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Launch HN: Airhart Aeronautics (YC S22) – A modern personal airplane

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Re: Launch HN: Airhart Aeronautics (YC S22) – A modern personal airplane

#351

Post by shiroiushi »

reaperducer wrote: post #278
randomnumber314 wrote: post #195

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I live in a suburb near a county airport. I cannot fathom a life with Tesla owners flying over where my kids and I bbq. This idea is great, but people should still be licensed for the real safety protocols e.g. radio and not crashing into others.

I cannot fathom a life with Tesla owners flying over where my kids and I bbq. The same kinds of people who speed, watch videos, and do dangerous stunts while they drive are going to speed, watch videos, and do dangerous stunts while they fly. Uber made everyone an amateur taxi driver. AirBnb made everyone an amateur innkeeper. Now the "tech" industry wants to make everyone an amateur pilot? No thanks.

If someone's a bad amateur innkeeper, what's the worst that could happen? Their guests might have a poor experience, or at worst get bedbugs or something (which happens commonly at real hotels a lot these days anyway). At the very worst, their "inn" could burn down, but that's a risk with any building, including whatever home the guests normally live in.

Amateurs flying aircraft have the potential to cause far more havoc than this, or even the havoc that a bad driver could cause.

Re: Launch HN: Airhart Aeronautics (YC S22) – A modern personal airplane

#352

Post by lovecg »

danielschonfeld wrote: post #236
aeternum wrote: post #165

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Excellent points, it's really these other aspects that get pilots into trouble. For example it's crazy that most pilots are still taught to calculate W&B using printed charts and approximate takeoff performance. I think you could save more general aviation lives with a fairly minimal system. A gas gauge sensor that calculates whether you have enough fuel to get to your destination + reserve. Avionics where you input…

While some base to final stall accidents are as simple as you make it sound a good chunk of them happen when you try to come OUT of the turn at an already slow speed increasing the angle of attack on one wing alone. The stall and subsequent spin catches the pilot entirely surprised unaware of why they’re even stalling and with very little escape bandwidth. The FAA has been trying for better angle of attack instrument…

That makes a lot of sense, interested to learn more about this, any statistics you’re aware of on this topic?

Re: Launch HN: Airhart Aeronautics (YC S22) – A modern personal airplane

#354

Post by 4gotunameagain »

Aeolun wrote: post #348
TylerE wrote: post #212

Earlier quoted context omitted.

One key difference I see between something like this and an ultralight is the danger to people on the ground. A few thousand pounds moving at up to 200mph or so (potentially 300+ after structural failure) is a lot of kinetic energy.

I’m fairly certain there’s little difference between being hit by a 2 ton car going at 100mph and a 4 ton aircraft going at 200mph. Either way you splatter.

The clear difference is that cars have a limited, well known and clearly visible area where they are dangerous, planes could land on your face while you are having a picnic at the middle of the park.

Re: Launch HN: Airhart Aeronautics (YC S22) – A modern personal airplane

#356

Post by DandyDev »

b-side wrote: post #341
philwelch wrote: post #320

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Trains are for freight, and they are exceedingly good at it.

Indeed, trains for passengers can only work for tiny low-population countries like China and Japan.

Trains work very well in densely populated areas, even if its logistically challenging.

I live in the Netherlands and despite what detractors would tell you, it’s impressive how on time the Dutch railways can keep such a complex schedule.

Re: Launch HN: Airhart Aeronautics (YC S22) – A modern personal airplane

#357

Post by lovecg »

blt wrote: post #303
lovecg wrote: post #297

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, you just need an angle of attack sensor. These are increasingly available for small GA planes.

stall AoA depends on flaps though?

Yes, and some sensors do take flaps position into account (or you compromise and have it display the AoA with a typical approach setting).

Re: Launch HN: Airhart Aeronautics (YC S22) – A modern personal airplane

#358

Post by gorlilla »

randomnumber314 wrote: post #195
sethkim wrote: post #83

Instrument-rated pilot (and engineer) here. First - congrats on the launch! I think you're working on an interesting set of components that will prove useful to GA aircraft technology. Bringing fly-by-wire, and lowering the cost of maintenance/manufacturing are both great efforts. That being said, my personal view is that stick-and-rudder control is one of the less critical components to improving GA safety. Everythi…

I live in a suburb near a county airport. I cannot fathom a life with Tesla owners flying over where my kids and I bbq. This idea is great, but people should still be licensed for the real safety protocols e.g. radio and not crashing into others.

This is such a common argument for everything NIMBY. Your point remains valid, but the argument you've presented comes across uninspired.

What if you had no way to stop or from happening; what do you think might be reasonable mitigation steps that regulators could take to minimize the risk to your BBQ?

If something becomes an inevitability, you probably should be prepared with an argument that is accepting of that inevitability while still addressing your worries/concerns.

Re: Launch HN: Airhart Aeronautics (YC S22) – A modern personal airplane

#359

Post by gorlilla »

edm0nd wrote: post #349
throwup238 wrote: post #267

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A CIWS probably doesn’t have enough stopping power for a GA aircraft so the burning wreckage will still crash into you. Need to go full AA gun, 12 DD stamps included with your purchase.

A DShK mounted in the bed of a Toyota truck and call it a day.

That sounds rather technical.

Re: Launch HN: Airhart Aeronautics (YC S22) – A modern personal airplane

#360

Post by JumpCrisscross »

sethkim wrote: post #83

Instrument-rated pilot (and engineer) here. First - congrats on the launch! I think you're working on an interesting set of components that will prove useful to GA aircraft technology. Bringing fly-by-wire, and lowering the cost of maintenance/manufacturing are both great efforts. That being said, my personal view is that stick-and-rudder control is one of the less critical components to improving GA safety. Everythi…

> I'm not super excited about the idea of lowering the barrier to entry for GA on a foundational skill basis. Like the light-sport rating, it encourages more people to be in the (already congested) airspace system who haven't really gained all the other skills necessary or experience to be there

The entire history of aviation has shown that increasing redundancy and reducing pilot load increases safety.

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