GA1309

There are some great cameras and equipment available these days that are small and self-contained and which can provide an important addition to safety and instructional efficiency because they give valuable insights and factual evidence as to what was going on both in the cockpit and externally. However, although the carriage of some electronic equipment in the cockpit can be very beneficial, care must be taken to ensure that appropriate risk assessments are made so that any mountings and equipment are secure and safe. Also, as we said previously in GA FEEDBACK Ed84, the use of recording devices that could be a distraction should be avoided, and pilots should also avoid providing a running commentary to any recoding equipment because this can sap mental capacity and distract from the conduct of the flight.

These days we’re so used to simply attaching such equipment to car windscreens etc that we can sometimes forget about the unique requirements that come with their use in aircraft. The key things to think about are that they must not interfere with any cockpit controls; not obstruct the pilot’s view of the instruments (or the pilot’s external view); must not cause a distraction to the pilot; and a Push/Pull test should be carried out to make sure the item is secure when installed (see the CAA/EASA CS-STAN references for advice on suitable test loading). Also, if suction mounts are used inside the cockpit or cabin, a secondary retaining lanyard or strap should be attached to the unit to prevent any damage or a control jam if the suction mount were to become detached. In that respect, it’s also important to consider where and to what part of the aircraft the lanyard is attached; drilling holes randomly in the flight deck would effectively be an unapproved modification. Secondly, lanyard length should be based on restricting freedom of movement of the equipment were it to become “unstuck”, and not on the ease of attachment/detachment of the equipment in use. Equally important, lanyards (and any connecting cables and leads) can present their own problems if they’re at risk of fouling things or getting in the way, and so their positioning and length also require careful consideration. Finally, multi-installations that end up festooning the cockpit with equipment should also be carefully reviewed; ultimately, we need to consider why we are putting things in the cockpit in the first place and limit them to those that are absolutely valuable to the flight’s purpose.

The CAA reacted swiftly to CHIRP’s suggestion that the old CAP1369 was outdated by withdrawing it from use. However, many pilots were probably not even aware that CAP1369 existed. CHIRP agrees that the issue of cockpit installation of electronic equipment needs greater awareness, and we have suggested that the CAA could include an article in relevant safety channels such as Clued-Up, SkyWise or ‘Safety Sense’, even if just to publicise the withdrawal of CAP1369 and point people towards the appropriate website links.