I wrote a "What Plane For My Mission" App

SixPapaCharlie

SixPapaCharlie

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I have been writing a program to mostly to keep my dev skills sharp but also it potentially solves the "What plane is right for me" question. However, it is dependent on pilots plugging in real world data on their planes first.

Would ya?
If not. If it is a lame idea, then it is just a personal project to play with. My first stab at MVC and this seemed like a simple way to practice.


Anyhow here is the Idea:
Pilots (YOU) enter data about your plane's real world numbers and save it.
The site averages all the numbers by make and model.
1.jpg
^I know some of the data needs to be tweaked a bit (Why would you want a Min fuel burn?) the interface would be more logical in the event that this seems to be a good idea. These screenshots are from an itieration back. Example horsepower is too specific. Likely there would be a min or max HP to enter.

So...
User then goes to the search screen and says I want Low wing, Fixed gear, tailwheel, 100 kts, 850 Useful load, etc

All planes come back as 1 make and model with averaged numbers.

so they would see a row for
C172G w/ averaged numbers
C172N w/ averaged numbers
Mooney M20C w/ averaged numbers

User can click on the returned row and all planes entered for that make and model are then listed and user can click on individual rows and see the real world info typed in per plane.

2.jpg


So now user that has a mission can get an idea of planes that will work for him/her based on real world numbers.

Gives ballpark info on insurance and annual costs too.

I am almost done with the project but have no idea if it would be a practical app that folks think folks might use.

Love it? Hate it? Meh?
 
Want a tester? I am willing to put the numbers in and see the output

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Cool exercise, and it might even yield useful data. I'd for sure put data in!
 
So what do you do with the inputs - figure out the color of the Cirrus you're going to recommend??
 
deonb said:
So what do you do with the inputs - figure out the color of the Cirrus you're going to recommend??
Click to expand...

No recommendations, just averaged results based on mission parameters.
I would have included price but the range is so wide that it isn't practical.

I thought Cirrus only came in white ;)
 
It would cut down on the "what plane should I buy posts here"!....I'm not sure if thats good or bad. I'd be interested in it, and I'm sure others would as well.
 
so you'd have to own to fill it out? seems like you would get more entries if you could include the planes people rent, but they wouldn't be able to enter the cost info. not to mention there's no yes/no checkbox for AoA indicator.
 
I thought the answer was always "Bo." I used to scream his name every Saturday, until I was hoarse. Then he went pro, and we all found out "Bo knows!" Not sure the connection with flying though . . .

So cruise fuel burn, cruise true airspeed, sea level climb rate. Whatcha want for insurance--what I paid with 62 hours total time, zero retract, or what I pay now, IFR and >>500 hours in type? Base annual rate not counting repairs / upgrades.

Finish it up, post a link. What else am I gonna do tomorrow night after Big Bang?
 
Overall, great idea. That being said.... I'm hung up on the word mission, and I think you're over-specifying it. E.g. Horsepower or fixed/retractable gear is not a "mission." These are the parameters that define mission to me: min payload, min seats, min range, nighttime?, IFR? Thats about it. Of course, that will generate a lot of results. Then I would let the user filter results based on preferences (hi/low), fixed/retract, etc like car buying websites do. . I'm probably in the minority and will get booed off the stage soon. But overall cool idea.
 
I think this would be most valuable as a database of real world numbers those considering an airplane could refer to than something to make the decision.
 
eman1200 said:
so you'd have to own to fill it out? seems like you would get more entries if you could include the planes people rent, but they wouldn't be able to enter the cost info. not to mention there's no yes/no checkbox for AoA indicator.
Click to expand...
own, rent, whatever, just would like a database w/ real world numbers in it instead of book numbers or whatever that damn AOPA link that always pops up when you google "best 6 seater" etc and get a bunch of planes that have numbers real people scoff at that have flown them.

The problem I have is I can go to controller and TAP and pull price range, and models.
What if I need a 4 seater that can carry 1000 lbs at 130 kts?
There is no real search engine for that.

That was kind of my thinking.
 
Van Johnston said:
Overall, great idea. That being said.... I'm hung up on the word mission, and I think you're over-specifying it. E.g. Horsepower or fixed/retractable gear is not a "mission." These are the parameters that define mission to me: min payload, min seats, min range, nighttime?, IFR? Thats about it. Of course, that will generate a lot of results. Then I would let the user filter results based on preferences (hi/low), fixed/retract, etc like car buying websites do. . I'm probably in the minority and will get booed off the stage soon. But overall cool idea.
Click to expand...

