The "darker side" of flying (Night Landings) with ATC COMS - Video

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Needed to get night current for an IFR flight next week. Since I have
not flown at night for quite some time, figure to give me an
adjustment period as day transitions to night.

Video includes slow flight while waiting for the sun to set, watching
the sunset from 3000 feet and two landings at KJAN.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-STNsb2ZC7A

My next video will have the remainder of my landings back at KMBO.

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Night currency landings - video

Video is a continuation of my night currency video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ayv1Mq3FC9M

This video captures one touch and go, one full stop landing and shut
down. Video includes uncontrolled airport communications.

Looking back at my log book it had been over 1 year (11/01.07) since I
had done any night flying,

Good overall exercise for me landing on runways of different widths.

[B A R R Y[_2_]]

Cool!

I've been messing with a Flip video, how'd you get the audio?

Barry



wrote:
> Night currency landings - video
>
> Video is a continuation of my night currency video.
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ayv1Mq3FC9M
>
> This video captures one touch and go, one full stop landing and shut
> down. Video includes uncontrolled airport communications.
>
> Looking back at my log book it had been over 1 year (11/01.07) since I
> had done any night flying,
>
> Good overall exercise for me landing on runways of different widths.

[B A R R Y[_2_]]

wrote:
> Night currency landings - video
>

Al,

Here's one of mine...

http://www.bburke.com/images/NightArrivalKHFD20.wmv

I'd love to grab audio like you do!

[[email protected]]

On Nov 19, 7:22*pm, B A R R Y > wrote:
> wrote:
> > Night currency landings - video
>
> Al,
>
> Here's one of mine...
>
> http://www.bburke.com/images/NightArrivalKHFD20.wmv
>
> I'd love to grab audio like you do!

Link not working above??? I get file not found....

I bought a digital recorder and also a patch cord.

http://aircraftpatchcord.com/ is where I got the patch chord. Total
cost was $80 for both cord and recorder. You do not need an expensive
recorder as I have a very cheap version.

Setup, nothing to it. Literally, plug it, set it (turn it on) and
forget it. Great way to time your flights LOL as I turn the recorder
on once I flip the master switch on and turn the recorder off when I
unplug it. Length of .mp3 file pretty much the time you were PIC of a
plane!

After flying, for my video, I put a prompt in when I turn the camera
on so that I know where to start in the audio. Then it's a matter of
syncing it up to the video. I say camera on and then camera off, and
on the final product, I edit the prompt out.

Stall horn loud enough to hear both through the digital recording and
the camera audio, so landing syncing very easy.

[B A R R Y[_2_]]

wrote:
>
>>
>> http://www.bburke.com/images/NightArrivalKHFD20.wmv
>>
>> I'd love to grab audio like you do!
>
> Link not working above??? I get file not found....

Weird... I sent it to others, and it worked. Sorry about that. Try
hitting it from here: http://www.bburke.com/flying/videos.html

>
> I bought a digital recorder and also a patch cord.
>
> http://aircraftpatchcord.com/ is where I got the patch chord. Total
> cost was $80 for both cord and recorder. You do not need an expensive
> recorder as I have a very cheap version.

Ah-ha! That makes perfect sense! You just add the audio in when
editing the video. Since there's no movement that coincides with the
sound, it would be easy. I could ever record with laptop and sound card.

I can build patch cords, etc... I thought you were recording it
directly to the video. My cheesy camera doesn't have an Audio In jack.

Thanks!

[[email protected]]

On Nov 20, 7:24*am, B A R R Y > wrote:

> Weird... * I sent it to others, and it worked. *Sorry about that. *Try
> hitting it from here: *http://www.bburke.com/flying/videos.html

Worked, plus the benefit of viewing the other videos :-))) Didn't
need much runway for your PVC landing!

> Ah-ha! * That makes perfect sense! *You just add the audio in when
> editing the video. *Since there's no movement that coincides with the
> sound, it would be easy. *I could ever record with laptop and sound card.

Somewhat true on the no movement. You have to be careful if ATC gives
you a heading that you match up the turn with the instruction. In
that case, I get the heading change, prompt myself "camera on for
heading 220", turn the camera on and make the turn. This ensures that
the movement / turn / bank of the cowling is in sync with the
instruction. Or in my no gyro video, that the instruction matched up
with the instrumentation values.

I do adjust the volume downward on my video portion, but you still can
hear me talk, so on low RPM situations, there is a slight "echo" if
you listen carefully enough. Also sounds like my flap making a click
in the indentation can be heard, so when I say flaps, in the video I
listen for that click to sync up with me saying flaps. Other then
these small nuances, it's not that bad in the sync process. Feel free
to email me if you want/need tech details of the video editing
aspect. Got a free programs that will help make it sooo much easier
with the sound clips.

> I can build patch cords, etc... * I thought you were recording it
> directly to the video. *My cheesy camera doesn't have an Audio In jack.

Cha-ching same situation, no audio in. My camera is just a shirt
pocket size Kodak Easyshare point and shoot camera. Not the full
blown version that really does run circles around mine for video
quality. I just couldn't justify the cost for a full blown video
camera, purchasing the "setup equipment" in the cockpit.

