Sport Pilot Talk

I picked up a cheap Garmin VIRB camera the other day, and put it in the 162 for a quick flight this afternoon.
The VIRB has an integrated GPS along with a barometric altimeter. The Garmin software allows you to overlay this data on your videos.
I'd tried a couple of multiple-cam setups so I can get the flight instruments in focus, but so far haven't been happy with that. Too much editing time and twice as much technology that can fail.

I still need to work a few things out - I accidentally had the camera set on a zoom mode, for one, so I think the resolution may be lower than the optimal wide angle. Plus I think I'd like the look of a wider angle in the cabin. I also didn't know to calibrate the camera when it was in its mount (thus the pitch/roll data is garbled). I also want to provide a better shock mount. I fabricated something which works....but it's not well-cushioned. I've used the BRS handle attach point, which is one of the few solid mount points in the 162. May also try a prop filter to reduce some of the jello effect.

Given that I didn't exactly have it 'right', I'm pretty impressed with the video quality as well as the overlay.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAZwNJX3wP8

I've got more work yet to get this setup dialed in, but I think this could be a really effective teaching/learning tool.

In the process of editing the video, I noticed that my patterns were...well...not perfect. The wind today was out of the NW...variable at the surface but around 15 knots at pattern altitude. You can see that I was getting blown off course and rounding the initial two corners of my pattern. Whoops!

Very nice! Good, sharp image.

Liked the landings a lot - and that horn sounds awfully familiar.

I like the ability to have data on the screen - might come in handy on training and test flights. Beyond that, perhaps a little distracting for everyday use.

Happy enough with my GoPro for now, but competition certainly improves the breed!

The data overlay is very nice. I wish the sample rates on the accelerometer were lower, they just bounce around too much to give any information. a 5Hz sample rate would probably be plenty, it looks like it's more like 100Hz.

Image quality looks nice. I like the Garmin stuff and it integrates with Garmin Pilot, which I use on every flight. How is the battery life? My GoPro is terrible in that regard.

Good video, thanks. What model Virb did you buy?

This is the Virb Elite. Tried it again today with a slightly different mount setup and set on wide angle. Honestly I think prefer the closer crop. I ran it on a 40 minute flight this evening and the battery was still about 60% charged when I got back. That's better than the GoPro and nFlightCam I've used (both good for just over an hour per charge). We'll see what I can get out of the Virb when I do a longer XC next week.

Tower had me landing with a bit of a tailwind today... and a hefty dose of crosswind (12+ knots). Found out my stall horn wasn't working, too... though I appreciated the peace and quiet when dealing with the bumps and gusts. I had planned on three trips around their pattern but said 'screw that' after the first and went home.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFiFpg1EAQQ

chavycha wrote:This is the Virb Elite. Tried it again today with a slightly different mount setup and set on wide angle. Honestly I think prefer the closer crop.

A while back I tried to fly three identical approaches at each GoPro field of view:

http://youtu.be/HhycU4UV90k

I think the final, narrowest view most closely reflects the view from the cockpit. The wider angles always make the plane seem much lower/flatter on approach than it really is.

Downside is camera movement is more apparent.

I have been using the Virb Elite as my cockpit camera for awhile now. Like it. Some samples are here: http://lsaeronaut.blogspot.com/2014_06_01_archive.html

I have experimented with different settings but keep coming back to "Ultra Zoom" as my standard set up.

I just updated to Virb Edit Version 3.0.1.0 and found the new G-Metrix overlays. I haven't played with the overlays yet but am hopeful they can provide additional feedback for students. I suspect these were designed to work with the camera models just out.

deltafox, nice clips! Looks like you edit outside of the Garmin software too, yeah? What's your usual workflow?

Yesterday I tried it on "Zoom 1"... I think this is my favorite setting so far. Still lets you see the control movements but doesn't distort the edges like the ultra-wide
angle.

On days with wind, the GPS speed can be a little misleading. I pitched for best glide nearly immediately, but had a 15-20 knot wind out of the N at pattern altitude. Thus my groundspeed was 90kts, whereas my airspeed was 70kts.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhU5CcYjWR0

I usually use two cameras, a black Virb on the wing and a white Virb Elite in the cockpit. I typically turn them on during preflight and turn them off during postflight. Post processing begins by synchronizing the GPS track to the video on the Elite. (I usually find I have airspeed before the takeoff roll.) I chose the overlay then export the cockpit view. I simply export the exterior view. Then I import both views into Camtasia. Next I sync those views, then edit the content. Finally insert transitions, titles, and music.

Reference: https://youtu.be/H3S2AgUm4QE

This is typically what I provide each client following his Discovery Flight.

I tried G-Metrix yesterday. Not too impressed. I think the data needs to be buffered.

http://lsaeronaut.blogspot.com/2015/06/ ... pdate.html

Thanks for the info on your workflow. I'm used to using Premiere for editing so the Garmin software seems awfully basic. I suppose I could do the overlays in Virb Edit, export the whole thing, and subsequently add titles, audio, transitions, etc in Premiere.

Re: GMetrix - I'm finding the same issues. I'm going to try smoothing the data and see if that makes it usable.

Tested out my new VIRB XE last weekend. Awesome camera! Here's a shot taken on final into RYY.



To the other VIRB users on here - what video editing software do you use?

Wowser! That's a gorgeous shot!

Looks familiar. We used to keep our Cherokee and Mooney there.