The turf field I’m based at, CLA6, is surrounded by trees. In a crosswind I could almost touch a branch.
My Sonerai, like many taildraggers, doesn’t have the best visibility. Why? Sonerais are flown from the rear seat and the low wing is beneath the pilot.
The approach often prevents seeing the runway while maintaining 70 mph. The wing and cowling get in the way. If you have a 5,000-foot runway with a centerline, that gives you a way to judge approach and centerline.
Thus, I’ve been looking for a solution to landing partly blind.
This month, I’ve looked at cameras with a remote screen. I wanted something that, when switched on, needs no setup.
I decided on a backup camera. My Sonerai has an exhaust deflector beneath it. The camera fits there, and two screws allow it to be aimed.
The camera was intended to be bolted to a rear license plate frame. Two screws attach it and two more allow it to be aimed.
For $6 at an electronics store, I got a splitter for a cigar lighter and a data cable that runs the video. It’s maybe 10 feet long.
I was able just to plug it into both the camera and the monitor.
The screen is five inches wide, and it contains three buttons to control it. I expect one allows one to reverse the image left to right. The view is wide angle, but I expect you can zoom in or out. At this point I’ll try it as it is.
The camera and monitor are on a box store site for $40. I picked it up at the nearest store. The box was not even taped shut. I doubted it would work and would have to return it tomorrow.
As it stands, it’ll be installed and tested.
All told, the system weighs less than a pound and is centred around the CG.
Good enough, I’d say.