Flight Training - March/April 2021 - 31

G

o out and make a dozen takeoffs and landings and they're
likely to run together in your
mind.
Some are better than others, but subtleties and trends
are hard to identify.
Tiny point-of-view (POV)
cameras can help students,
instructors, and pilots seeking to sharpen their skills.
The same gadgets that flood
YouTube with content can also give pilots
some valuable training tips-particularly
in how to improve takeoffs and landings.
Here are a couple of recent successes of

the pilots I fly with that came about with
the aid of a single GoPro camera.
First, the pilot of a new-to-him
Mooney M20 Ovation was so bedeviled
by landing difficulties-and so concerned
about potential prop or tail strikes-that
he was considering selling the airplane.
I attached a camera to the belly of the
airplane pointed forward, so its wideangle lens captured all three tires as they
contacted the runway (see " Unusual
Attitude: See for Yourself, " December
2018 Flight Training).
The pilot flew very well and was precisely on speed during his final approach.
But the landing flare had no flare at all,

and he touched down flat and let the airplane rock fore and aft as it decelerated.
It was ghastly, and he really was in danger
of a prop strike.
When I asked him how high off
the ground the nosewheel had been at
touchdown, he estimated it was at least
six inches in the air. When we reviewed
the video, however, he was shocked to see
the nosewheel touching down at exactly
the same moment as the main wheels.
" That's not at all how I remember it, " he
said during the review session.
The reason for his misperception
is that the Mooney rests at a roughly
5-degree nose-up attitude on the ramp.

Top of vertical tail
Top-of-tail video
shows the airplane's
pitch and bank
during maneuvers
as well as the pilot's
smoothness and
precision.

KEVIN HAND

Instrument panel

Position the camera close enough to
the panel that key instruments such as
the airspeed and attitude indicators are
readable, and far enough away that you
can see at least some horizon outside
the windshield. Aim for two-thirds of the
frame to be panel and one-third horizon.
Use a neutral density lens filter to avoid
propeller distortion. If the airplane is
equipped with a glass instrument panel,
adjust the camera shutter speed to
reduce flickering. Panel video is extremely
useful in reviewing maneuvers, takeoffs
and landings, and IFR approaches. An
audio cable also allows the camera
to record ATC communications and
everything said on the intercom-and
those words recorded in the moment can
be tremendously helpful later. If you're
flying solo, say what you're thinking out
loud because those words will make for a
better postflight review.

Wing struts

A wide-angle view
can show you the
main wheels as
well as the people
in the cockpit. Pay
close attention to
where the pilot
is looking during
key moments as
well as runway
placement during
takeoffs and
landings.

Tail tiedown

A forward-looking camera on the
tail tiedown is ideal for takeoffs and
landings. Place the camera level with
the airplane's longitudinal axis, with a
wide enough frame to show the wings.
If your camera is equipped with GPS,
use it to record groundspeed. Note the
pilot's consistency flying traffic patterns,
their lineup on final approach, height of
the roundout and flare, pitch attitude
(and GPS groundspeed) at touchdown,
centerline placement, lateral drift, and
directional control on the runway. Also,
be careful not to overrotate or you risk
scraping off the camera on the runway-
an embarrassing and costly mistake.

AOPA.ORG/FT  31
http://www.AOPA.ORG/FT
Flight Training - March/April 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Flight Training - March/April 2021
