EarPilot

Flying by Audio Cues

In 2023, fellow RWSA member John Schmidt came to me with an app idea.

His friend, Mike Drake, is now blind. However, before blindness, Mike had been a flight student; and he still enjoys flying with pilot friends.

Might it be possible, using the iPhone’s abilities, to provide audio cues to allow Mike to control the airplane?

This app is the result.

Initial flight with Mike. Mike takes control around 4min 20sec.
Results: Promising! Bank is inaccurate after a turn.

Mike takes control around 6min 50sec.
Changes: smaller bank increment; GPS turned on to see if it helps with bank (it did not)

The source code is open for inspection.

This is a non-revenue personal project. This is just for the enjoyment and challenge of it, to see if we can get Mike in the air again.