Ah yeah, my camera is a cheap-o digital camera too...and when I uploaded them to photobucket it reduced the quality even more! But I guess they still look ok.

The tailpipe is an STC that our parent company purchased. Primary function is to route our exhaust away from our cameras, so that our images aren't distorted. Secondary function is to attract every FAA ramp check dude within a 100mi radius =)

In actuality it does nothing for performance, and kinda makes a loud(er) sound than a normal 172, considering we have a hole in the belly right near where the exhaust comes out. It also sounds like a mortar was just fired, whenever our planes backfire.

Over-all its been fun though! I've flown the little 172 from coast to coast.