"Portable" autopilot for your Skyhawk?

Hello everyone, Yarden here with the portapilot team. I would be happy to answer any questions. I see there's a lot of discussion on the matter of regulation. Even though the product is not certified or endorsed by the FAA as stated on our site, the product was under review by the the FAA and went through regimented test flights by them. FAA flight test engineers and test pilot teams, initially from headquarters, followed by local teams, flew numerous missions. Thanks to their cooperation, we incorporate the input which was a result of these tests. Ultimately, as the PortaPilot is not permanently mounted to the aircraft, it was determined that this does not fall under their jurisdiction, and does not require certification.

The actuator assembly (servos) is the component which manipulates the yoke, and gets snapped in during flight, above 2,000 ft. AGL. With our quick release system, the actuator assembly can be manually disengaged, or completely removed with one action, in a matter of seconds. Once removed, the only items remaining are non-obtrusive, and don't limit aircraft control, or instrument visibility. We have been flying with the PortaPilot for a few years now, and even at the initial phase of its development, we have never had any safety related issues. Having said this, one should always be vigilant while using it.

I hope that clears some things up. We are currently working on editing and shooting more videos, to further demonstrate the system, including flight demonstrations.
 
PortaPilot said:
Hello everyone, Yarden here with the portapilot team. I would be happy to answer any questions. I see there's a lot of discussion on the matter of regulation. Even though the product is not certified or endorsed by the FAA as stated on our site, the product was under review by the the FAA and went through regimented test flights by them. FAA flight test engineers and test pilot teams, initially from headquarters, followed by local teams, flew numerous missions. Thanks to their cooperation, we incorporate the input which was a result of these tests. Ultimately, as the PortaPilot is not permanently mounted to the aircraft, it was determined that this does not fall under their jurisdiction, and does not require certification.

The actuator assembly (servos) is the component which manipulates the yoke, and gets snapped in during flight, above 2,000 ft. AGL. With our quick release system, the actuator assembly can be manually disengaged, or completely removed with one action, in a matter of seconds. Once removed, the only items remaining are non-obtrusive, and don't limit aircraft control, or instrument visibility. We have been flying with the PortaPilot for a few years now, and even at the initial phase of its development, we have never had any safety related issues. Having said this, one should always be vigilant while using it.

I hope that clears some things up. We are currently working on editing and shooting more videos, to further demonstrate the system, including flight demonstrations.
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Thanks for clearing things up on it. I am intrigued by it. As i understand its only for certain 172's and not all as of yet?
 
Lindberg said:
How are these attached to the aircraft?
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Same way an tablet is "attached."

There's a picture of it on the main webpage (if looking at it from a PC) pretty self explanatory how that attaches. Probably don't even need a manual to put it on.
 
So if it’s on the yoke only corrections would be made via aileron only? Not that in a chicken hawk that’s a much ado… it’s intiguining!
 
PortaPilot said:
Hello everyone, Yarden here with the portapilot team. I would be happy to answer any questions. I see there's a lot of discussion on the matter of regulation. Even though the product is not certified or endorsed by the FAA as stated on our site, the product was under review by the the FAA and went through regimented test flights by them. FAA flight test engineers and test pilot teams, initially from headquarters, followed by local teams, flew numerous missions. Thanks to their cooperation, we incorporate the input which was a result of these tests. Ultimately, as the PortaPilot is not permanently mounted to the aircraft, it was determined that this does not fall under their jurisdiction, and does not require certification.

The actuator assembly (servos) is the component which manipulates the yoke, and gets snapped in during flight, above 2,000 ft. AGL. With our quick release system, the actuator assembly can be manually disengaged, or completely removed with one action, in a matter of seconds. Once removed, the only items remaining are non-obtrusive, and don't limit aircraft control, or instrument visibility. We have been flying with the PortaPilot for a few years now, and even at the initial phase of its development, we have never had any safety related issues. Having said this, one should always be vigilant while using it.

I hope that clears some things up. We are currently working on editing and shooting more videos, to further demonstrate the system, including flight demonstrations.
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Do you have any guesstimate as to when this may be available for other popular aircraft? Can you provide any insight of what other aircraft you are currently testing?

Thanks.
 
EdFred said:
Same way an tablet is "attached."

