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Yes, Blind People Can Become Flight Simmers By Helen E. Cooper "That's impossible." was my first reaction when I was told that blind people could become flight simmers. How wrong I was! I had watched my sighted friend, Robert Cezar, learning how to use Microsoft's Flight Simulation program and was impressed by the skills that had to be acquired in order to fly without mishap. I could see that the cockpit of even a small aircraft had a confusing array of dials, switches, buttons and displays that gave information on the status of the aircraft. The realism of the scenery was such that I was literally on the edge of my seat watching him narrowly miss mountains, clip the tops of trees, etc. During those early learning days he often landed nose down, props buried deep into the realistically dusty ground; this may sound familiar to other simmers! I could only imagine what the cockpit of a 747 would look like. Several months later, when Robert had become proficient at flying a simulator, he decided to expand his hobby by writing an application to make sim flying even easier. After considerable thought, he developed a virtual co-pilot (Michelle or her alter ego Mike) who would perform flight manoeuvers on his command (to ease the burden on the captain) and keep him company on long flights. He enjoyed flying with Michelle so much, that he decided to market the application as an add-on to Microsoft's Flight Simulation program and in early 2007 launched It's Your Plane (IYP) under the parent company Pacific Feelings Media. The design objectives of It's Your Plane were to address the needs of simmers with a wide variety of flying preferences; from dare-devil bush pilots who just wanted to hop into their favorite GA aircraft, press Ctrl+E to start the engine and go to full throttle, to those who wished to be virtual commercial airline pilots and go through every checklist prior to, during, and after landing a 737-800. For these and everyone in between, It's Your Plane aims to make their sim flying experience as real as possible. Once It's Your Plane (IYP) was up and flying, Robert planned to sit back, relax, and enjoy sim flying. Internet technology development however is a demanding mistress and during his online communications with other simmers he was approached by a blind teenager asking if there were some way that flight simulation could be made more useable for blind people; apparently there existed sim programs for the blind but they were complicated to use by any but the most computer savvy. His inventive mind went into Mach 4.0 and he decided he would write some additional code to adapt It's Your Plane so blind people could also use the program. I was sure he was joking; it seemed painfully obvious to me that flying a simulated aircraft was very much an acquired skill requiring a great deal of hand-eye coordination. Well yes, of course, but he was sure he could find a way around the challenge of not being able to see. Throughout his years as a video engineer and business entrepreneur in Canada and California's Silicon Valley, Robert had always taken apparent problems and turned them into opportunities. This was no different, and for the next few months he locked himself in his lab, emerging now and then to reassure his friends and family that he was still alive. Rewriting the software required a whole new direction of thought, and during those months of development we conducted extensive research into how blind people use computers and the Internet. It was a definite "eye-opener" to a couple of sighted people. We had no concept of the range of computer technology that might be available to the blind community, and the It's Your Plane software would have to integrate seamlessly with it. Fortunately, we had excellent assistance from many blind simmers. They sent us in-depth information and explained the screen reading and text-to-speech software that provides them access to their computers, the internet and email. In addition, our blind volunteers were invaluable in helping to beta test the product repeatedly until it was ready for release. Finally, in 2009, the IYP 'Blind Pilot Mode' was released. This version was specifically designed for use by Blind and Visually Impaired (BVI) pilots and is fully integrated with the original IYP program for sighted pilots. What Exactly Is The IYP Blind Pilot Mode? The Blind Pilot Mode enables those who are blind or visually impaired to fly most of the It's Your Plane (IYP) supported aircraft from pre-flight to shut down by using their voice. IYP's interactive virtual co-pilot (you can choose Mike or Michelle), listens to the blind pilot's commands, assists with any necessary manoeuvers to fly the aircraft, and performs functions such as positioning the aircraft at the beginning of the runway, auto