JetStills 88

Not a motion picture system, but definitely worth a mention for our still photographer brethren. The JetStills 88 mounts in the belly of the Learjet 25B offering the same vantage point as the Vectorvision system. A Hasselblad FCW2000 (for its focal plane shutter) is mounted vertically looking down into a tilting, front-surfaced mirror, which is extended through the fuselage into a pressurized dome. The lens is actually a fixed large-format type for 4x5 view cameras. The focal length is fixed at 210 MM. Maximum F-stop is F/5.6. The camera can be panned 360°. The tilting mirror allows roughly 30° of tilt. Viewing is via a video monitor as the standard configuration renders viewing through the eyepiece impractical if not impossible. Shooting JetStills involves careful, succinct communication with the pilot as the only way to change image size is with the position of the aircraft in relation to each other. JetStills can be used in combination with the Vectorvision bottom port for dual still/motion picture missions. However, the JetStills dome significantly inhibits Vectorvision's tilt-up capability in forward looking shots.

• Learjet 25B
  Specially modified Learjet operated by Wolfe Air Aviation.