There's a picture of it on the main webpage (if looking at it from a PC) pretty self explanatory how that attaches. Probably don't even need a manual to put it on.
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My tablet attaches via a suction cup on the windshield. This must attach to the yoke somehow and attach to the airplane at least one other point. So I'm curious about the details of these attachments, why they aren't "permanent," and why that's relevant.
 
You know it looks like a pretty slick device and a lot of thought obviously went into making it come to be but my lord they couldn't come up with a better name than PortaPilot?

90
 
Lindberg said:
My tablet attaches via a suction cup on the windshield. This must attach to the yoke somehow and attach to the airplane at least one other point. So I'm curious about the details of these attachments, why they aren't "permanent," and why that's relevant.
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Couple of collars that clamp to the yoke shaft. Seen simlar attachments for tablets. That's it.
 
EdFred said:
Couple of collars that clamp to the yoke shaft. Seen simlar attachments for tablets. That's it.
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How do they clamp on the yoke shaft without potentially impeding movement? Why hasn't the rep who said he was happy to answer questions ever returned?
 
PortaPilot said:
Hello everyone, Yarden here with the portapilot team. I would be happy to answer any questions. I see there's a lot of discussion on the matter of regulation. Even though the product is not certified or endorsed by the FAA as stated on our site, the product was under review by the the FAA and went through regimented test flights by them. FAA flight test engineers and test pilot teams, initially from headquarters, followed by local teams, flew numerous missions. Thanks to their cooperation, we incorporate the input which was a result of these tests. Ultimately, as the PortaPilot is not permanently mounted to the aircraft, it was determined that this does not fall under their jurisdiction, and does not require certification....
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I'm curious, why would the FAA spend any time at all testing your product if non-permanently mounted stuff isn't their bag? wouldn't they just say "not permanently mounted? no thanks"? anyways, good luck!
 
I see what appears to be a hole drilled in the yoke tube. No thanks.
 
Lindberg said:
How do they clamp on the yoke shaft without potentially impeding movement? Why hasn't the rep who said he was happy to answer questions ever returned?
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Ummmm, place them where they don't impede movement? Is it really that hard to figure out?

Evidently
 
FastEddieB said:
Can we assume Salty was joking?
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Yeah, I assume they are using the gust lock hole in the doohickey that the yoke rides in for the little index tab on their bracket to fit in. That's why it only fits certain models of 172s. I assume.

But seriously, that hole in their yoke shaft in their gallery seems to be pretty nasty. There's an AD on my mooney to check for cracks regularly, that thing looks like one big crack.
 
kve820 said:
Thanks for clearing things up on it. I am intrigued by it. As i understand its only for certain 172's and not all as of yet?
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That is correct, at the moment it is only compatible with Cessna 172 models L and newer (actually there are a few L models that are incompatible as Cessna makes changes mid-model for some reason)

Lindberg said:
How are these attached to the aircraft?
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There are two sets of split clamps each with two thumb screws.

Huckster79 said:
So if it’s on the yoke only corrections would be made via aileron only? Not that in a chicken hawk that’s a much ado… it’s intiguining!
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We actually have both one, and two axes versions. The two axes model can push and pull on the yoke as well as being able to rotate it, giving both aileron and elevator control. As you mention, even with the one axis version, all that's generally needed is some elevator trim.

aterry1067 said:
Do you have any guesstimate as to when this may be available for other popular aircraft? Can you provide any insight of what other aircraft you are currently testing?

Thanks.
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We don't have any timelines we are ready to publish at the moment, however the next models on our list are previous models of Cessna 172 (prior to the L models) and then certain Cessna 150 / 152's. We can't promise anything at the moment however.

Silvaire said:
You know it looks like a pretty slick device and a lot of thought obviously went into making it come to be but my lord they couldn't come up with a better name than PortaPilot?
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Naming a product is exceptionally difficult. This name has stuck with us through development and was by far the best, unique option. You must admit, it's memorable! It is afterall, a Portable, Autopilot system!

eman1200 said:
I'm curious, why would the FAA spend any time at all testing your product if non-permanently mounted stuff isn't their bag? wouldn't they just say "not permanently mounted? no thanks"? anyways, good luck!
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We opened a line of communication with them early on and they were very interested as this is a new type of device which has not existed before. As far as I know, their goal was partially in determining whether or not any regulation or certification would be required, and whether or not it would fit in the carry-on device category.