performing take-offs, auto-landing the aircraft (both ILS and visual approaches), auto-taxiing to the gate, etc. The co-pilot also talks to and walks the pilot through any or all of the IYP flight checklists, which are slightly abbreviated versions of real checklists used by commercial and GA pilots. IYP works with the Microsoft Flight Simulator program, with FS2004, FSX, and Prepar3D on XP, Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 8 platforms. With continued input from our blind beta testers, we became more and more aware of how much the sound effects associated with aircraft and flying are of prime, even crucial, importance and interest to blind pilots. In addition to the obvious engine and aircraft manoeuvering sounds, successive updates to IYP include many extra sounds to make the flying experience even more realistic. Pilots can elect to turn on passenger cabin music, ask the co-pilot to give flight-following announcements (what city the aircraft is flying over, what passengers can see from the aircraft, etc.), make crew announcements to the passengers, hear passengers chatter and applaud after a successful landing, etc. To view or listen to a blind pilot landing an aircraft with the help of his virtual co-pilot, Mike, watch the IYP video, Can a Blind Person Fly A Plane? Blind and Visually Impaired (BVI) pilots can fly approximately 150 different It's Your Plane supported aircraft; anything from a Cessna to an Airbus. At the request of some of our regular BVI enthusiasts, we have recently added the ability for the co-pilot to help in performing rudimentary water landings with amphibian aircraft like the DeHavilland DHC2, Grumman Goose, etc. Some BVI pilots are reaching for a different flying experience by signing on as commercial airline pilots for IYP Virtual Air. This feature provides even greater challenges by requiring pilots to adhere to the specific departure times and route constraints that regular commercial airline pilots must follow. Others have joined their sighted counterparts in the weekend fly-outs in Come Fly With Me - a fully-integrated multi-player feature for FS2004 and FSX. Over the last couple of years pilots have met online every weekend to fly west to east across Canada. They are currently on the homeward journey from Nova Scotia back to Tofino, British Columbia. It's a great way for BVI pilots to fly and communicate with sighted simmers who are all very happy to help the BVI pilot if requested. The sharing of a virtual cold beer after landing is enjoyed by all! In further response to communications with BVI pilots and the specific needs they expressed, a Blind Pilot Support page was added to the IYP web site and the extensive PDF versions of the Users' Manual and the Flight Deck Doc were duplicated in Word format for easy reading by screen readers. Since the release of the Blind Pilot Mode, word has spread, and more and more blind pilots around the world are flying with It's Your Plane with great results. We have been amazed and delighted to receive many positive testimonials telling us how much IYP means to the blind community. One email in particular served to confirm this and a second (which initially took us by surprise but now seems obvious) reinforced our growing conviction that IYP can and is also flown by people who are sighted but cannot use their hands: I'm a blind pilot, but at one time in the past I used to fly the real thing. I love your program. It has given me back some part of my old life that I was forced to leave behind ... thanks for giving me back my wings. R - Danville, California, USA. I was involved in an incident that damaged nerves rendering my arms to peripheral idiots. Sure puts a dampener on fun! Robert personally took the time to ask why I was unable to sim and provided the Blind and Visually Impaired (BVI) solution. I never knew about this IYP option. M - Highland, Wisconsin, USA. Subsequent emails from manually impaired simmers have initiated some new ideas for the ongoing development and use of It's Your Plane; check back often at ItsYourPlane.com for updates! The list below was compiled by some of It's Your Plane's blind and manually impaired enthusiasts and demonstrates that the benefits derived from the IYP program far surpass our initial concept of just opening up the flight sim world to blind people. Benefits specific to the blind and manually impaired communities: IYP can help to increase skills in the voice controlled usage of computers and the Internet. There is a lack of good and intellectual Internet games for the Blind Community - IYP fills that void. It is a main stream game that, in fact, shouldn't be called a game; rather it is a main stream "cerebral" product that challenges users to develop, apply and enjoy brain-stimulating skills. It can also help in developing problem solving skills. A