Mounting a camera on external airframe mount - legailty?
 

Quick question on the above required for a potential magazine article. What kind of fixture is required and by what technical authority does it have to be approved (if required?). Thanks in advance.

Fix it to your own satisfaction, safe for the task.
Then don't ask the Bureaucrats!

I know at least one european authority who have ruled that external mounting of a camera invalidates the airworthiness and thereby also insurance.

Can be mounted anywhere inside the aircraft but not externally.

Mounting of an external camera will require an approval from your 'Competent Authority'. UK CAA in your case, Okavango.

Flight without approval will, as Miserlou says, invalidate the CofA/Permit to Fly' and with it, the Insurance.


MJ:ok:

Seems fairly straight forward
 

Thanks all, thought so. Regarding financial remuneration - No. Simply a passion so convey something I enjoy in life. Try it some time.

CAA only approve the certification.

You will need a a Design and Production organisation with the Part 21 J and G approvals to do the relevant work.

Part 21 design office rates will not be cheap.

Safe trumps legal every time, but both is better.

I think that for personal consumption, use the advice available online from LAA, FAA, BMAA.... to ensure its safe.

Doing something for a magazine both puts pressure on you to fly when you might not otherwise, and makes what you did rather more visible - I tend to think in that case you should either make quite sure that it's *also* legal, or decline politely.

G

I know someone who looks like me, that's mounted a Gopro externally and it made for some great shots, but I can't help but get concerened as I follw lots of aviation people/pages on Instagram that these selfies are getting more and more dangerous, anyone else feel the same ?

I've twice now, seen GoPro cameras mounted on the pitot tubes of high wing Cessnas.

In both cases, when I tactfully suggested to the pilots that this may not be a good idea, I was told to 'mind my own business and go away'. (cleaned up version for PPRuNe):ugh:


MJ:ok:

They're the guys that deserve to be in trouble then

I've mounted one externally on the tubing of mine with the permission of the design authority and the maintenance organisation.

…but it's SSDR, so those two entities are… me :ok:

A client of mine had a camera mounted under the wing of their transport Category research aircraft. The turbulence off the camera flowed under the aileron, and caused an intolerable vibration. Tens of thousands of dollars later, they had an approved fix!