Aviation Videos

This is from the first successful test of my automatic plane tracking camera. You can find the full write up here: http://jimbourke.com/blog/plane-tracking-camera-project It's a continuation of this video: https://youtu.be/cB-4csipsJk This relies on sensors from VectorNav who were gracious enough to provide them to me. I made a few naive attempts with sensors from SparkFun for my first try but they were nowhere near capable enough. The sensors from VectorNav were easy to work with. The rig is using a laptop and a battery pack to power it, as well as a radio transceiver. A similar smaller set up is installed in the airplane with just the radio transceiver, a tiny pc, and a small battery pack. This project stalled after Marianne's passing and I haven't picked it back up again. I still have the code of course and will resurrect it someday, I'm sure. A lot of my projects work out like this, where I leave them then return to them. Nowadays, I'd be tempted to try a system relying only on vision. Possibly someone has already beaten me to that. But for historical purposes, I decided to finally share one of the projects I was working on a few years ago.

First successful test of my automatic plane tracking camera. Find the full write up here: http://jimbourke.com/blog/plane-tracking-camera-project This project on sensors from VectorNav who were gracious enough to provide them to me. I made a few naive attempts with sensors from SparkFun for my first try but they were nowhere near capable enough. The sensors from VectorNav were easy to work with. The rig is using a laptop and a battery pack to power it, as well as a radio transceiver. A similar smaller set up is installed in the airplane with just the radio transceiver, a tiny pc, and a small battery pack. This project stalled after Marianne's passing and I haven't picked it back up again. I still have the code of course and will resurrect it someday, I'm sure. A lot of my projects work out like this, where I leave them then return to them. Nowadays, I'd be tempted to try a system relying only on vision. Possibly someone has already beaten me to that. But for historical purposes, I decided to finally share one of the projects I was working on a few years ago.

This is my Four Minute Free flight from the IAC National Aerobatic Championships in 2025. Flying the MX Aircraft MX-S. Unfortunately, my smoke system wasn't working very well, but I'm proud of the flight.

First video I've taken in the new MX Aircraft MX-S, N541FZ. It's proving to be an amazing ride. This is a practice flight flying the 2023 IAC Unlimited Known sequence. After the sequence I practice a few snap rolls. It's always humbling to step into a new plane and relearn everything. It will take some time to feel confident and crisp. But the MX-S is worth the effort! Video is shaky because it is mounted on the bill of my hat. The plane doesn't actually vibrate like that!

Jim Bourke of Southeast Aero and Extreme Aerosports shows off his new MX Aircraft MX-S.

My first flight at the 2022 US National Aerobatic Championships in my Extra 330SC.

I've been working on improving MotionCrop, which can be used to stabilize videos of aircraft. The technique I use in MotionCrop is a compromise that often fails to correctly locate the aircraft in certain situations, but it is fast and generally good enough. I've been interested in trying some new approaches for object recognition that are said to be more reliable without busting the compute budget (it would be possible to do a nearly perfect job if a user would accept several days of processing time). This is a quick test using the YOLO (You Only Look Once) Object Recognition technique. The input sample video would confuse MotionCrop due to the smoke. Unfortunately, it seems in this initial test that YOLO suffers from similar problems, but I still consider the results to be promising. For a sophisticated object recognition method, YOLO is quite fast, with my laptop processing 10 frames per second. YOLO sometimes identifies the aircraft as a kite because it "sees" the smoke as a kite trail, which is humorous, but for my purposes that works just as well. YOLO fails to locate the aircraft when it is very small in the frame. YOLO in my testing works well to identify the aircraft against trees and other background clutter, which MotionCrop currently handles badly. More testing is needed.

This is a MotionCrop'ed version of the official WAC released video of Olivier Masurel flying the second unknown. For more about MotionCrop, visit jimbourke.com and click on "Software".

This is a MotionCrop'ed version of the official WAC released video of Rob Holland flying the second unknown. For more about MotionCrop, visit jimbourke.com and click on "Software".

This is a MotionCrop'ed version of the official WAC released video of Rob Holland flying the first unknown. For more about MotionCrop, visit jimbourke.com and click on "Software".

Flying my Extra 330SC, N331FZ, in the four minute freestyle event at the National Aerobatic Championships in Salina, KS in September 2021.

In formation with Marianne Fox returning from the Borrego contest in May 2021

This tumble begins with an inside (positive g) flip on the pitch axis but transitions to an outside (negative g) flip.

After a few days of practice in lovely Borrego Springs I made my way back to Phoenix. This is a time lapse of the flight.

Jim Bourke flies the Swift S1 aerobatic glider through the 2021 IAC Glider Known sequence.

This is a video of Marianne Fox flying in the third flight at the Borrego contest (with me as her safety pilot silently celebrating her success). She had a tough first flight but improved in the second and came in first (of 14) in the third! Great job, Marianne!

After a bit of a break Jim is back with his Acro Critique series. Today Jim gives Chris Buell of Tampa, Florida, some virtual coaching. Chris is flying a Giles 202 through the 2020 IAC Sportsman Known Sequence.

Some new figures for 2019. Enjoy! Thanks to Forrest Fox for the video! http://www.forrestfox.com/

Jim Bourke flies his Extra 330SC N331FZ "Fuzz Machine" through the Unknown program at the Corvallis Corkscrew IAC aerobatic contest.