tool for young and newly-blind people to use to learn about orientation and mobility, cardinal directions, and interacting with blind and sighted persons. With the same goals as those of Apple's products, IYP's emphasis is on integration; it is not custom-built only for blind users but rather it is used by blind and sighted pilots alike. No software additions or extra expenses are required. Blind pilots can communicate with sighted pilots about the aircraft they fly, the features they like, and the challenges they encounter. They can fly the same routes, discuss difficult landings, and enjoy the interaction with IYP's virtual co-pilots. They can also boast with their friends and colleagues about their flying achievements. However far a person takes their simulator environment (some people build entire cockpits around their computers and aircraft controls), IYP can be regarded as a fun and entirely engrossing hobby. And, IYP pilots do not suffer from whiplash, broken bones, law suits, insurance claims or angry passengers! Admittedly, since I have been involved in its development in a non-technical capacity since the early days, I am somewhat biased when talking about It's Your Plane (IYP) but, like owner and developer Robert Cezar, I have been amazed by the impact it has had on our BVI pilots and the benefits that it offers not only to them but also to others with specific impairments, whose needs for skill building, involvement and just plain fun are often neglected by the wider Internet community. Helen E. Cooper Associate, Consultant to IYP For more information about IYP: http://www.itsyourplane.com http://www.itsyourplane.com/html/blind.asp http://www.itsyourplane.com/startup.asp?p=/html/reviews.asp

Interview With Robert Cezar Development When did you start developing for flight simulators and what got you interested in it? I think it was in 2001 that an Italian friend and colleague, who is also a software engineer, gave me a gift of Microsoft's Flight Simulator program. Never having piloted an aircraft before, either in real life or in simulation, my first attempts at simulated flight ended with many torn undercarriages and propellers buried into the ground. As I became more proficient I began creating add-on features for myself just to make the flights more interesting. In 2002, once I had the simulation skills under my belt, and again for my own interest, I planned each step of my journey and flew around the world using a Cessna C182T, using real time, real dates, real weather, real fuel consumption, etc. and noting interesting details along the way. This adventure took about a year to complete. All the additional software I had written eventually grew into a full application. Having always been an entrepreneur, in 2007 when asked by numerous other simmers to publish the software, I launched It's Your Plane (IYP), and I included in the package my Trip Around the World. Tell us about the nature of your designs and what you do? It's Your Plane is a voice control co-pilot system for FS2004, FSX and Prepar3D. My aim is to bring an added dimension to flight simulation that can be used by simmers of all abilities, from bush-pilots, to those who prefer to fly-by-the-book, to pilots who simply enjoy hopping into the cockpit of a Cessna Skyhawk. In particular, Helen, Lars and I are consumed with the desire to help people who are blind or visually impaired to also experience the joy of flight simulation. With the exception of the interface that I created for the Level-D 763 and the Boeing 737-800 interface I wrote for Pete Dowson, my interest is not focused on providing an environment for those simmers who enjoy spending 35 minutes "prepping" the aircraft just to get to the runway. Rather, we decided at the very outset to direct our efforts towards "weekend" pilots. Our aim is to have Michelle interact with the pilot to execute all of the requisite checklists to ensure proper flight techniques (pre-flight, before start up, start up, before taxi, taxi, before takeoff, takeoff and climb-out, cruising, descent, approach and landing, taxi to the gate/ramp, parking, shutdown). We don't worry about such items as engine bleed, cabin temperatures, IRS alignment, etc. Our blind pilots cannot program an FMC, and our "weekend" pilots show little or no interest in doing so. As a result we haven't bothered interfacing expensive third party jetliners. However, flight management is critically important. The IYP pilot has the option to ask Michelle to handle all of the flight management functions involved in takeoff, climb out, approach and auto-landing. For example, during climb-out, based upon the engine's N1 readings, fuel weight, payload, outside temperature, air density, Mach speed, etc., Michelle automatically optimizes the indicated air speed (KIAS) and vertical rate of climb. And, yes, Michelle