Salty said:
I see what appears to be a hole drilled in the yoke tube. No thanks.
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No drilling is required! Unless Cessna forgot to add your gust lock hole? ;)

Salty said:
Yeah, I assume they are using the gust lock hole in the doohickey that the yoke rides in for the little index tab on their bracket to fit in. That's why it only fits certain models of 172s. I assume.

But seriously, that hole in their yoke shaft in their gallery seems to be pretty nasty. There's an AD on my mooney to check for cracks regularly, that thing looks like one big crack.
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That is correct. There is a short pin in the top and bottom of our YCC (yoke collar clamp) which lines things up and helps to lock it in place. The pins do not come close to the yoke tube. Additionally, the pins are not a separate component, they are part of the machined clamp which is made from solid 6061 aluminum, so they cannot fall out. This actually adds quite a bit of time machining this component, but we decided it was worth it for safety reasons. As far as the gust lock hole in our Cessna, I assume you are speaking of the image with the tape measure? It is a bit worn, but there are no cracks! And again, just to clarify, this was not done by the PortaPilot as it does not engage the holes in the yoke tube.

We will have some more videos soon. Our next video we are just about to release is a short installation guide, and then after that we will have a flight demonstration.
 
PortaPilot said:
There is a short pin in the top and bottom of our YCC (yoke collar clamp) which lines things up and helps to lock it in place.
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Do you have a rough idea of hours that you've used it? Interesting concept, I'm only curious if there's some downside to using components to control the plane that weren't really envisioned for the by the engineers, namely the yoke collar

Thanks for posting and answering our questions!
 
Silvaire said:
Interesting on topic trivia - the autopilot was invented by Lawrence Sperry in 1914 and was originally conceived as a "safety device" for which he won a $10,000 prize.

Lawrence Sperry: Genius on autopilot
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Of course, he may have had reasons other than safety for inventing it.....

The story goes that on a November day in 1916, Sperry, a genius but also a reputed ladies’ man and carouser, was giving a flying lesson over the coast of Long Island to a New York socialite when their plane crashed into the Great South Bay. Both were naked when they were rescued by duck hunters. Sperry claimed that they had lost their clothing during the crash. Another theory holds that the couple were canoodling or engaging in activities of an even more carnal nature when they inadvertently disengaged the autopilot. The New York tabloid Mirror & Evening Graphic went with the latter story, running a front-page headline that read “Aerial Petting Ends in Wetting.”
https://robbreport.com/paid-issue/autopilot-erotic/
 
Tantalum said:
Do you have a rough idea of hours that you've used it? Interesting concept, I'm only curious if there's some downside to using components to control the plane that weren't really envisioned for the by the engineers, namely the yoke collar

Thanks for posting and answering our questions!
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Thank you for asking! We are happy to have this opportunity.

The PortaPilot has been tested extensively, on multiple aircraft, by various pilots, flight test engineers, etc. It has been tested in varying weather conditions, from calm to extreme, as well as simulated failures. Over years of testing, we haven't had any safety related issues. One of it's most unique and perhaps the best feature compared to other Autopilot systems, is the ability to remove it in case of any issues, as well as the ability to test the entire assembly outside of the aircraft.

The PortaPilot has both mechanical and electrical limiters, allowing us to control the force that it can apply, and the magnetic couplers will disconnect if overpowered. This is why the elevator must be trimmed (we have indicators that will instruct you to adjust if needed), and also why the actuator assembly must not be inserted while on the ground, as the control forces are too great and can damage the PortaPilot. Ultimately, very little force is applied to the yoke collar, and after years of use we have seen no signs of any degradation.

Feel free to contact us if you are in the Seattle area to arrange for a demonstration.
 
Lindberg said:
How do they clamp on the yoke shaft without potentially impeding movement? Why hasn't the rep who said he was happy to answer questions ever returned?
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Watch the video on their website. Website has FAQ tab as well.
 
PortaPilot said:
Thank you for asking! We are happy to have this opportunity.

The PortaPilot has been tested extensively, on multiple aircraft, by various pilots, flight test engineers, etc. It has been tested in varying weather conditions, from calm to extreme, as well as simulated failures. Over years of testing, we haven't had any safety related issues. One of it's most unique and perhaps the best feature compared to other Autopilot systems, is the ability to remove it in case of any issues, as well as the ability to test the entire assembly outside of the aircraft.

