Cessna 337 Photo / Video Windows & Mods - What is out there???

tomcomet · #1 09-30-17, 10:32 PM

So it looks like I am jumping in to my 337 reality this week. I can't wait...

Believe it or not, my main business and what finally got me flying airplanes is my drone business. My company www.droneboy.com do a lot of film and TV work as well as mapping and commercial work. At first the 337 will be a personnel transporter to increase our territory in a niche market. Eventually I hope it can be more than that. Sooner than later I hope to mount cameras and various sensors use it as a camera ship to vastly increase our product offerings. Here's hoping...

To start, I hope to at the very least be able to take my personal love of creating photos and videos aloft with me so I can share what I experience with more people. I have done a lot of this in the Cessna 172 I fly now but now I want to go further and a bit faster, with a spare engine... The 172 was good because I could go really slow and open the window for unobstructed shooting (no lens distortion). Even then it is REALLY hard to get great shots but I am working on it. Unfortunately the 337 only has that tiny little left side triangle window opening and that is not so good.

Questions:

-Is it ever possible to ever go slow enough to open the top of the clamshell right side door to shoot photos (I assume NO)?

-I have seen photos of STC'd camera "bubble style" photo windows for the second row seats ( http://www.propexpress.eu/cessna_337f_uk.html ). Who makes them? Where?? How much??? Unobstructed (no glass) camera ports are always better and I want to know what is out there.

-Are there and STC mods available to create a partial opening windows out there like I see on some of the Piper GA aircraft?

-What about other camera mounts on the 337? Strut mount? These guys make a nice one for the 172 but I can't seem to reach them ( http://eyefish.tv/production-guide/a...ts/wing-mounts ) . Any mods to baggage pod? Downward, rearward or other creative mounts? Camera mounts on some of the hidden 0-2 hard points or even where the radar pod goes (was)?

Obviously the guys at Wolfe Air have done it up ( http://wolfeair.com/aircraft/cessna/ ) but I don't have $500,000 to throw at this project (yet) and there has to be some creative (legal) middle ground with stuff that is already out there and works.

Any leads are greatly appreciated.

skymstr02 · #2 10-01-17, 08:39 AM

Tomcomet,
Try thinking about using a belly pod to mount your camera. There's also enough capacity to mount other goodies too.
A friend of mine had a night vision camera along with other instrumentation on his 337 where he could spot fish at night off the Georges Bank. The fish would create bio illuminecence and the low light camera would detect this, and he could set the boats on the schools.
You could run two 60A alternators with inverters (if A/C current is needed) to create enough power for your gear.

Dave

JimC · #3 10-01-17, 10:06 AM

The pilot's side window opens on the early 337s (A & B models, well before the clamshell door.)

Several 337 have camera ports for a cabin-mounted camera shooting straight down. The one that's on barnstormers right now (offering a trade for a 182) has that port installed.

hharney · #4 10-01-17, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimC

The pilot's side window opens on the early 337s (A & B models, well before the clamshell door.)

The co-pilot window opened but not the pilot window. Emergency only on the pilot side.

Not a big deal though as it's easy to fly from the right side.

kilr4d · #5 10-01-17, 03:12 PM

Tom, you might have some success contacting these guys:

http://www.issi-md.com/aviation.html

They've also added surveillance equipment to a 337G.

Good luck!

-John

kilr4d · #6 10-01-17, 03:13 PM

Also, these guy operate out of Southern Ontario and they have A LOT of Cessna's that are camera platforms:

http://www.firstbasesolutions.com/

JimC · #7 10-01-17, 03:30 PM

http://www.337skymaster.com/messages...ead.php?t=2501

tomcomet · #8 10-01-17, 06:46 PM

These are some great resources. Thanks so much everyone!

jchronic · #9 10-01-17, 09:24 PM

I've been flying marine mammal and bird surveys in N337NE (69 D model) for the past 10 years. When I set up my airplane I removed the left rear window and replaced it with one that has a small opening port to accommodate photo shoots (Note: I carry a crew of two marine biologists, one of whom sits back there as 'Photo' and the other sits mid-cabin as 'Data).

I forgot who made the window for me but can look up the paperwork and let you know; I think it was one of the usual suspects (vendors). I do remember it was a real pain removing the old rear window, drilling the rivets out that held the window channels in place and then re-riveting them back in.

I was once approached by a client who required a belly port camera. There was a factory kit and mod at some point to do that and I researched rounding up the parts and what would be involved in installing it. It's doable - if you can find the parts - but I figured the cost to be $2-4K minimum and the contract wasn't worth that much to me, so I passed.

BTW, I'm closing the business down and selling the airplane so will be dropping out of Skymaster-Land. This site has been invaluable; thanks to the administrators and everyone who contributed posts.

Joe

Alex ALBATROS · #10 12-16-18, 02:40 PM

A friend of mine sent me those 2 pictures that he found on internet. Maybe this plane belongs to one of you?

My C337G is finally ready to fly, and I would love to have this Mod on my "G".

Do you know where I could find this STC?

Regards

Alexis

Skymasterdriver · #11 01-22-19, 08:46 AM

Those are the pictures of my skymaster photo windows. My plane was used as a photo ship and has several mods for it as well as has a restricted aw as well as standard aw.
You also can see on the bottom clamshell door is another camera mount however I don't know any information as to what cameras mounted on it

Alex ALBATROS · #12 01-22-19, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skymasterdriver

Those are the pictures of my skymaster photo windows. My plane was used as a photo ship and has several mods for it as well as has a restricted aw as well as standard aw.
You also can see on the bottom clamshell door is another camera mount however I don't know any information as to what cameras mounted on it

Hi !

You got a heavily modified 337G.
Mine is almost "stock" (N-5JT), only the Horton STOL kit.

I bought this 337G in France to go on holidays with my wife & Kids, but i also would like to use it as a fast photoship for military jets.

Where & How can I get this MOD? Do I need an STC?

Blue Sky

Alexis

https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B0WGLLXGLGoY2YY

Skymasterdriver · #13 01-22-19, 08:24 PM

LP aero plastics manufacturers the windows from my understanding
Edward Coffman designed them he is a member on here he may have more insight on then

Alex ALBATROS · #14 06-07-19, 04:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skymasterdriver

LP aero plastics manufacturers the windows from my understanding
Edward Coffman designed them he is a member on here he may have more insight on then

Thank you for the info.
I am going to contact him.

Regards

Alexis

Alex ALBATROS · #15 01-17-20, 02:59 AM

Happy new year 2020 !

My C337G is ready for the 2020 airshow season , as a photoship.

My photo windows from "LP Aero" are perfect.