Cameras in the Cockpit?

[jai5w4]

Getting ready to fly out to NAS North Island for my cruise with HS-2 on Tuesday and I am planning on bringing both my digi still and digi camcorder cameras.

I was wondering if each sqaudron has their own policies regarding cameras in the cockpit and if you guys thought it would be an issue. Buddy of mine came back with some sweet @ss footage from his SH-60 flights. I am also looking at getting a Rhino tanker ride and E-2 as well...if we go to the boat like I think we will. Let me know if you guys think I will be able to shoot some video/pics while flying in each aircraft or if it will be a concern as far as something not tied down in the cockpit.

Thanks,

jai5w4

 

[A4sForever]

It shouldn't be an issue. Max pix will probably be the order of the day ... but don't ask here --- ask the guys you are going to fly with .... p.s. enjoy the heck out of it.

 

[jai5w4]

It shouldn't be an issue. Max pix will probably be the order of the day ... but don't ask here --- ask the guys you are going to fly with .... p.s. enjoy the heck out of it.

Thanks, A-4s. I think this is going to be the highlight of my Midshipman career. I'm sooo stoked about getting back out to SoCal for a while.

jai5w4

 

[kmac]

Generally speaking it's up to the CO/Det OIC, but sometimes the Aircraft Commander will make the call. I've taken both snapshots and video from the right seat for cats and traps. The order of the day is Max Pix for us. (Besides, you need to have a camera for SSC, especially if you're in a helo).

 

[Kolja]

Shouldn't be a problem, but it would be good form to ask first. And put tape over the battery compartment so as not to be "that guy" who FODs a plane with camera batteries

 

[JIMC5499]

Make sure that you have good neck straps for both cameras and you use them. I have seen more than one camera go falling out of the cargo door of an SH-3 when someone reached to steady themselves and let go of the camera.

 

[Schnugg]

A couple of stories about cameras in cockpits...

Was just checking into CVW-14 staff in early 95ish when two F-14D had a mid-air at 30K feet.
One jet had what we called a classic "John Wayne" load out...six phoenix (4 on belly, two on wing pylons) and two AIM-9M on the wing stations. Mind you they weren't your typical Aim-54C ($500k a pop for that variant). They were all captive carry telemetry type Aim-54C. Worth a lot more than $500k each.

Long story, short: After exceeding the speed limitations with the AIM-54 on the wing pylons and photographing it, plane comes backto NKX for next crew to get in and feel what it is like to fly with all that junk on the jet.

They decide in their brief to do a vertical move with the wings set at 68 degrees aft. A pure vertical break to attempt a cool photo shot with the plane vertical to the horizon. As they climbed the wings would have programmed forward, they did not.

Dash-2 got sucked under the lead. Lead rolled away to try to execute the break and adverse yaw happened (due to lots of aero stuff here and the incorrect wing position). Lead basically pulled down into dash-2 and two $60 m F-14D with IRST and JTIDS and all those missiles went into the drink.

All in an attempt to get a cool picture.

Here is a picture of what was photographed the first hop that fateful day...

The RIO in the F-14D that got hit was looking in his VCR viewfinder and thought he'd hit the zoom button as the jet got bigger and bigger until impact.
Ejecting at 30K feet leaves a lot of time dragging a drogue chute straight down face first in your seat and a good 15 minutes of time in the full chute.

Second story was when I went to man up a Tomcat and found a massive heavy camera mount, must have weighed 8 pounds, wedged in behind my ejection seat and it's rails. It was flat black and looked like part of the seat. I downed the jet for FOD (it was down for fuel leak anyways). I hand carried it into the COs office and dropped it on his desk from about a foot for effect. Big thud and a dent in his polished rosewood desk. He was pissed until I told him exactly where I found it. The RIO that left it in there was a budding photo-bug and had made this monster mount to attach the camera to the RIO handle ontop of the radar displays. The CO had words with him.

Thank god I found it and did not have to use the seat that day, as it would not have left the jet.


Cheers,
G

 

[Sandwichwarrior]

Thats a rough act to follow but don't let Schnuggapup discorage you just take some lessons from his spiel.

1: No loose gear in the aircraft, make sure you camera is small enough to fit in your pocket.

2: Watch your FOD, tape the batteries in and put a lanyard on your lense cap or ditch it all together.

3: Eyes outside, be aware of whats happening, my advice is to look over the top of your camera rather than through the viewfinder.

 

[Jedj]

"and all those missiles went into the drink."

I thought that's what the phoenix did best.

 

[Fly Navy]

"and all those missiles went into the drink."

I thought that's what the phoenix did best.

If I remember right, on the initial test of the missile, it hit 7 out of 8 targets.... it only missed the 8th because of a malfunction. THat's pretty good...

 

[skidkid]

At the risk of starting to talk P sub h's which will be shut down. I believe (from my airplane geek days in Jr high) that is was 4 of six and one of the target drones malfunctioned.

 

[feddoc]

Several years ago when I was in Corpus (and groveling for flight time) I happened upon an IP who let me ride in the back of a T-34 during a form flight. One of the two SNAs asked if it was ok that I filmed it for him. IP said ok, so we manned up with me in the back trying to work the camera. The student I was filming was next to us. It turned out that he retarded the condition lever (?) a bit too far and shut off the gas. Instead of calling for a restart, he shoved it forward...I happened to catch the flames on tape.

My neighbor told me a story about a non aviator who took her makeup junk/kit out to the airplane with her in her helmet bag prior to a Hornet hop. He told me that he made sure she was aware that each piece had to be accounted for. Maintainers called him later that evening to tell him that they found a lipstick tube....and asked if it was his.

 

[Goober]

Maintainers called him later that evening to tell him that they found a lipstick tube....and asked if it was his.

Hey, nothin' to say it wasn't... No judgements rendered here (not). Sure it was the pax in the back... Some guys might just have a need to feel pretty in the plane... Whatever works, as long as they stay on timeline. No rolexes based on Cover Girl difficulties allowed...