A cockpit POV video from the FlyingMAir YouTube channel.
COME FLY WITH ME as I take my Robinson R44 Raven II helicopter (Mr Bleu) and Penny the Tiny Dog for a flight over the fall colors at Rock Island Creek, north of Wenatchee. This is a narrated cockpit point of view video that starts and ends at Wenatchee airport. Along the way, I’ll be cruising at about 100 knots and flying close to treetops in a deserted canyon.
This video was shot after recording some footage for other videos about helicopter flight controls, so I’ve already got the engine running as I’m sitting on the taxiway at the beginning of this video. Although audio was recorded using the camera facing me, that camera also cut off the top of my head — I think it shifted during my final adjustment — and you don’t need to see me anyway, so I didn’t include much of that video. (Except at the end, for those who watch the whole thing.) Instead, I use all footage from a single camera mounted over the passenger seat with a new camera mount. I had a little trouble with the cameras before the start of the flight so they’re not aimed quite the way I like them to be. Sorry.
About Me and the Helicopter
- I have been flying for about 20 years. My nearly 4,000 hours of flight time is in Robinson R44, Robinson R22, and Bell 206L (Long Ranger) helicopters.
- The helicopter is a 2005 Robinson R44 Raven II — the same one that appears in the photo at the beginning of the video. You can learn more about them here: https://robinsonheli.com/r44-specifications/ I own this helicopter. It is the third helicopter I’ve owned since 2000.
- My helicopter has ADS-B Out and is picked up by radar facilities. You can see my track for recent flights on Flightradar24: https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/n7534D This is a great site for tracking any almost any flight, including the airlines.
About the Video
- The video was recorded with a pair of GoPro Hero 7 cameras (https://amzn.to/2Lxyzwl), one of which is connected to the helicopter’s intercom system with an NFlightCam audio cable (https://amzn.to/31syLTm). Both cameras record audio, but I dialed down the helicopter sound to about 25% of normal volume so it wouldn’t be annoying.
- The camera mounts are new in this video. They are MyPilotPro Spider Mounts (https://amzn.to/2BnbcQv and https://amzn.to/2Muou3N) which are made specifically for aircraft operations. Utilizing 3 suction cups, they make it possible to mount cameras on rounded surfaces. You can see one of the mounts in the video near my vertical compass. For more information about camera mounting options for aircraft, visit https://mypilotpro.com/; I will be reviewing these mounts in an upcoming video.
- The video was edited on a Macintosh using Screenflow software. Learn more about it here: https://www.telestream.net/screenflow/overview.htm
- The intro music is by Bob Levitus, famed “Dr. Mac.” You can find him here: http://www.boblevitus.com/
I try to drop cockpit POV videos every Sunday morning and “extras” with more info about owning and operating a helicopter midweek. (Some channel members get early access to some of these videos.) I also host occasional livestreams with Q&A chats. Subscribe and turn on the notification bell so you don’t miss anything new! And tell your friends. I’m trying hard to deliver good videos and grow my subscriber base.
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Hello Maria,
I read your artical on flying over wilderness areas. I really want to fly in some wilderness area in northern arizona and have always just not because I’ve heard we are not allowed to. From what I read it is just requested, until I found this.
Regulation from the wilderness act. We are considered aircrafts or ultralights by the FAA right? check out just the top few bullet point.
https://wilderness.net/learn-about-wilderness/regulations.php
I don’t see the problem. You obviously can’t land in a wilderness area, but it doesn’t say here that you can’t fly over it.
Of course, I’m not recommending that you fly less than 2,000 feet (the requested minimum altitude) over any wilderness area. And I’m not saying that you won’t get in trouble if you do. I’m just saying that there is no law that specifically says that you can’t. Whether a flight becomes enough of a nuisance that they claim it “directly degrades wilderness character” is completely up to them — and up to you (and legal counsel) to fight it.
Maria, I’m so glad to see I’m not the only one that talks to cameras, computers, etc. Thanks for the ride.
George