[B A R R Y[_2_]]

wrote:
>
> Somewhat true on the no movement. You have to be careful if ATC gives
> you a heading that you match up the turn with the instruction. In
> that case, I get the heading change, prompt myself "camera on for
> heading 220", turn the camera on and make the turn. This ensures that
> the movement / turn / bank of the cowling is in sync with the
> instruction. Or in my no gyro video, that the instruction matched up
> with the instrumentation values.
>

Good point.

I have 60 minutes available on the camera, and lots more on a voice
recorder, so I figured I'd just leave it on and splice later. The
camera is a Flip Mino. I convinced my wife that she needed to buy one
with _her_ spending money. ;^) I'm playing with ways to mount it to my
headset, the support rod on the side of the glareshield, the right seat
back, or suctioned to the left side window.

I would have LOVED to have the AWOS audio on the PVC video.

[[email protected]]

On Nov 21, 6:58*am, B A R R Y > wrote:

> I have 60 minutes available on the camera, and lots more on a voice
> recorder, so I figured I'd just leave it on and splice later. *The
> camera is a Flip Mino. *I convinced my wife that she needed to buy one
> with _her_ spending money. *;^) *I'm playing with ways to mount it to my
> headset, the support rod on the side of the glareshield, the right seat
> back, or suctioned to the left side window.
>
> I would have LOVED to have the AWOS audio on the PVC video.

Now you know why I play the ASOS especially for the instrument
approaches :-) The recordings says volumes when ceilings are extra
low.

Dicing and splicing easy enough and easy to edit out the blank spaces
between transmissions. For my videos, I have purposely not edited out
the blank spaces so it's as close to what I experienced as I can make
it. Would not be hard to make it "sound busier" then what it really
is :-))

I tried playing around mounting the camera on top of the visor of my
ball cap. It actually works fine, but if you move your head a lot, it
will be very, very distracting. I was surprised how much I moved my
head whether it be scanning for traffic, reading the approach plate
and such, so I decided on just leaving the camera on top of the
glareshield with a portfolio binder propping the camera so it doesn't
shift.

Sounds like you have a good setup for the various angles with your
camera. Be interested on seeing your outcome!

[[email protected]]

On Nov 21, 6:58*am, B A R R Y > wrote:

> I would have LOVED to have the AWOS audio on the PVC video.

Meant to say in my other post, if you have two COMS and an external
speaker, for future flights, put COM two on the external speaker.
That is what I did before getting the patch cable and was clear enough
to hear over the din of the engine.

[B A R R Y[_2_]]

wrote:
>
> I tried playing around mounting the camera on top of the visor of my
> ball cap. It actually works fine, but if you move your head a lot, it
> will be very, very distracting. I was surprised how much I moved my
> head whether it be scanning for traffic, reading the approach plate
> and such, so I decided on just leaving the camera on top of the
> glareshield with a portfolio binder propping the camera so it doesn't
> shift.
>
> Sounds like you have a good setup for the various angles with your
> camera. Be interested on seeing your outcome!

Today, I found an $8 Targus "table top" tripod. It's got a screw in
between the three legs. I removed the screw, ditched the legs, and used
the screw to mount the tilt / swivel assembly to a plastic woodworking
spring clamp. I also put some rubber weatherstripping on the jaws to
improve grip and protect the surface.

The tilt / swivel is actually pretty nice for $8! It's machined
aluminum, and locks quite securely. I've seen the tripod in K-Mart and
Radio Shack.

<http://www.kmart.com/shc/s/p_10151_10104_020W814377110001P?vName=Computers%20&%20Electronics&cName=Cameras&Camcorders&sName=Accessories&psid=FROOGLE&sid=KDx20070926x00003a>

Preliminary tests in my Toyota Tacoma look promising! I'll try it in
the plane Sunday, with the digital voice recorder I found today @ Staples.

[[email protected]]

On Nov 21, 2:43*pm, B A R R Y > wrote:

> <http://www.kmart.com/shc/s/p_10151_10104_020W814377110001P?vName=Comp....>
>
> Preliminary tests in my Toyota Tacoma look promising! *I'll try it in
> the plane Sunday, with the digital voice recorder I found today @ Staples..

You do realize, after you get your first successful video, it's very,
very addictive just like flying itself!

I doubt that tripod will affect your W&B weighing in at a booming 5
oz. One thing for sure, anything mounted will far exceed the quality
of handheld, hat cam, headphone mounted videos. I like the idea of
that swivel head mount.

[[email protected]]

Sunset from 2000 feet

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ha1U_foChw

Last of my night currency videos. Thought the ATC instructions at the
very beginning and the end were quite fitting.

Privileged view from our heights needless to say.

[B A R R Y[_2_]]

wrote:
>
> You do realize, after you get your first successful video, it's very,
> very addictive just like flying itself!

I know that... NOW! <G>

I can't wait to get the comms on the video.

[B A R R Y[_2_]]

wrote:
> Sunset from 2000 feet
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ha1U_foChw
>
> Last of my night currency videos. Thought the ATC instructions at the
> very beginning and the end were quite fitting.
>
> Privileged view from our heights needless to say.


nice!