I would like to suggest another camera coverage that could provide significant and unmatched aircraft flight data (The eye of the camera, November issue).
Digital cameras, with wide angle lenses, could be mounted on the exterior of commercial aircraft. Possible locations are the vertical stabilizer and the fore end of the underside fuselage. With the data density available today, the recycle period could contain many hours of high quality flight time. The value of this data could be beyond measure in the analysis of many problem areas.
Numerous aircraft accidents/failures are ill defined or conveniently attributed to pilot error. The loss of Flight 800 over Long Island Sound is an excellent case in point as an example of controversial finality, at the cost of millions, to which external cameras could have provided unique information for resolution.
J.H. Marshal
Abingdon, Va.