Photos in flight? Bad idea!
 

Have a look at NTSB accident report number CEN14FA265. Selfies in flight, inexperienced pilot flying in conditions for which he had no qualifications.

Combine these two ingredients, and its amazing there are not more accidents.
Leave the cameras behind, that's what I recommend to those flying for the first time. Let your girlfriend take the photo when your aircraft is on final approach, so it won't be your final approach!

There are enough devices you can set up and leave running, just needs mounting out of the way, most of these are video but if you want a still you can pick what you want. I certainly would not recommend using a handheld!

I can't be bothered to take pictures from the cockpit, though passengers sometimes do.

or at least we shouldn't blind ourselves looking into the camera's flash during an NVFR flight in the pattern..... :ugh:

Fly the way the pro would fly. If you were riding in the back as the paid passenger on a commercial flight, would you like to think that the pilots up in the front taking selfies, or any of a number of other distracting and totally un necessary activities?

Even before selfie capabilities, I saw new pilots ('cause old pilots really did not seem to care to) with all manner of gizmos in the cockpit, many of which were terribly distracting, just focus on the flying, and enjoy it....

Your in a dream world if you think it doesn't happen.

You just have to go to youtube to see all the vids done in the cockpit by commercial crews.

In fact I am happy to admit I took a few shots in the cruise of the FO flying so he could send them to his granddad the other week.

And when doing photo survey we quite often fly the plane while hanging it on its ear in a side slip to get the wing out the way sometimes with the door off and take photo's at the same time.

Yep, only men should be allowed to fly.

Unless of course the pilot is from a well known Greek island in the Aegean.

Well NTSB denies all knowledge of this report:

Any other identifying details to allow me to read the report?

Hot link perhaps?

Cusco

EDIT Disregard: Found it.

From the report.

Probably more to do with it than selfies?

Totally agree with MJ on this one commercial pilots do all manner of things especially on boring bits of the cruise from taking pictures to doing the crossword.

From memory I think the FAA made it illegal to use any electronic device which was not specific and needed for the flight and as such a camera or mobile phone would be illegal.

But then there are many boring parts of the flight where usually phones are used to capture various sky scapes.
On the approach to landing or takeoff when a pilots full attention is required for the job in question its not too clever to be snapping away but even then out of sight out of mind and with the autopilot its very tempting to grab a stunning scene even with commercial pilots :ok:

Pace

It's a very hot topic for some. Possibly getting some commercial guys invites to meetings without tea and biscuits.

Some great pics, thanks guys.:ok:

Peruse this forum (military) and you'll find the report of the 'flight excursion' of a personnel flight back from Afghanistan where the aircraft narrowly missed the scenery after departing from the high level cruise due to the electric seat being motored forward and the camera sitting on its arm contacting the sidestick......

Apparently there is now some guidance on non-essential items in the cockpit.....

Poor navigators

The pilot was also carrying pax out of 90 day rule, and flying IMC without an IR.

On the whole, the selfie was nothing more than the final straw.

G

Hmmm.... the very first paragraph states:

. The instrument rated pilot and one passenger were fatally injured

You won't believe what commercial pilots get up too ) some stages of flight are very boring :ok:

Pilot Gets Fired for Letting Two Hot Girls Fly His Plane - Mandatory

Pace

Okay, okay, I suppose things have changed since I flew corporate right seat in the '80's - I guess things have changed...

Hey, new pilots, if you get yourself in trouble 'cause you were photographin' when you was 'sposed to be flyin', no sympathy from me!

No i don't think they will have.

There are some that would have a complete sense of humour crisis if a camera came out. And a hissy fit if anything other than ops manuals were read.


And there is another group which thinks a stimulated mind is a benefit to flight safety.

This case though I don't think would have changed without a camera being used

Oh come on! No piccies while flying? Because someone lost it in IMC while having a camera on board? I have albums from my trusty Canon AE1 and I kept rammed between the Chippy's seat and cockpit wall (the massive scratches on the 'leather' camera cover testify!). And megabytes of memories from later cameras. Just make sure you fly the aeroplane at all time while taking the pics!

Like Mad Jock I've had the aeroplane in all sorts of attitudes to get the wing out of the way, etc (a deep slip was common). I'd slide the canopy back a couple of notches so not shooting through perspex, roll wings vertical keeping the speed up, and use the rudder to keep it there as long as possible while taking the picture, always ready to ditch the picture and take back the stick if I though it necessary.

Gentle turns could be easily maintained using rudder alone, leaving the hands free for the camera and plenty of time to compose the picture. I got a lovely shot of the summit of Snowdon like that! Here's Bardsey Island:

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b1...Bardseyres.jpg

And here's one I took out of the front, landing at Liverpool:

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b1...ps9a948cc5.jpg

Flying is far too much fun not to record it for looking back on. Just don't be a berk - remember that no.1 is FLY THE AEROPLANE!