Camera for AS350 Hook
 

Looking to put in a Rear vision car CCD camera and LCD monitor to help with sighting of a hook installation in a BA. Any advice appreciated, (Australia) Photo of your install would be great. Any body got experience using one of these, I'm thinking should be actually better than the vert ref window, and a lot cheaper. Plan to use wires not WI FI/bluetooth.

An installation as you talk about will not make the CAA very happy unless you get an STC, for starters.
Then, for V-ref use... Better than a floor window??! He-he, certainly cheaper, but better.... No way.. Try driving a car with binoculars, and see how much better that is than your normal view...

Nubian
 

Thanks Nubian and fair enough, but I am doing this as a request from other pilots working for me, so have you tried it? Personally I'm tall enough to pop the door and get it done but some of my guys aren't. As for FAA (CASA here), as far as I know if you can pull the camera off at the end of the flight and its secure during flight its ok thare are plenty of guys flying around with cameras on tail, skid,etc

Following the crash in the UK a couple of weeks ago, the CAA released a safety bulletin, pointing out the danger of installing additional "gadgets" into helicopters (and the distraction this is causing)..

They are REALLY sensitive about these things at the moment...

If your pilots are not able to fly sling load without a camera-think again about their qualifications.

Mirrors and/or window in the floor (or doors removed) should be more than sufficient in a small helicopter like this...

Fire hawk helicopters in Florida use something pretty close to what you are talking about. Give them a call about the software and stc etc. They have them mounted beneath their Fire-hawks. The guys on fires like them. Not much good for precision or production work. They also have a fleet of AS350 which I'm sure they have tried the cameras out on.

The stc floor window is the way to go IMHO or else a good left hand drive conversion. Mirrors are not much good with any line over 25ft unless your checking on the load in forward flight. But the camera would certainly help prior to getting the load to the window. Let us know how it works out

Thanks for the replys
 

Have decided to put on a mirror and a sliding seat kit from NZ, cheaper than the vert ref window and removable. Would love to do the camera but can't be bothered with the stress bs of getting it legal.

Make sure you get the right pedal extension if you get the seat shift mod. Also your engineers can rig the cyclic also to suit the mod.

AS350 cameras
 

AS350 nut - PM me, we operate STC cameras on our AS350BA, work great

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The seat shift STC is one of the best investments anyone could make.

If you learned in an older type air frame, the window is a PITA - but the seat shift allows a seamless transition from say a Lama or Longranger to the AS350 series. Cheaper than the floor window and you can see the load directly at all times- it fits regardless of pilot size. I have no connection with the manufacturer, just an occasional happy user in times past...

Happy trails...170

ps. I checked about European STC approval a year ago and it was still in the works, but I don't know the latest news...

170' Do you alter the cyclic at all with the seat in the new position, I understand and get the collective extension and the seat in new position. Just wondering if you find the cyclic bashing up against your left leg

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Check your PM's