I often watch the "moving map" of my flight, especially on overseas flight. While I prefer aisle seats, I do miss just looking out the window. It struck me that if the airline could include a simple camera pointed down at the ground (or maybe 2 cameras, one on each side) and include this video stream as one of the options for viewing, it would be a relatively simple way to enhance the experience.

Is anyone aware of a feature like this? Is this as easy as I think it might be?

I believe that your answers might better be found in the Travel Technology Forum.
Obscure2k
TravelBuzz Moderator

I know ANA had cameras underneath the nose showing takeoff and landings. I don't know if they still do.

A380 offers this as well:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vbFjGko59c

I've had a camera shot (similar to the one highlighted by ScottC) on SAA flights between IAD and JNB.

IIRC, sometimes the crew shut off the in-seat video systems from some central location for takeoff/landing/taxi so you couldn't see anything (but I may be mis-remembering this latter part).

Most airframe manufacturers offer forward and downward cameras as a customer option. A lot of the newest planes also have tail mounted cameras that the flight crew can view in case they have a problem that would benefit from an external view of the plane (in-flight engine fire for instance).

I've seen it on some flights, but can't recall the carriers. As other have said, sometimes it is often turned off for some or all of the flight due to the "Abundance of caution" mentality that seeps into everything these days!

Thanks for the insights. I do think that it would be a great feature to be able to look at the "moving map", see some town or area below you that has interest, then be able to switch to view the camera view. I guess I will make my suggestion to DL, since that is the carrier I fly the most. As mentioned, I love to look out of the window but in the end prefer aisle seat conveniences more. Would like to double my pleasure....

Alot of airlines offer the forward and downward facing camera. In this video, you will notice, the forward camera displayed on the personal television. (0:29)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ng5MyDgI6e8

One thing to bear in mind is that IMC is fairly usual on a least part of the flight, the inside of a cloud or a cloud between you and the ground is about as interesting as watching paint dry....

Understood.... if you look out the window and it's cloudy, you go back to the movie. Would be the same for activating the camera view.

Emirates have forward and downward looking cameras on its A330s, 777s and A380s. In addition, the A380 has a tail camera looking forward that shows the fuselage and wings.

I have a memory of IB having cameras on the tail on their 340s, but as others have said, once you're in the air, it might as well be a still photo, particularly at night (though you do see the strobe lights flashing).

Unfortunately, this is something we will probably never see again on US carriers.

In the new Disney Dream cruise ship, the inside cabins have "portholes" that are round HD monitors. These portholes show an image of the outside of the ship as seen from one of the external cameras. it's pretty cool to be able to see out from inside of the ship. To make it better, being Disney, they add images such as a pirate ship on the horizon, the starfish from Nemo stuck to the glass or Mickey Mouse SCUBA diving.
An Airline could take this idea and run with it. The video of the outside of the plane could feature Superman flying alongside, Star Wars craft in a battle or if they really want to get tech, a downward-facing camera with cities and states' borders superimposed over the terrain much like the line of scrimmage and 1st down lines on an NFL game.

Due to the copyright costs, the airlines would probably use some made up character. Unitedman? Besides why spoil the view with some cartoon nonsense. Most pax are not kids.

Actually that would be cool as long each pax can turn off the superimposed labels on their PTV. However, given how cheap US carriers are I would be happy just to have the cameras.