The PortaPilot has both mechanical and electrical limiters, allowing us to control the force that it can apply, and the magnetic couplers will disconnect if overpowered. This is why the elevator must be trimmed (we have indicators that will instruct you to adjust if needed), and also why the actuator assembly must not be inserted while on the ground, as the control forces are too great and can damage the PortaPilot. Ultimately, very little force is applied to the yoke collar, and after years of use we have seen no signs of any degradation.

Feel free to contact us if you are in the Seattle area to arrange for a demonstration.
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Any more updates on this product? Any else actually use it? Has anyone used it on another airplane?
 
they have just made the porta pilot available for the cessna 150. unfortunately i have the wrong yoke. I'm ready to purchase one,thinking of changing my yoke.have an e mail into them now. i have been waiting for the trio to be approved for the 150.watching their videos the port pilot seems like a good match for the 150.
 
The issue I have is their support; this could be a home run, but I've reached out numerous times and, and yet... crickets. I don't get it; can they finally share what the future holds for the product? There a A TON of airframes out there without A/P that simply need something to take the edge of flying cross country, and this would be a home run. Please for the love of god, sell a universal version, or at least tell us it's coming.
I currently own a 210 without an autopilot and it's getting old flying without anything. I'm almost tempted to buy it and see it it'll clamp up and hope for the best.
 
aviatomar said:
The issue I have is their support; this could be a home run, but I've reached out numerous times and, and yet... crickets. I don't get it; can they finally share what the future holds for the product?
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I'm not going to hold my breath for this thing, even though it'd be awesome.
I get the feeling this company is more a side project for the guy than a serious commercial endeavor. They haven't had any company updates on Instagram/YouTube/their website in about a year and a half, and that supposedly coincides with the launch of the product. The message boards, both POA and others show interest but no actual owners/users. Combine that with criticisms like yours that they're completely silent on the sales/customer service front and it really seems like this is a product that just isn't making it to market. Hopefully I'm wrong and they're just too busy scaling operations to bother with marketing and customer service, but I'm kind of doubting it.
 
Tom Wells said:
The message boards, both POA and others show interest but no actual owners/users. Combine that with criticisms like yours that they're completely silent on the sales/customer service front and it really seems like this is a product that just isn't making it to market. Hopefully I'm wrong and they're just too busy scaling operations to bother with marketing and customer service, but I'm kind of doubting it.
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Blame it on Covid ... :p
 
Tom Wells said:
I'm not going to hold my breath for this thing, even though it'd be awesome.
I get the feeling this company is more a side project for the guy than a serious commercial endeavor. They haven't had any company updates on Instagram/YouTube/their website in about a year and a half, and that supposedly coincides with the launch of the product. The message boards, both POA and others show interest but no actual owners/users. Combine that with criticisms like yours that they're completely silent on the sales/customer service front and it really seems like this is a product that just isn't making it to market. Hopefully I'm wrong and they're just too busy scaling operations to bother with marketing and customer service, but I'm kind of doubting it.
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I couldn’t agree more. It’s a shame. A ton of work seemingly went into this. It seems like a solid product that could sell a ton… yet crickets…. I did find one guy who owned one and said it worked flawlessly. And that’s what got me a little annoyed. It seems like a good product. For the love of god SELL THEM! Make them more available! Or sell it to someone who can devote more time to it.
 
aviatomar said:
Or sell it to someone who can devote more time to it.
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I'm with you. If I saw positive reception from the community I would start working on how to sling as many of those units as possible to the masses. I'm assuming they've got some healthy margin baked into that 2-3k$ selling price.
Not sure where their hold-up is, but if they just licensed the design or something so people could leverage their tech and make it for other models, that would be fantastic.
 
Half Fast said:
Probably hung up with liability concerns and lawyers.
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That's a very good point... Nothing will put the brakes on marketing like watching your attorney have a massive stroke while reading your patent.
 
Tom Wells said:
I'm with you. If I saw positive reception from the community I would start working on how to sling as many of those units as possible to the masses. I'm assuming they've got some healthy margin baked into that 2-3k$ selling price.
Not sure where their hold-up is, but if they just licensed the design or something so people could leverage their tech and make it for other models, that would be fantastic.
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They inquired as to product-liability insurance and got laughed at.
 
Half Fast said:
Fact or presumption? Not that I would be the least bit surprised.
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For sure presumption, and likely fact. Although maybe people who thought this was a good idea in the first place haven't considered liability.
 
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