can perform a visual approach and auto-landing with most IYP interfaced aircraft. To make an even more realistic environment for the "passengers", Michelle issues flight-following announcements letting them know what terrain they are flying over and what they might be able to see on either side of the aircraft. What do you find to be the most challenging aspect of a project? Even though it's not in vogue and younger developers probably use PERT programs, I use a white board to lay out a Critical Path (CPM). I plot the whole project from start to finish and add all the "what ifs" to the maximum extent possible. Only when I am satisfied with the plan do I then start writing code (i.e. plan the work, work the plan). What do you consider your best or most popular work? What are some of the more unique or special aspects of what you create? Same answer to both. The most unique aspect of It's Your Plane is that, although it was initially created to be flown by sighted simmer pilots, I subsequently added extensive code enabling it to be also flown and enjoyed by blind and visually impaired people (BVI), (and, incidentally, people with disabilities that prevent them from using their hands). It is our opinion there are tens of thousands of BVI people who could significantly enhance their lives by getting involved with voice controlled flight simulation as an exciting hobby that helps them to experience as closely as possible the thrill of flying. What have been your favorite projects? My question - Is your question related just to flight simulation or to major projects that I have accomplished over my life? What software packages and tools do you use to develop? I began using Assembly code in 1964 and transitioned to Visual Basic.net in the mid-nineties. But I also write ASP.net, Java script, etc. Who would you consider to be your mentors or inspiration in the development world, if you have any? This goes back to my misspent youth in which my math teacher in Montreal, Professor Paquette, tutored me in his free time and in a matter of five months awoke in me the skills and determination that enabled me to pass the college entrance exam for the graduate math program. He was without question the most influential person in my life and taught me that I could do anything I put my mind to. He also created my never-ending interest in mathematics. Do you develop payware/freeware or both and why? Both. The sales of IYP software and the generous donations we routinely receive, basically covers our operating costs. Thus, I am a retired person operating a "non-profit" organization. The Team How many people work with you or your team? Three people work directly with me. An additional dedicated group of IYP users (too many to name individually) volunteer to help with all aspect of the IYP environment. What do the various members of the team do? Lars lives and works in Denmark... In the early stages of IYP he assisted me by interfacing various aircraft. In his spare time he created and manages the IYP General Support Forums hosted on his server. He knows IYP inside out and answers many of the questions that are posted on the forums. Mike is retired and lives in North Carolina. He is our primary volunteer test pilot for IYP Virtual Air and was instrumental in scheduling and test flying a majority of the 265 IYP-VA flights before we opened it for general use. Helen worked with me for 35 years, is now retired and lives in Sacramento, California. She is not a flight simmer except by osmosis. She voluntarily handles the non-technical side of IYP; proofreading the IYP web site and newsletter contents, helping with the user manuals, corresponding with IYP users, and sending IYP news to other flight simulation web sites (including FlightSim.Com). We all call her the Proof Reader From Hell (TPRFH). Christian, who is one of our blind pilots, created and manages the BVI News Group that was set up specifically for our blind and visually impaired (BVI) IYP pilots. What other developers or teams have you worked with and what were their rolls? Francois Dumas - FSAddon-On and Silver Cloud Publishing. Netherlands. Lars Peter Hammer - PC games designer, programmer and IT Manager. Denmark. Pete Dowson - FSUIPC, Project Magenta. Near Stoke-on-Trent, UK. Who also uses IYP. Fernando Herrera - Carenado. Santiago, Chile. John Dekker - Radar Contact-4. Near Atlanta, USA. Real Life Do you have any experience in real aviation? I took one lesson in a Cessna Skyhawk after I had been simming for a year or more. I took off looking intently at the gauges until finally the instruction tapped me on the shoulder and said, "You're obviously very proficient at flying the simulator, however you might like to look out of the window once in a while, there might be other planes around." Since then my flying has all been done at my