Just released by Miralou Aero is MiraCheck CoPilot, a mobile voice assistant checklist, which uses voice prompts to combat complacency that can occur when pilots read or check the same items over and over.
It was designed to navigate content in the most efficient way possible, according to its developers.
Emergency procedures, for example, can be narrated in the pilot’s ear within seconds.
The app provides a framework for a much richer checklist including textual content, URL links, images and videos, company officials note.
MiraCheck CoPilot can be used on Apple and Android devices, including smartphones, tablets and the Apple Watch for preflight procedures and inspections. It also integrates with Bluetooth aviation headsets for audio in the cockpit, officials said.
“I had two incidents as a pilot that was the catalyst for building the MiraCheck ecosystem. One was a prop strike and $30,000 engine teardown claim one month after getting my first airplane for being distracted and leaving the towbar on. Another was a harrowing emergency landing because of oil spraying profusely across my plane’s windshield,” said Jeff Bonasso, founder and Chief Design Officer of Miralou Aero. “After picking up after an oil change with a seasoned mechanic I made the mistake of not thoroughly doing a preflight. The MiraCheck ecosystem will allow pilots to easily share their experiences to make other pilots much safer.”
MiraCheck CoPilot’s mobile app is where the pilot interacts with checklist procedures. The app provides a standard aviation checklist with the option for the pilot to edit and customize the checklist to suit any personal preferences and workflows.
Mira will help every step of the way with voice assisted checklist details combined with a display checklist giving pilots a two-pronged safety net before takeoff and during flight, he noted.
“Checklists are only the beginning,” he said. “Our vision is a true digital co-pilot where other inputs like GPS, camera and flight data can further provide information for Mira to assist and make flights safer.”
MiraCheck CoPilot includes MiraCheck Cloud. Its aim is to be a central hub for the community to share their expertise on any air safety subject. It has editing tools as well as a search engine to discover other checklist procedures.
The ultimate goal of a tool like MiraCheck CoPilot is to reduce human error and enable pilots to learn and repeat procedures in the most efficient way possible, he said.
“The app reinforces the imperative that each pilot and co-pilot follow a strict set of procedures to ensure safety in the air,” he added.
Here is a YouTube playlist that covers different aspects of MiraCheck:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrKH8OTxFdJm4VbfcAf-MNfcYl7Ex8lgg
Since I was needing to create checklists for my not-quite-yet flying EAB, I took the plunge. There is a free version, but I went for the cloud based, and rather expensive paid version. This lets me do all the data entry on a computer with a real keyboard rather than on my iPhone. For me it’s totally worth it. What would have taken hours to enter and format with a word processor when quite quickly. Changes and updates are trivial. The “printouts” are PDF files you can print as needed. It prints to an 81/2×11 page but all my checklist easily fit on one side of one page in an easy to read format. Besides which, I’ll probably never use the printed version but rather the checklists that get automatically downloaded to my iPhone from “the cloud”. These are read aloud by voice synthesis (annoying but quite understandable) so you don’t have to fumble around with a printout. I’m hoping this will have to develop a pre-flight flow more quick than would be done with a paper checklist.
Because it’s so easy to use, I found myself make checklists for things not normally included. I created one for “before I enter the plane” – chock removal, tow bar stowed etc.
This program isn’t aviation specific BTW. You could use for a cake recipe if you wanted to.
There are some warts, but his is early days for this product, so it’s expected. I’ll give it 4 stars, knocked down from 5 because of the expense. If you are serious about your checklists, this is a worthwhile app.