Filming flying lessons?
 

I know ill probably get some stupid comments for this but was wondering if people film there lessons whilst doing the ppl, where do you mount the camera? is there anything you can buy to get the radio onto the video also? im wanting to keep a video diary/blog of my progress, cheers

Video - depends on the aircraft and the mission. I was involved in a filming project a few months ago where we used a Robin R2160 to shot aerobatics video. This is a two seater with a rather high baggage shelf behind the seats. We used a stand made from one of those steps you use to step into your caravan, strapped it down real tight with ratchet straps and used that to mount the cameras. We then secured literally everything with tie-wraps. You really need something solid, a clamp or stand or something like that to mount it to an airframe part. Use a camera with a wide lens so that it can see the instruments in addition to the outside world through the front windscreen. We also had a keyhole camera mounted on the windshield next to the compass, pointing backwards, with the recording unit mounted in the back on said stand.

Audio - the audio output that goes into your headset is a regular DIN something so if you arrange a splitter cable for a regular headphone you can use that for audio in into the camera. Not much adjustment needed.

Personally, i wouldn't bother for a PPL lesson. It took us a good three-four hours to get everything mounted and set up.

Or use an aircraft thats already fitted for video.

1) I have put a video tripod in the back of a 4 x seater, 2 x legs on the rear floor, the third leg went between the rear seats. Held down by a bungee cord.

Landing a Cirrus SR20 at Blackbushe, UK on Vimeo


2) My other way is by using a simple window suction mount which takes 10 seconds to set up:

Camera Suction pads and Vacuum mounts

.

http://www.eaa.org/apps/blog/learntofly/Default.aspx


Heres a link to a guy who is filming his lessons out of Oshkosh, USA...
I've been following it since day 1 and it seems to be working well with his set up.

looks impressive, good angle! Guess being creative is the main thing, how far away from the instruments would you recomend? the side mount suction pads for about £15 look alright just wondering if it would be strong enough for my little camcorder?

*****...Noticed that we just posted at the exact same time so not sure if you will notice my last post on the thread...*****

Why not post your question on the Earning My Wings blog? Brady would be able to tell you all the gadgets he's using and how they are set up.

I suppose it a matter or trial & error. My camera is High Def so from that distance on the tripod, the digital readouts are fairly readable. I suppose your instructor will have something to say about where you put the camera!

Perhaps the most important thing is to get the exposure right, consumer video cameras are terrible this. Unless you are lucky with the sun behind you, or its a very dull day, you will find that either the interior is too dark, or the exterior is too bright. The only way around that is to separately light the interior which is obviously overkill.

Sound? You need to have an external mike socket on the camera from which you plug into the pax headphone socket, or use a Y-splitter plug from either the pilot or copilot headphone sockets. Another way is to use a separate sound recorder like an Mp3 recorder.

The best trick for recording sound, in my experience, is to use a little tie-clip microphone and tuck it inside one cup of your headset.

G

thanks for your concerns lordmontague :ugh: but i was only really after the helpful comments like the previous posters on how to film it, ill worry about the legal side of things and how dangerous it will be! Thanks to the rest for the useful tips and videos.:ok:

I always thought that as I did the first hours of my PPL that it would be so useful to be able to review each lesson later - it is a shame that all trainers are not video equiped. (Could be a good revenue source for the shcool too).

I think I would at least take a look at the legal issues involved before dismissing them completely, as it could have some major ramifications for all concerned if there were to be a problem later on.

In terms of the technology, it is all about getting small cameras mounted where you need them feeding into something to retain the images - could be a laptop for IP cameras, rather than a big heavy camera which would need much heavier mounting. If expense is no object have a look at the Axis range of IP cameras - they do some specifically designed for mounting in vehicles.

I realised early on in my CPL training that recording the conversations would be usefull. So I did the tie-clip mic and headset trick using a digital dictaphone recorder thingy. It worked brilliantly, so I did the same during my MEP IR training! You will be amazed how much you don't take in and what you and your instructor miss!!

As for filming, have thought about it but not tried it.

LM, could you please separate the issues of safety and legality in your posts?

If you install a light camera with a suction cup or clamp, do you seriously think that's illegal? And where is the line then? If I install my handheld GPS with a clamp on the yoke or with a suction cup on the window, is that illegal too? Or if I put my checklist on the panel with a clip of some kind? Do you have a reference for this?

Great attitude. Particularly since safety/security was not discussed at all up to you posting that comment.

Personally, I think everybody has the common sense so make sure that the suction cup is big enough to hold the camera in question, even under vibration or g-loads. And then you'd still use a tie-wrap or something else to make a secondary attachment to somewhere.

hurrah for backpacker (and others) :D, good to see someone else has the same views as myself, its not that i dont care for the law etc blah blah, just all i wanted was a few ideas to film my lessons or hour building! i like the tie mic trick, as radio is one thing ill probably mess up easily! so would be good to listen to it again! i only have a relatively basic sony Hard disc camcorder but would like the videos all the same. cheers guys

With regards to sound, if, like mine your camcorder does not have an external mic socket then one option would be to buy a 15 quid Minidisc recorder from ebay and then either:

use a 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable (plugging into a 3.5mm to 1/4" jack) for a 4 seater

or

get a 1/4" jack splitter, use one for your headset and one for your minidisc recorder - for a 2 seater

Thank you for posting the camcorder suction mount! Will run that by my instructor.

IF, for any reason your school doesn't like the whole idea of suction mounts, then you could do one of those 2 people + instructor trial lessons, where one fly one way and one fly the return leg. You can bribe them to be cameraman/woman for the day :D

RE: [Aus-soaring] UK Accident Report

They weren't even attempting anything aerobatic. Be careful chaps!

And it wasn't even on a tripod. In my days you had to empty your pockets of loose articles on any flight. So perhaps suckers are not a good idea if you ask me.

Has any body tried one of these ? They seem small enough not to worry about .
Oregon Scientific ATC5K Action Camera. £140 ish by the looks of it. Am i correct that as most aircraft have perspex windows suckers don't work too well ?

Isn't it a little spineless that a post is pulled that makes this thread a little disjointed?