got a small diameter suction cup mount suggested by @PilotFun101 that is small enough to mount on the inside of the windshield and still maintain suction. I've also used a clamp on the center post but it gets in the way of the compass that is also using the center post. Finally, I put a sticky mount on the glare shield in front of the center bar.  You can see it in this picture.

Speaking of sticky mounts, I use them exclusively on the outside of the airplane. In almost 6 years of sticking GoPro mounts on the outside of airplanes, I've never had one fail or come loose. They are designed to stay on in environments much more severe than on the outside of an airplane doing 200 knots. But they are easy to remove with a short piece of dental floss or fishing line. Sticky mounts some in two versions, flat and slightly curved. Use the one appropriate to the surface.

I also have the mounts on the right wing tip. You can see it here. There is one on the underside of the wing as well. 

Finally, I don't have pictures that I can find at the moment, but I've had a mount on the top of the fuselage just above the windshield. And I've also mounted cameras to the tail skid.

A couple of final notes on mounting the cameras on the outside. There is an FAA letter explaining the legality of this which I keep in my POH and on my iPad. I've been ramp checked and there was no problem with the mounts. Although we all know every FSDO is different. 

I don't use any sort of safety tether on the cameras. If they were to come off, they won't, I'd rather they fall to earth and lose the camera. Rather than they be swinging in the wind and beating up the skin of the plane.

 

[JohnB]

On 4/21/2020 at 5:08 AM, M20F-1968 said:

This little clamp can be used to clamp onto the Mooney bar above the glare shield: 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07ZRMXXGV/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This can go onto the camera side, It has both 3/8" and 1/4" threaded holes:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/360-Degree-Swivel-Rotating-Aluminium-Tripod-Mount-Adapter-Universal-for-GOPRO/263387202079?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

Then you can pretty easily make a threaded part to connect the two out of aluminum.  (You could also 3D laser print such a part if you are not good with tools).

I am working on this project for myself.  

John Breda

I would be interested in a picture when you get it set up if you can share?

[M20F-1968]

13 minutes ago, JohnB said:

I would be interested in a picture when you get it set up if you can share?

It is not on my short list of things to do right now, but the part to be made can be made from aluminum.  It would be milled to a flat tang that will fit into one end of the 

part that rotates (the other end will accept a normal GpPro Camera mount).  The other end will be threaded with either 3/8" or 1/4" threads which can be threaded into the threaded hole in the small vise clamp.

John Breda

[Skates97]

I have two similar to this handlebar mount which work well. One is pointed forward and one is inside. The one pointed inside I also have hooked up to the audio so that I can pick up all the radio transmissions. For the radio transmissions I have a cable that both charges the camera and picks up the audio. The only camera I have that is an actual Go-Pro is the old Hero 3+ which records the audio. The rest are Go-Pro knock offs that run about $30-40/ea and I honestly can't tell the difference in the video quality on a computer screen, maybe if it was on my big screen TV. The knock offs also come with a couple batteries and a charger, batteries last about an hour. I have a sticky mount on the glareshield, but it picks up much more vibration than the center post. In the background you can see a third camera that has a suction mount and a short ram-mount arm.

The mount also doubles as a key hook. 

Mount
https://smile.amazon.com/Bicycle-Handlebar-Seatpost-Adjustable-MiPremium/dp/B07RZQM8RF/ref=sr_1_12?dchild=1&keywords=go-pro+mount+handlebar&qid=1587935535&sr=8-12

Cable
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00OP8RYY8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Suction Mount
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0061QO332/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Arm
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B005KWPJ04/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Adapter
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B081NLL8WR/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[JohnB]

30 minutes ago, Skates97 said:

I have two similar to this handlebar mount which work well. One is pointed forward and one is inside. The one pointed inside I also have hooked up to the audio so that I can pick up all the radio transmissions. For the radio transmissions I have a cable that both charges the camera and picks up the audio. The only camera I have that is an actual Go-Pro is the old Hero 3+ which records the audio. The rest are Go-Pro knock offs that run about $30-40/ea and I honestly can't tell the difference in the video quality on a computer screen, maybe if it was on my big screen TV. The knock offs also come with a couple batteries and a charger, batteries last about an hour. I have a sticky mount on the glareshield, but it picks up much more vibration than the center post. In the background you can see a third camera that has a suction mount and a short ram-mount arm.

The mount also doubles as a key hook. 

Mount
https://smile.amazon.com/Bicycle-Handlebar-Seatpost-Adjustable-MiPremium/dp/B07RZQM8RF/ref=sr_1_12?dchild=1&keywords=go-pro+mount+handlebar&qid=1587935535&sr=8-12

Cable
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00OP8RYY8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Suction Mount
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0061QO332/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Arm
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B005KWPJ04/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Adapter
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B081NLL8WR/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

 

Hugely helpful sir! Ill be buying this setup thanks! And I especially like you made the links with the smile.amazon link as makes it easy for part of my purchase to go to the Mooney Caravan!

One question though, how did you connect your Nflight cable to your camera? On my Garmin VIRB, once you put the case on, you cant access the jack. Was thinking of drilling a hole in the case so that the audio plug will fit, but curious how you got yours to work. Great setup! thanks!

John

[Skates97]

44 minutes ago, JohnB said:

Hugely helpful sir! Ill be buying this setup thanks! And I especially like you made the links with the smile.amazon link as makes it easy for part of my purchase to go to the Mooney Caravan!

One question though, how did you connect your Nflight cable to your camera? On my Garmin VIRB, once you put the case on, you cant access the jack. Was thinking of drilling a hole in the case so that the audio plug will fit, but curious how you got yours to work. Great setup! thanks!

John

$17 case from Amazon
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B073FK6HY3/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Maybe something like this would work with your camera?
https://smile.amazon.com/Garmin-VIRB-Ultra-Cage-Protective/dp/B01K4C3VWM/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=garmin+virb+case&qid=1587941035&s=electronics&sr=1-4

Oh, and not sure about how the Garmin VIRB works, but with my Hero 3+ if I plug the cable in I can't then start recording for some reason, however if I start recording and then plug the cable in it will power it and also keep recording.

[JohnB]

28 minutes ago, Skates97 said:

 

Maybe something like this would work with your camera?
https://smile.amazon.com/Garmin-VIRB-Ultra-Cage-Protective/dp/B01K4C3VWM/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=garmin+virb+case&qid=1587941035&s=electronics&sr=1-4

This one would work! Adding to order. Thanks Richard!

John