Good point maybe not mission but more what fits the criteria I am interested.
I personally want a fixed gear low wing flying behind an O360
So Grummans, Archers, Cherokees, Some Musketeers

Mission might not be the best word more of a performance search engine.
 
You should add a 'budget' field in to your app, and have the result default to a 152 if any numbers are entered in it.
 
Great idea! Look forward to seeing it and entering some data.
 
Wait a second - where do I enter how many AoA indicators I want?
 
Rate of climb, max? Cruise climb? End of runway zoom climb for RV's? (Where is what's his name from Mustang Island, anyway?)
 
Cooter said:
It would cut down on the "what plane should I buy posts here"!....I'm not sure if thats good or bad. I'd be interested in it, and I'm sure others would as well.
Click to expand...
That is a good point. I learn a lot about other airplanes by reading the answers to those posts.
 
eman1200 said:
IS IT DONE YET?!?*


*just showing off my Project Management skills.
Click to expand...

You didn't mention changes and the deadline was yesterday. You need to work on them skills.


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Is it possible, maybe on the 'side', to have the same parameters for boobs?

I Love Boobies.jpg
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
I should have a working prototype tomorrow
Click to expand...
here's some data for your app.....not sure where I found it...but I didn't do this, honest. :D

So....how does one upload an xls file?

here's one...not what I have but a link I found.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&ved=0ahUKEwjvusW425TSAhVLxYMKHfYlDaUQFggqMAI&url=http://www.sba.oakland.edu/faculty/wharton/downloads/qmmdata/classdata/technology/airplanes.xls&usg=AFQjCNFlqP7WM_-ofHnHeIquzoBriy4NvA&cad=rja
 
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SixPapaCharlie said:
own, rent, whatever, just would like a database w/ real world numbers in it instead of book numbers or whatever that damn AOPA link that always pops up when you google "best 6 seater" etc and get a bunch of planes that have numbers real people scoff at that have flown them.

The problem I have is I can go to controller and TAP and pull price range, and models.
What if I need a 4 seater that can carry 1000 lbs at 130 kts?
There is no real search engine for that.

That was kind of my thinking.
Click to expand...
A search engine would be nice.
The link below is not a search engine but more of a data base website.
http://www.pilotfriend.com/aircraft performance/acft_list.htm
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
Good point maybe not mission but more what fits the criteria I am interested.
I personally want a fixed gear low wing flying behind an O360
So Grumman Tiger.

Mission might not be the best word more of a performance search engine.
Click to expand...

FTFY.
 
Not to trivialize your app, but this is the easiest code evaaaaaaar to write.

Take the inputs, run it through an algorithm, BOOM, out spits the answer:

BONANZA


Done. Pay me.
 
Some endurance measure is needed. Either Hours or Range. (With and without AoA of course) :)
 
6PC, this is an excellent idea especially those like me who are new to GA aircraft.

To this day, I learn about new models everyday.
 
Just an idea, But i would make a method for the data that threw out (or mark it for more inspection) any numbers that were radically different than the rest, or the whole entry for iffy numbers. It's human input, maybe typo, maybe something just wrong.

Also it occurred to me an app like that might be a good feature that it could print out a matrix of the types, spreadsheet style, which also would help troubleshooting the app as well if needed.

Just some backseat driver thoughts.
 
BigBadLou said:
Wait, this is for real.
I thought it was a hilarious joke. Like an app that just shows the word "Cirrus".
No joke?
No fun?

Man, you used to be cool. *thumbdown*
Click to expand...

Haha.
If it helps, I bought a greenscreen today. More fun is on the way.
 
That's pretty slick. Do you want performance data sent to you, or will you have a way for us to enter it?

I'm running around in my stock Cherokee 140 without pants (infer what you may), but I know another guy on here has a 140 with speed mods and is getting an extra 15kts from his plane. You couldn't possibly account for all the mods on all the models. But maybe being able to flag if it's stock or modded would help normalize the data to some degree.
 
As a non paying future customer of this app I am livid that the deadline has not been met. I will be drunk in few mins and won't know the difference between archer and arrow soon (not that I know it now)

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