Video monitoring of airframe
Could someone please explain why the odd external camera for passenger entertainment hasn't evolved into a standard flight deck facility for monitoring airframe/engines/baggage hold? There have been many incidents reported in these forums where any/early information from video cam could have assisted pilots in their decision making. viz. smoke from engine (prior to sensor-triggered warning), damage to airframe from various causes in-flight, gear down and not locked warning, pre-flight checks and cant see control surface to confirm!, evac - but which doors are safe to use? - the list is endless. It seems to me as though not since the days of the Sopwith Camel, when visibility of the whole airframe must have been fairly good, we now have the technology to monitor the entire airframe when required.
Software in the approriate flight system could be employed to compare standard images of say flaps 40 with the current view and raise a warning if all is not well.
Do the 7E& and A380 have anything in this regard?
thx.