ETLB Squawk Forums — Archive

Not much is happening on the Board, so I thought I would post a photo taken from my AirBike.  While in the process of trying to make another video several weeks ago, the camera automatically (how does that happen?) took the still photo shown below.

The camera is attached to the top surface of the luggage compartment immediately behind my seat, it shoots aft much the same as my rear gunner does when he occupies that space. Too bad the seat harness and longeron get in the way of the vertical control surface.  Following filming numerous clips from this position, I have yet to move the camera forward and shoot through the prop. Doing so will give me a couple of viewing positions and add to the interest of the vide.

This photo was taken as I flew over the Arkansas River just west of Derby, Kansas. Our drought continues so the water level remains low. One could walk across the river and not get their knees wet.

Paul D. Fiebich

Nice picture Paul. looks like it would be tempting to land on the river bank.
Here's a picture I took the other day after flying. The dried grass made for a nice back drop.

One more.

Landing on the sandbar would be tempting, I have swooped low on several occasions to check it out. I think the sand would grab my skinny tires and make for a very short landing and maybe make it impossible to take off.  Now if I had tundra tires, it would be a different story.

Your photos look great, the grass actually has a "soft" look and contrasts sharply with the intense and well defined color scheme of your plane.  Something seems strange; the first time I looked at your photos they were in color, today they are only black and white??? Your plane really looks nice either way though.

Paul Fiebich

Nice b&w pictures Dick! Paul's picture is also very interesting.
The chopper on top of Dick's plane looks like a bee flying over the Minimax.
I'll contribute with another rear view ......I just have too many pictures in my files....

Paul:  I have quite a few friends that regularly land on the sandbars in the river that runs through Columbia SC. They haven't had a problem BUT they checked them out by boat first. They flew a variety of UL's with the heaviest probably being a CGS Hawk. Sand is sand but is not always equal. One of the guys (a metal worker) actually fashioned a lightweight boat to attach to his Quicksilver so he could use the lake where he lived for a runway.  I would guess that made it a bit of a FAT UL.

Quoted from Ricardo Nice b&w pictures Dick! Paul's picture is also very interesting.
The chopper on top of Dick's plane looks like a bee flying over the Minimax.
I'll contribute with another rear view ......I just have too many pictures in my files....

That's a rear view if I ever saw one. If they had a play boy magazine for Mini-max's your's would make the center fold!

Paul thanks for the great pict. I really like the flying wires on the tail, now I got some ideas on how to eliminate my tail struts.

Monte

The original light tail minimaxes had flying wires on the tail.....
you might have trouble locating turnbuckles now, however.

Here is a photo of how I secure the Garmin Virb video camera to my plane.  Not wanting to rely on only the camera base's suction cup, I zip tie the camera to the base then use a rope to tie the camera assembly to the plane.  If that camera comes off I don't want to lose it.  It would be interesting to see how others secure their cameras to their planes and some of their most interesting still photos.

Paul Fiebich

Hi Paul, I mount my GoPro in the middle of my axle using the GoPro roll bar mount. I also use a prop filter to clear the weird lines and I manage it in flight using my iPad Mini with the GoPro app.

I just posted a short video under a post titled, "Southern CA Flight." I also added some still photos at the end of the video.

Thanks, - Sean

I use a  GoPro.  It has a camera holder with a curved base which has a very strong sticker at the bottom, that piece stays on the wing forever.
I have three of these attached at different parts of the wing. The camera slides in and out of this base. The camera  can  also be attached at 90º angles from the same spot.
I also use a regular camera  (Samsung)  attached  to my cap. I drilled a hole on the cap front and with the right bolt attached to the camera bottom it can fixed on top of the hat. Is better to wear the cap  on the reverse side  so the the curved part can keep the camera still.

Hey Paul, that harness might get in the way of pictures, but without it your gunner might have already shot your tail off. Of course I'm assuming that weight restrictions keep you from having any position interrupters on the rear gun.