Passenger View, video

The weather was just about perfect for flying yesterday, clear skies, light winds, and an airplane available. I mounted a small video camera on the right seat, for a view of the flight. The following video takes a look to the side and slightly forward from a Cessna 172 during take-off, a short cruise, and landing. Take a look:

More flying videos are on the way, weather and funds permitting. Next time I’ll position the camera straight ahead. Hopefully, it will be another smooth day or else the footage gets jostled about a bit too much. Either way, can’t get enough of this kind of footage. The little GoPro camera is not the most sophisticated, but it does the job. I wish I had three of them.

Published in: on October 19, 2011 at 11:40 am  Leave a Comment  
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Flying over the C&D Canal

When flying to and from Delaware, eastern Maryland, and points beyond, I like to use the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal as a waypoint. It runs a line from east to west and is punctuated by a number of distinct bridges. Thus, it makes for an easily recognizable ground reference point so you know where you are when flying. Here’s a video looking down at the canal from 3,500 feet.

The canal was muddy from all the rain we’ve had in the area. Nearly two weeks straight of off and on showers. Finally the sun came out and we’ve been able to get some flying done. Don’t forget the checklist!

Published in: on October 8, 2011 at 9:52 am  Leave a Comment  
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Cessna 172 Panel Overview

The Cessna 172 is a venerable aircraft in which hundreds of thousands of people have learned to fly. The following video gives you a basic overview of the instrument panel in a typical 172, explaining what each instrument does. Take a look:

Fairly easy to remember, eh? Of course. These instruments have been around for decades, and I highly recommend anyone learning to fly master them prior to moving on to digital cockpits. I’ll be posting more flying videos soon, including footage taken in the cockpit, which can be exciting and fun to watch. Remember, always do your checklist!

Published in: on October 1, 2011 at 12:56 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Blackhawk, Inside and Out

If you ever wondered what a US Army Blackhawk helicopter looked like on the inside and out, take a look at this video I made. This particular helicopter was part of a show at my local airport. The crew was very accommodating, allowing us wing nutz to take a seat at the controls. Here’s the video:

The control panel is not one of those multi-function displays, but rather clusters of individual instruments. You’ll also notice the spartan construction, no fancy woodwork or even smooth sheet metal. Just a raw panel with instruments bolted fast. Makes it easy to replace and repair, which is an important factor in military operations. Since I don’t have my helicopter rating, there was no chance of a jaunt in the this bird, not that it was in the cards if I had the ticket. Still, it was interesting to meet the crew, check out their machine, and learn a few things.

Published in: on September 26, 2011 at 12:08 pm  Leave a Comment  
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