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RV-7 Taxiing Video Camera Permanent Mount Location

tgmillso

Well Known Member
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Hi All,

I am currently working on my wings and I wish to install a taxi camera for improved situational awareness, especially on the right side of the aircraft when I am taxiing. I will be installing a Garmin G3X 10", so I was thinking I could put the virb camera in one of 4 locations:
1. Canopy rollbar mount (easiest location, but limited visibility improvement).
2. Right leading edge landing light position (I am installing my landing lights in the tips, so I can use this leading edge position).
3. Embedded tail mount (widest viewing angle, most modification required and highest drag penalty, but also limited visibility improvement due to the fuselage blocking the image).
4. Embedding with the bottom cowl (narrow viewing angle, and fiberglass work required).
The reason I have to make a decision now, is that I will need to cut the wing leading edge in the next few days.
Has anyone mounted a camera in the locations above with the purpose of serving as a taxi camera covering potential blind spots, and if so, what would be your preferred location if you were to do things again? Also, is the camera image able to be made big enough on the screen to even be worthwhile in this type of application?
I'm sure someone will write back and just tell me to build a trike instead.
Cheers,
Tom.
 
Not the LE

In the wheel pant nose or in a custom spat fairing would be my vote.

You could make a custom lexan wheel pant nose lens and have a slewable mount with a small joystick in the form of a castle switch to aim it.
 
Put mine in the cowl. You don't have to use a Virb, any camera with composite video output will work - ie a cheap/light bullet cam.

Cowl%20Camera%20(600x800).jpg
 
Thanks Mark for pointing out that any camera will work with G3X. I was a bit concerned about the sheer size of fitting the Virb into some of these locations, so if I can get away with something smaller, that would be good. I like your cowling location. Do you use a filter so stop prop flicker, or is this a non issue? Also, what type of camera are you using?
Tom.
 
I put a composite camera on the inner access cover under the right wing. This way you can experiment without messing with the airplane itself. Take a new cover and everything is as before or try a new cam. As you pointed out situational awareness especially on the right side, this is the right place. You can even see where the right wheel tracks in case you are on narrow taxiways.






 
TDo you use a filter so stop prop flicker, or is this a non issue? Also, what type of camera are you using?
Tom.

I don't have a filter, and using the camera just for taxi the flicker is not much of an issue. The camera is a small bullet cam, bought 8 years ago. Don't remember the brand - if you google rear view camera you will find lots of them. Mine had 3 wires in a cable coming from it, one for ground, one for 12V power, and one for video. I cut the connector off the cable, wired the power and ground to the appropriate places, and spliced the video wire into a coax cable, added the BNC connector and voila! it worked. I haven't actually used it with the G3X yet (had a dedicated display previously) as the plane has been grounded for the last 6 months. During that time I upgraded the panel with the G3X, but have tested the video and it works just fine.
 
Thanks all for your input. I think I'll go with the cowl position for now from a drag minimization and wiring access perspective.
 
SuperCubDriver,
That housing on the inspection plate is beautiful. I ordered a bullet camera similar to the one you show and plan to mount it on the interior inspection plate of the starboard wing. How did you manufacture the housing that surrounds the camera. Looks very professional.
Jay
[email protected]
 
I put a composite camera on the inner access cover under the right wing. This way you can experiment without messing with the airplane itself. Take a new cover and everything is as before or try a new cam. As you pointed out situational awareness especially on the right side, this is the right place. You can even see where the right wheel tracks in case you are on narrow taxiways.


That is awesome!
Mike
 
I used aluminum sheet, .025 if I recall it correctly. Then I bent the sheet over a cone half around which I made on the lathe (brass, aluminum or whatever works), bent the flanges and cut to fit. On the forward end I used flox with one thin layer of glass about 3/8"over the top of the aluminum to make a solid and watertight connection, sanded and filled to blend it in. Drilled a hole in the flox with a small step for the lense. The hole thing is riveted to the inspection cover with a thin layer if Sikaflex inbetween and then painted. Of course there is a cutout in the inspection cover.
 
It seems like the top of the vertical stabilizer would be good in your case. I fly with two Garmin Virbs in my Lancair - one beside my head in the cockpit looking at the panel and out the windscreen. That one is plugged into my intercom system and records audio. I have a Virb Elite under the tail that has Wi-Fi and can broadcast to my iPad so in a pinch, I can check if my gear is down. I guess you won't need to do that :D

If you (or anybody) intends to record their flights, be advised that the Garmin Virb has a battery life of only 2-1/2 hours. Wherever you mount your camera, you may want to run some power there so you can get a longer recording time. In my case, I had to mount an external battery pack on the ventral fin.
 
Above air box

I have mine just above the air box in the cowl.

Its just a standard small flush mount reverse camera with wide angle video.
Prop effect is minimal and I find it perfect for taxi operations. I can see anything I need to and more.

11168422_10152986473392467_14763356153115393_n_zpsbh9sxenf.jpg
 
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