computer. What started your interest in aviation? As a business executive, I travelled all over the world. I probably flew more than a million miles over a 30-year period. I fell in love with the Boeing 727; sitting in seat 3A, sipping a cognac, and lighting up a Marlborough. I especially loved the exciting experience as this remarkable jetliner quietly touched down. Even if there was a direct flight from New York to San Francisco, I would go out of my way to take three shorter hops just to fly on my favorite aircraft. Any memorable flights in real life? I was flying to from California to Lima, Peru and had taken a sleeping pill just after take-off. The kindly flight attendants in First Class didn't want to wake me when we touched down in Lima and I ended up in Rio. My bags arrived safely in Lima! I left on a red-eye out of SFO for Atlanta on a stretch DC-8. There was a major storm in the Atlanta area and we circled Atlanta for what seemed like hours to the point that I was worried we would run out of fuel. That was a memorable flight! I was departing St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands on my favorite Boeing 727 Eastern Whisper Jet. The airline employees weighed not just the baggage but every person who was boarding the aircraft! The flight was only 20 minutes to St. Croix and as we carved our way through the mountains upon departure, I understood the reason why the aircraft weight was so important. Yet another unforgettable and hair-raising flight. Would you like to share what you do in real life? Officially I'm retired, except that IYP users keep asking for new features, so based upon customer input I am constantly improving and extending the scope of IYP. I place particular emphasis on features that blind pilots request. What other hobbies or things do you do for enjoyment? I love to play with my two grandchildren! I have written a novel, La Guitarra, and other stories are in the offing. I wrote 24 orchestral suites, one in each key, major and minor, have written about 200 songs/instrumentals. I have played the saxophone, clarinet, guitar and keyboard and I love listening to classical music. I absolutely must watch professional hockey (when they're not on strike), I'm a Canadian, eh! Have you ever considered doing flight simulator development full-time? Improving IYP is almost a full-time job - I'm so glad I'm retired! Future How do you choose your next design or project? One of my favorite sayings is: 'Users have designed It's Your Plane... I just write the code.' Most of my new projects are created in response to requests from IYP users for additional features. I encourage IYP pilots to let me know if I can make any part of their flight sim experience easier or more challenging and they inspire me to create the next feature to add to IYP. Case in point, one of our blind pilots said he flew into a mountain on an approach to Aspen, CO, so I "wrote the code" to make Michelle manoeuvre the aircraft over the hills: I'd like to make it to ninety so that I have the time to satisfy every conceivable request! What simulators do you design for now and what ones do you plan to develop for in the future? I currently design for Microsoft Simulator and Lockheed Martin's Prepar3D. We've been thinking about X-Plane but haven't yet decided. In what ways do you see development changing in the future? If you are referring only to Flight Simulation, then I believe we are at the cutting edge - having a virtual co-pilot that you can talk to and who can actually help you with checklists and flying the aircraft. This is too logical not to be the next direction of flight simulation so, in fact, I believe we are the future. If you are referring to technological developments in general, I believe the next major development will be "Nuclear memory". The concepts of magnetic, static and laser memory are arcane. Your Thoughts What can sites like FlightSim.Com do to support you and the hobby better? Dedicate a minimum of 1 page on their web site to blind pilots, and help promote this opportunity to hundreds of thousands who could be experiencing the thrill and love of flying. How do you feel about the future of flight simulation in general? I believe this great hobby will continue far into the future for as long as real aircraft and flying continues to evolve. What are some of the most important things a site or community can do to help the developers? I think you already do a remarkable job. What would you like people to know about you or your team and work? We at Pacific Feeling Media are driven to have others in this industry join us in welcoming blind people to participate in this exciting world of sim flight just as we in the sighted world do. I have an unlit cigar waiting to be lit when the 1000th blind person joins the flight sim community. Robert Cezar www.itsyourplane.com