Where I work we have a Cessna 185 amphib. It has a camera port cut through the fuselage located roughly between the back seats. We just received approval to add a couple of video cameras for oblique video from the back seat. We're discussing building a temporary platform cut to fit in the luggage area above the aux fuel tank. Then mount the cameras on platform to shoot through the small windows all the way back. This calls for replacing the back windows with windows that have a port so the lens can see outward without the distortion of plexiglass.

The belly mount was a royal PITA as it was a structural mod and had to go the the approval process. The airframe guy we deal with said that the bureaucracy for mods is far worse than 6 years ago when we did the fuselage work and suggested we go for a temporary system which does not require approval.

Now doesn't that sound like a buncha crap to you? FAA has made mod process so onerous that people advise shopping for loopholes.

So that leads me to two questions.

#1 Anybody have suggestions for (inexpensive!) oblique camera mounts in a Cessna 185?

#2 The FAA, is it getting more *****y or is our guy just having some problems with them on his own?

Bi-plane. No windows, no modifications to deal with and yo can point that camera any which way you want.

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"It's normal for these things to empty your wallet and break your heart in the process."
2012 SLK 350
1987 420 SEL

Hey Mistress, you posted that picture upside down.

The FAA does require that the process is very thorough for the mods you want to do for a reason.

Sometimes that reason is to just keep them busy, but the question I'd ask at this point is ,what constitutes "temporary"?

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85' 300D No inspection, No registration fees, Cheap insurance
"If my calculations are correct, when this baby hits 88 miles per hour, you're going to see some serious %$&^."

Damn, dude - How big is this camera you’re talking about?

DJ and I read this one, and have no idea why you’re concerning yourself at all with “mods” or “expenses”.

Short and sweet. We do it for Real Estate folks and land owners all the time.

1. Mount the camera on a sheet of wood or whatever. No FAA requirements/regulations at all.
(Use something like a Bogen (Manfrotto) ball mount for good/easy camera control/aiming. We use a ~15”x15”sheet of 3/8” honeycomb - no flex at all, but a sheet of plywood or MDF would work just as well. BTW - A length of 3/8” foam pipe insulation around the edge keeps it from digging into the seat material.)

2. Remove the right hand door of the aircraft. Two pins. Two minutes. No FAA requirements/regulations at all.

3. Remove the back of the right hand forward seat. Two bolts. Two minutes. No FAA requirements/regulations at all.

4. Strap the camera/mount securely to the right hand forward seat bottom with the seatbelt and a good quality “bungie cord” or two. Nylon straps, whatever. No FAA requirements/regulations at all.

5. The camera operator can sit in the right hand aft seat. No FAA requirements/regulations at all.



The wing strut may become an issue depending on how tight/wide (and where) you aim the camera.
If that’s a problem:
Change step 2 to: Remove the rear baggage compartment door. Two pins. Two minutes. No FAA requirements/regulations at all.

Delete step 3.

Change step 4 to: Strap the camera/mount securely to the baggage area floor. No FAA requirements/regulations at all.

BTW - You can also secure the camera to any of the struts with a Bogen (we use them here quite a bit) Super Clamp and Magic Arm. We recommend a safety back-up cable be used when securing things where if they were to ever (for whatever odd/rare reason) fall off...nobody on the ground gets a headache.


Edit -
Note that removal of the front seat back only makes it easier for the camera operator to work with the camera when mounted on the front seat. It is not a mandatory step, if the guy can work over the seat back.
If so, mounting the rig over a modeling stool (solid box) on the seat will raise it up for him. (Been there-Done that...)
The bolts holding the seat back on are no big deal to remove. But you may have issues with removing the decorative plastic trim pieces if they have become brittle as most do over the years.

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1980 300D - Veggie Burner !

Yes.
-and-
Probably.

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1980 300D - Veggie Burner !

Do you all use gyroscopic stabilizers for that? I used to sell those for still photography from cars, trucks, airplanes, etc. I used to also sell cameras and mounts for photogrametry years ago. Haven't done any of that for awhile. What you you guys use for that?

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OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
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No stabilization. But there are fluid mounts that are shock absorbing (used in race car video) that look promising.

B

PS WVOtoGO -- exactly the kind of comments I was hoping for, will pass that along and thanks.

Any time, Bot.

It's what we do....live....are.


I know we have the flat mount set-up sitting around somewhere in one of the hangars.
If you only need it for a short while, I can track it down and send it to you.

But then - Mistress can attest to how long it can take me to track things down around here and get them shipped.

Nothing special about it really: Bogen Maxi Ball Head, holds around a 25lb camera (from B&H, NY). A sheet of ½ to ¾ MDF, cut to size. A ¼-20 bolt and large area washer. Some pipe insulation. Some nylon strap or bungie cords to go down to the front chair legs. Or cross a pair of ratchet straps on the baggage area floor. (all from Home Depot or ??) If budget is tight - get the ball head off eBay.

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1980 300D - Veggie Burner !

The extent of my videographic knowledge is that you must put enough towels under the back of the camera and place it on a high enough shelf so that it can get a good look down through the louvered doors of the owner's closet when you are at the beach house getting your swerve on.

Sorry--college memories took over on that one.

LOL -
Good one JD.

I guess you knew to use only towels to secure the camera, and not a structure or component that requires the use of a fastening device and/or devices in contact with the closet door structure that require any specific tool for said device and/or devices removal and/or installation. And certainly nothing was secured to said closet door structure that would in any way alter the structure and/or affect the safe operation of said door. That way the feds left you alone.
Good think'n, dude !

Good to know too. That if you had any concerns as to being interrupted by the feds. Say, in the room and/or area of said room - “getting your swerve on.” That you were smart enough to stick a “Restricted” sign on said closet door structure in such a fashion as to not become obstructed from, and in clear view of, any and all people who might enter said closet, too.
Man, your were pretty smart for a college kid !


Oh wait.....your camera was secured in a non-permanent fashion (all the crap from the first paragraph again, here) to a structure actually inside the closet.

Never mind.

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1980 300D - Veggie Burner !

The only flaw in the plan was that originally I forgot to put a piece of electrical tape over the red light on the front of the camera below the lense that lets you know its rolling. Got that worked out.

ooooo....that could be a bad thing.

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1980 300D - Veggie Burner !