I'm sure these ideas have already been thought-up but.....

Hi all,

I'm an older dude looking to make my way into the cockpit of an RV8 some day, in the meantime I will just have to be content with dreaming stuff up and making delusional airplane noises.

Anyway I thought of two ideas which I'm sure have been thought of already, but I would like to know more of what people have already come-up with.

Idea 1: Install one of the new remote cameras on to the underbelly of the taildraggers (with a video display in the cockpit) using minimal wiring and using off-the-shelf 2.4 gHz wireless cameras/modulators. It would not be hard at all to put the camera on a gimbal and be controlled from the cockpit. I would think some taildragger pilots might like this idea. Easy on/off and very small power consumption. Note that this is just an idea.....I don't have a working example...

Idea 2: Install a small, 25 - 40 watt solar panel somewhere in the cockpit (or maybe the rear fuselage?) for free charging of a battery or other USB type stuff.....

Feel free to criticize these ideas but remember that I am only trying to be helpful, and from my point of view, both of these ideas could yield some very low-hanging fruit...

Thanks for the opinions!

Quite a few guys have installed cameras. As I understand it a couple of the popular efis systems will take a video input from a cheap backup camera.

I'm planning to do it myself for the coolness factor. camera in the rudder tip cap or under the wing, maybe inside the leading edge next to the landing light. I don't think it's really necessary for ground ops, but it seems like it will be really neat to have an unobstructed forward view pop up on your efis for taxi.