Rear-view camera?

When buddy flying or team flying, the PowerFlarm is really valuable in reducing cockpit workload and radio chatter. A quick glance shows your buddy that might be trailing you out of sight. No radio calls required and immediate distance and altitude information can be gleaned.

I can't imagine using a backup camera for a number of reasons.
1) typically very wide angle lens. Imagine a GoPro pointed backwards. You can't even see a glider at 100yds on a small screen.
2) As already brought up, having to watch the screen and determine an action based on what you see is a lot of cycles when you need to be focused outside the cockpit and in front of you.
3) Short of telling the person on the radio to back-off, it doesn't really provide much actionable information. So you are just adding to the workload without a discernible benefit.

One benefit might be video evidence of someone that is rude in thermals and sits right behind you in your blind spot, but I doubt it would change their behavior. We've all flown with that guy. I'm not sure how he has the time to get around to so many clubs and operations around the world though. Like evil thermal Santa.

Bumper, I would like to see pictures of the Golden Retriever in the Husky. I'm imagining one happy dog, goin' for a flight.

Morgan

On Saturday, December 7, 2013 4:57:33 PM UTC-8, bumper wrote:
On Wednesday, December 4, 2013 7:22:42 PM UTC-8, Bob S wrote:

Has anyone tried using a rear view camera and display in their glider, similar to the automobile back-up cam/display system? Any comments? Should we or shouldn't we?



Not the same as soaring . . . I have a rear view mirror in my Husky for towing, mounted high and looking back through the top skylight. When not dragging things on a rope, it's handy to keep an eye on my golden retriever in the back seat (or wife when she's there). Unless flying formation with a Super Cub (they are slow enough they're always behind a Husky), I almost never look at the mirror unless for the aforementioned activities. I have PFlarm in both Husky and glider, agree with JJ, better'n a camera. Besides, bright back lit displays take a fair amount of power.



bumper