Surely the pilots job is to keep the camera on the target isn't it ?
With the camera by my right boot, if I can see the target theres a good chance the camera will also be able to. Many a time in an urban pursuit the camera loses the vehicle, for example in traffic/at lights/behind buildings and acquires a different vehicle and only because it is visible by the pilot and the rear observer, who contrary to popular belief isn't always eyes out, are we able to talk the camera on again.
Coconutty has it on the nail as far as we operate and it works well.
MG;
I find myself getting too involved in what's going on on the ground outside my window,
As long as all you do is keep the camera on the target thats all you need to do. What else are you up to? Radios, commentary?
Turning left, there are two bobbies looking out, instead of one. The camera isn't required all the time.
Yes the camera isn't necessarily used all the time (99% though surely), however, in a search (ignoring the pilot and not using the camera) with a right hand rear crew you have a set of eyes looking out on each side of the aircraft. Strangely enough, at some units when looking for something, the pilot spots it a lot of the time before the observers. Maybe because he/she has to look out in order to position the aircraft and therefore isn't too focussed on on area, catching it in the peripheral vision.
The "Send Position" function that the newer a/c have with the map/camera is excellent when it works. Ours wasn't working the other night. The efforts of the rear right hand bobby trying to get the front left guy on the camera on to a target on the right just weren't working because the guy on the camera couldn't look out of the window and see what he was looking for. A quick re-position to put it on the left solved the problem.
We have the same technical problems, but not the crew ones.
I have to keep looking back the other way, to check instruments and the front screen to see what the camera is looking at in order to position the a/c accordingly. Turning left, I can see all that naturally.
Don't you find though that when looking over to the left, you look at the instruments but don't see? Doing it the other way, I make a conscious move of my head in order to look at the instruments, breaking off temporarily from the job on the ground to see what is happening in the ac. Surely that is a CRM type better way of operating.
Not had a pursuit yet, but that's probably the only situation that I can see that having it on my side would be better.
Aha! Once you do, it will all fall into place