Jim critiques Corey Gerulis as he flies his two seat Extra through the 2019 IAC Sportsman Known sequence. Link to original video: https://youtu.be/KxzQTx3GJHQ

Jim critiques Nick Slabokov flying an Extreme Decathlon through the 2019 IAC Intermedaite Known sequence. Link to the original video: https://youtu.be/YusDQSR8C7k

Jim helps Chris Thomas as he flies his One Design through the 2019 IAC Sportsman Known. Chris flies out of the Virginia Beach, VA area with IAC chapters 11 and 133.

Cody Zorn flies the 2019 IAC Advanced Known sequence in his One Design, with critique by Jim.

Jim reviews a recent flight by Rory Moore. Rory is flying a 330LX through the 2019 IAC Unlimited Known Sequence.

Jim critiques Brazilian pilot Guilherme Censoni who is working on his 2019 CIVA Advanced Free Known sequence. Guilherme is flying a homebuilt Laser monoplane. Original video here: https://youtu.be/0m58SY_pOaQ

Acro Critique Video #8 This is John Housley flying his Pitts S2C through the 2019 IAC Advanced Known sequence. John is the president of IAC chapter 61. Great flying, John!

In this video I review one of my own flights. This is the 2019 IAC Unlimited Known sequence flown in my Extra 330SC in Coolidge, AZ with Rob Holland on the radio. Original head cam video here: https://youtu.be/EuZH3jaSAC4 Original dual camera view here: https://youtu.be/bh1R0qPo0gA

Combination of head cam and cockpit camera showing my hands and legs for instructional purposes. This is how I analyze flights during training. You will hear Rob Holland's voice on the radio. Original video: https://youtu.be/EuZH3jaSAC4

Acro Critique Video #6! I'm back from a two week trip training in the southern US. Let's take a look at Dave Farley flying his CIVA Advanced Free Known sequence in his Cap 231EX. Dave is from the UK and wants to become more competitive in Advanced. You can find Dave's original video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=em_4iceuH-4 Also take a look at a recent cockpit video of my own where I'm flying the 2019 IAC Unlimited Known sequence: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuZH3jaSAC4

Jim Bourke in Coolidge, AZ practicing the 2019 IAC Unlimited Known sequence in his Extra 330SC N331FZ (a.k.a. "Fuzz Machine").

This video isn't about flying. It's about passing time in between flights at our aerobatic camp in Pocahontas, IA 2018! Thanks to Adam Messenheimer, Erik Voss, and Rob Holland! And to the McCartans for some amazing steaks and a great game of Liar's Dice!! Music from https://www.bensound.com/

Acro Critique video #5. Pawel (Paul) Miko flying the 2019 IAC Sportsman Known in his Great Lakes biplane! Paul's original video can be found here: https://youtu.be/bGJwBVFRUG0

Jim critiques a flight by Dave Prather. Dave is flying his Staudacher S600 through the 2019 IAC Advanced Known sequence.

Jim critiques the flying of Victor Yancovitz. Victor is from Brazil and is flying Advanced in his Extra 300 midwing. Victor's original video can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lUjTQjB6G0 Check out Jim's airshow website at https://jimbourke.com

Second edition in my series of aerobatic critique videos. This video courtesy of Alex Huey of Phoenix, AZ, flying a 180 hp low wing laser through the 2018 Sportsman Known sequence. Alex is already a strong pilot scoring well in the Sportsman category.

Jim critiques a flight by Duncan Koerbel who is working on flying in the Advanced category of IAC competition. Thanks Duncan for sending in a video!!

The "Free Unknown" program allows each of the top 10 scoring pilots in the competition to submit a figure. These figures are then combined to create a sequence. This is an "unknown" flight meaning that the competitors are not allows to practice the sequence prior to the contest. In 2018 this flight was extremely challenging for every competitor due to a high (35 kt?) crosswind. Jim Bourke is flying his Extra 330SC aka "Fuzz Machine". Jim received 3rd place. Video by Erik Voss.

Jim Bourke flying his Extra 330SC in the Unlimited Free program at the 2018 International Aerobatic Club National Championships in Oshkosh, WI. Video by Erik Voss.

Jim Bourke flying his Extra 330SC in the Unlimited Known program at the 2018 International Aerobatic Club National Championships in Oshkosh, WI. Video by Erik Voss.

Jim Bourke flying his Extra 330SC, the "Fuzz Machine" at the Greenwood, Mississippi airshow. Check out http://jimbourke.com while you are here! And hey would you like to fly my Extra? You would? Then take a look at http://acrofs.com !!

Trying some new maneuvers in the four minute free. Garmin Virb 360 camera.

Unlimited flight at Borrego. Jim Bourke. Extra 330SC. Garmin Virb 360 camera.

Quick video of my plane from Nicolaas Vlok's Cirrus.

My winning four minute freestyle flight at the contest in Borrego Springs, CA in Fall of 2017. Flying my Extra 330SC, N331FZ.

My promotional airshow video produced by Evan Peers for the International Council of Airshows 2017.

My second placing freestyle aerobatic flight at the 2017 US Nationals. I am flying my Extra 330SC. Music is a mash-up of "Seven Nation Army" by the White Stripes and "Sweet Dreams" by the Eurythmics. The International Aerobatic Club hosts the Nationals each year. Visit the IAC at http://iac.org. The freestyle event is open to all Unlimited category pilots as well as Advanced pilots with a 250 foot or lower airshow card. This is the only flight program in the contest that allows smoke or music so it is the closest thing that competition aerobatics comes to "airshow" like flying. For me the freestyle is the best part of the contest. I love all aspects of competition aerobatics but nothing is better than ending a hard fought contest with a bit of fun.