A recent self-portrait photo published by Steve Walkup showed that his camera position was the AirBike's wingtip.  That was all the motivation I needed to resurect the camera holder I used 15 years ago on my Quicksilver and make a new mount to fit my AirBike.  

It is nice to receive motivation from others on this board, thanks Steve.

More photos and a decription of this concept are posted on my website: paul.fiebich.org  As I improve my technique these photos should get better.  I am using a point 'N shoot film camera with Walgreens ASA 400 film and the photos were taken in the harsh light at 8:15 PM.

Paul Fiebich
paul.fiebich.org

Ya need to get a shot without that big damn grin on your face. ;D

you need some color on your skin, i had a hard time finding you ;D
on a serious note, it looks very well made.

Looks like a very serious hanger you wound up with! Can you feel a little yaw with the mount?

I guess this is a self advancing  camera. Where did you get a shutter extension that long?
Bob

As always good work Paul, Well Done


.....Tell me is flying an airbike like professional bike riding? If you shave your legs ....do you pick up some extra speed..!  or just save fuel ?

Best regards Arthur

Good one Arthur, you know old men don't have much hair on their legs anyway. LOL
Bob

Hey;
Yea, and it goes away on the other end too. I could paint my head white and nobody would know I wasn't wearing my helmet, LOL. Great for jokes too.
Bob

The drag from inflated shorts would probably override any gains from shaving or waxing.  You may see some improvement with Speedos but if you try it, spare us the pictures.  I don't do low passes when spectators are present for fear of exposing my undercarriage.

Nice job Paul, your mount looks great.  Much nicer than the crude thing I folded from an old sign.  I trip mine with a string ran through safety rings and tied off at my throttle stantion.

Pauls socks match his shorts. That fly boy has style!

Oh a guy's friends can be cruel, but all your jabs are taken in fun.  You are really an observant bunch.  Yeah Randy, that grin is very hard to wipe off once it starts growing.  :D And Smokey, that's why the Native Americans call guys like me Pale Face.  I am surprised that my skin isn't red because of all the rain we have had and that my body is starting to rust.

DJohn, my new hangaring situation is sweet, $80 a month and the owner houses 10 airplanes there.  My hangar relocation plan fell through due to zoning code limitations.  There may be some yawing tendancies due to the camera's position, I am sure it has the leverage to produce it.  However I was so excited about taking photos that I didn't notice any yaw, as I settle down I will pay more attention to it.

Flybob, the original shutter release air tube was too short so I purchased more tubing and a connector from the same camera shop as where I purchased the squeeze bulb and plunger.  Yes, the camera is self advancing.  However I did have a one-shot-per-flight camera on an R/C plane a long time ago.

Unlike when Arthur shaved his legs in an unsuccessful attempt to attract women, I did so attempting to gain speed.  As a suggestion, you might try shaving your back and mowing the ear brush too, women just don't like all that hair. ;D  For those of you who want to shave your legs, one has to be careful to get the leg shaving even otherwise you will continually fly in great big circles.  

Steve, thanks for the tip about inflated shorts, I might add that AirBike pilots should wear briefs not boxers for the same reason you mention.  There are many places for resonate vibration to occur on an AirBike.  Overexposure is not limited to taking photos. At my age, I wear the speedo only under my Burmuda  shorts. No point in desecrating the landscape.

Well Rick, you know a guy's gotta look cool.   8) I've given up on the argile socks and those held up with garters, they just don't go with shorts.  Hey, I am doing good to get the same color socks on both feet let alone have them match my shorts.

I enjoyed your comments and it is nice to know that people read (into) these posts.

AirBike ace

That's real cool Paul. I wonder if you could also set your camera back there on the vertical fin, it should take  great panoramic pictures.
By the way how much speed did you gain with those strut fairings?
Keep shooting  ;)

Ricardo

OMG.  I am sitting here in a Arby's eating lunch, reading Pauls post and laughing out loud!  People are starting to look.  Just too funny!  You guys are such a hoot.  I will be sure to take your advice on the briefs if/when I get a chance to fly an AirBike.  Being the type to over compensate, I would probably add some duct tape to secure the sensitive package.  I could use it in other unsightly rough areas to smooth things out and keep that speed up just above Snail Speed.

Thanks guys!!

Mike Howe ;D

Yes its a great board...and it's members make it that way....very cool.

And you always get good advice when it's time for the serious questions.

Hey Paul, you have some great stuff on your web site..... how about forwarding some of your info to 'Pacific Flyer' for publication...Im sure Angela will print the smoke system story...along with other things.

regards Arthur

paul, you're a cool dude. keep taking pictures, and having fun. that was a killer deal you got on the hanger, i will never find anything like that around my way.

Some nylons would control any drag hair might cause and add some color to those legs.

You are all heart skyblazer, glad to know that you are looking out for new drag reduction techniques as well as the appearance of my legs.  How about if I try some of those colored tights that skaters wear only I'd have to choose red ones to match all the bleeding cuts left from shaving.  I am now in trouble with my wife because she says says I wrecked her razor.  Well anyway I think she and I are even now because she used my wood chisel to scrape paint off a sand plaster wall she wanted to be smooth.

BTW I am now on my second roll of film, this time using Kodak ASA 800.  I will see how that works and report back to the board.

Airbike  Ace

Now if you are wearing nylons and short pants, isn't that considered drag?  Or is it only drag when you also wear lipstick and a wig?

You got him there LOL LOL   Jim Chuk

If someone has photo shop hook his pic up with a wig and lipstick!I tried but i dont know how

I think my post may have put gas on the fire, sorry Paul!! ;D
Randy that was a good one!!! 8)

This is why i love this board so much,good info,good people,and good fun! ;)

Try Panty hose over everything. the down hill race skiers use them also the ski jumpers.

You guys have just have just achieved a new record for expanding the concept of drag waaaaay beyond its original intent.  Great free-thinking imaginations out there. No wonder there are so many variations to the airplane plans we start out with.

If I were to wear lipstick and a wig, I think I'd wear the panty hose over my head so people would mistake me for Randy or Skyblazer.

Airbike Ace

Thanks for the thread fellows!  I have not laughed so hard for months. :D

;D   ;D   ;D   ;D

This thread will go down in history :K)

OMG!i this thread gets better and better!Ace no harm intended.thanks for being such a great sport! ;)Randy that pic rocks! ;D ;D ;D  

Hey Paul,
What an interesting new look :o

CPD

Shhh, he's busy trying to look "high maintenance", you don't want him to crack a smile now :P

Dang, look at the size of that head, no wonder he keeps his helmet on. I love this place!!!

That's a classic Randy, nice work!  Somehow the original concept of drag reduction went in the opposite direction.  If I do want to increase my drag ratio I hope that is what I will look like.  I still gotta do something about those legs.

you are clever!

AirBike Ace

Crikey....give these guys an inch and they take a mile.......

( no thats not a mile high club joke)

I hope Im still on your Xmas card list Paul..?

regards Arthur

People in American are interesting...I felt healthy too...!