With the presence of an operator in the airstream maximum V ne is limited to 80 mph. Except in extreme cases concerning weight, camera restriction is based on the limitations of the door mount utilized on the mounting platform and not the outside mount itself. The surface profile of the camera should be reduced as much as possible to limit the airstream's effect on the mount. Rare to find in use anymore, this mount was designed for the Hughes 500 platform only. The mount and aircraft are usually owned by the camera ship pilot who has the mandatory flight approvals.
Safety is the most important consideration with the Outside Mount for obvious reasons.
Final decision on usage should always remain with an aerial cinematographer qualified on this system and the camera ship pilot who assumes the risk and liability for flying it. Operator should wear protective clothing such as a Nomex flight suit to limit exposure in the airstream Protective headgear is mandatory in the form of a flight helmet with integrated intercom for communicating with the pilot. Operator must keep hold of the mount at all times. The force of the airstream will spin the balance arm around into the side of the aircraft and hit the operator with the weight bucket. This can prove to be a challenging endeavor when one considers the vertical orientation of most film magazines.