all things we've thought about!

1. today, you need a PPL to fly this plane. However, a new set of regulations, called MOSAIC, is coming down the pipeline that have support for aircraft with simplified control systems and getting licensed in such aircraft, specifically when they are small, light airplanes. Basically, you'll be able to get a license in such a plane, skip the parts of tests that don't apply, and be restricted to only flying that type of airplane (This is my interpretation, I obviously don't speak for the FAA)

2. The current ATC system handles personal aircraft quite well. this is especially true in busy airspaces like LA. Our hope is to create a more automated routing system where you just enter the destination you want to fly to, the system generates the route taking into account, terrain, weather, winds, standard routes, airways, etc, files it with ATC for you, and you just confirm that it's a good path and be on your way.

3. This is the core of our system. In the demo video, the landing I'm doing has a cross wind with some gusts and you can see the system handles it super easily and makes it significantly easier to takeoff and land, even in turbulence. you can barely tell there was any kind of weather at all.

4. This is a tough one for sure. One core thing we are doing is having our joystick be active and have force feedback. So when flying, you can "feel" what the system is trying to do and you can push back on it if you don't like what it's doing. You as the pilot are still in charge of what happens, we just making it easier for you to execute on it. Additionally, there's lots of UI elements that will provide hints to what you are asking the plane to do + what it can do + what it's actually doing. This should help close that loop so that the pilot is still in control, while letting the system handle the aviating elements of flying.

On no. 4, it's when things hit the fan and people get overloaded that they revert to basics and don't take in complex information well. Particularly if they don't have regular relevant training/experience. Having the controls move as per system / AP input with the ability to override manually is good, but then how does the envelope control work, does it start ignoring input, or lock up the ability to override the controls, ... ?

What about the scenario where you are in climb out, 50' AGL, and wind rotor off some trees gives you an immediate 90 degree roll (happened to me in a PA38), does the system auto recover that, does the pilot, what happens if the panicking pilot attempts incorrect controls, ...

Not saying all this isn't solvable, but it's complicated and I'm struggling to see how you are going to get a large enough market to deliver all this tech at an affordable price. Force feedback controllers, flying and engine controls all with redundant sensors and actuators, mechanically robust ...

> Super ambitious project that you are attempting - kudos to that!

The GPS and gyroscope reimplementation would appear to be a business opportunity in themselves - presumably there is a reason someone hasn’t undercut those parts already. Small market?

> presumably there is a reason someone hasn’t undercut those parts already. Small market?

I suspect the answer is simply regulations. Far too many modern things in aviation have been held back by the FAA.