A Danish flight-test engineer has developed a camera nose mount for the EC 120 that, he says, is stronger and lighter than the only current alternative. It can also pan 135 degrees to either side of the nose without obstructing the shot with the skids.
Morten Bang, whose day job is with the Royal Danish Air Force Air Material Command at Zeeland, north of Copenhagen, said that Eurocopter approved his device earlier this year.
“The mount can be installed on any EC120B within an hour, using existing belly attachments, and it can be adapted to suit the EC 135. I see a market with airborne law enforcement units as well as with broadcast companies.”
Use of hard steel ensures rigid construction, and four shock absorbers mounted between the gyro-stabilized camera and the structure minimize vibration. Bang said that flight tests gave a “very stable” result at speeds up to 142 knots (the maximum speed attempted).