New Device Improves Seaplane Safety
July 22, 2024
Holy Micro! LLC releases SkyVoice Glassy Guide 400 following success of SkyVoice Alert 500
WITH FLOATPLANES AND seaplanes, takeoffs and landings involving glassy water can be especially dangerous due to the lack of visual surface features and observation points. This calm water provides a challenging environment even for experienced pilots to estimate the height from airplane to water. When confusion occurs regarding height above the water, pilots often experience spatial disorientation with sensory conflicts, illusions, confusion, and a lack of balance.
According to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, 5 percent to 10 percent of all general aviation accidents can be attributed to spatial disorientation, 90 percent of which are fatal.
Holy Micro!
The SkyVoice Glassy Guide 400 and SkyVoice Alert 500 are inventions by Frank Kunnumurath. Ten years ago, he was a student pilot who struggled to determine the height to flare.
These struggles led to the development of SkyVoice Alert 500, a takeoff and landing height announcer with gear warning that was approved for installation in all general aviation aircraft under the FAA’s Non-Required Safety Enhancing Equipment program.
Frank and his company, Holy Micro!, have now introduced a new product named the SkyVoice Glassy Guide 400 (also FAA approved), which uses radar instead of lidar (light detection and ranging). The company’s HMR400 radar is designed for both water and ground. This technology is also suited for rain, snow, fog, dust, and other harsh environments.
The SkyVoice Glassy Guide 400 provides height announcements and reminders from 1 foot to 400 feet. The four reminders from 400 feet to 100 feet can be used for specific checks at varying height intervals.
These intervals can include gear check at 400 feet, checklist at 300 feet, flaps at 200 feet, and speed at 100 feet, as well as many other options. Following the 100-foot announcement, the pilot will hear height announcements at 70 feet, 50 feet, 20 feet, 10 feet, 5 feet, 2 feet, and 1 foot to help ensure an efficient, smooth, and safe water landing. The tool helps prevent pilots from accidentally descending, turning, or contacting the water. Pilots often stall the airplane from too high or slam into the water too fast.
When taking off, the height announcements come in the reverse order as described in landing. As these announcements occur up to 400 feet, the pilot can ensure a positive and consistent rate of climb. During takeoff from glassy water, the water is difficult to reference after becoming airborne. Also, water pilots often worry about retracting the gear after takeoff from land and can use the reminders from 100 feet to 400 feet to check their gear.
If a pilot experiences any spatial disorientation from visual or inner ear equilibrium issues, the SkyVoice Glassy Guide 400 can assist their effort to fight through the disorientation and keep the airplane on a proper trajectory before any safety issues or dangerous flight situations occur. Visit them at booth 1098.
Acknowledgment: The original press release was published on EAA Airventure Today. You can view the full release here (Page No - 40).