I didn't set out to build an app. I was trying to solve problems I kept running into — first as an accident investigator, then as an instructor, and eventually as a pilot trying to improve my own flying.
It Started With Accident Investigation
While investigating incidents, I needed a clear way to understand what actually happened in the air. The available tools — IGC viewers and analyzers — weren't giving me what I needed. I wanted to see a flight in 3D, isolate key moments, and understand behaviour leading up to an incident.
So I built it.
I wrote code to visualize flights in 3D, map them in 2D, and isolate specific segments. Suddenly I could see things that were previously buried:
- Descent rates during critical phases
- Behaviour before incidents
- Patterns that weren't obvious from raw track logs
Then came wind estimation. Previously, I would manually calculate wind using groundspeed in thermals. It worked, but it was slow and limited. I automated it — and now I could estimate wind across an entire flight in seconds.
What started as a tool for investigation became something much more powerful.
From Investigation to Insight
Around the same time, I was in a discussion with another instructor about thermalling techniques. Like many of these conversations, it came down to opinion.
That didn't sit well with me.
I realized: this is measurable.
If you isolate thermalling segments from track logs, you can see exactly how pilots turn, how long they commit, how tight they fly, and how consistent they are. So I built that too.
Now I could compare pilots — not based on what they say they do, but what they actually do.
That was a turning point.
Coaching Without Being There
As these tools evolved, I started using them to coach my own students.
Instead of guessing, I could see:
- When a pilot missed a thermal
- How long they searched before committing
- Whether they stayed with lift or left too early
- How consistent their turns were
Previously, this required manually scrubbing through track logs — slow and imprecise. Now it was instant.
For the first time, I could give meaningful feedback without being in the air with them.
The Problem: Too Much Data
The more I built, the more powerful the system became.
But there was a problem.
When I shared reports — full of charts and metrics — I lost people. What made sense to me as a data scientist was overwhelming to most pilots.
The insight was clear: raw data doesn't help people. Clear direction does.
Bringing in AI — The Right Way
This is where AI changed everything.
Not as a gimmick. Not to generate content.
But to interpret the data.
I used AI to:
- Analyze multiple metrics simultaneously
- Identify meaningful differences between pilots
- Surface the highest-impact improvements
- Translate complexity into clear, actionable feedback
This solved the core problem:
- No more data overload
- No need for analytical expertise
- Just focused guidance on what to improve next
Removing Bias From Coaching
As an instructor, I've seen how personality and communication affect learning.
Some students respond well. Others don't. Sometimes it's not the message — it's how it's delivered.
I wanted to remove that variable.
With AI, feedback becomes consistent, objective, and focused on improvement — not opinion. It highlights what matters, in a way that motivates action — without ego, bias, or friction.
Grounded in Safety
My background in accident investigation shaped this tool deeply.
Performance matters. But safety matters more.
The app highlights things like:
- Time spent low to the ground
- Exposure to active air
- Landing patterns and approach behaviour
I've seen enough incidents to know that patterns exist — especially in landings. And too often, those patterns are explained away instead of understood.
This tool makes them visible.
Not About "The Right Way"
This is not a tool that tells you there is one correct way to fly.
There isn't.
There are multiple ways to achieve the same outcome.
Instead, the goal is to help you:
- Compare yourself to pilots who are performing well
- See what they're actually doing
- Decide what works for you
It's about learning through evidence, not instruction.
The Power of Comparison
One of the most valuable features is group analysis.
When you compare multiple pilots from the same flight, patterns emerge quickly:
- Where stronger pilots gain advantage
- What weaker pilots are doing differently
- Which behaviours actually matter
Many pilots plateau despite upgrading equipment — because the limiting factor isn't the wing, it's decision-making and technique.
For intermediate pilots especially, small improvements — like better thermalling decisions — can unlock significant gains.
A Growing Intelligence Layer
The system now includes a growing database of flights, including top international and local pilots such as Honorin Hamard, Maxime Pinot, Chrigel Maurer, Francois de Villiers, and others.
As more pilots use the platform, this dataset grows — and so does the quality of insight.
Who This Is For
This tool is designed for all pilots — but its impact is not equal across levels.
Junior and intermediate pilots will see the biggest gains. This is where small changes — like better thermalling decisions, improved timing, and stronger consistency — can unlock significant progress. If you've ever felt stuck, inconsistent, or unsure what to focus on next, this is where the system is most valuable.
Coaches and guides can use this as a professional debrief tool. Instead of relying on memory or general feedback, you can run structured post-flight analysis across your group — looking at decisions, transitions, thermalling behaviour, and landing patterns. It creates clarity around what actually happened in the air and where improvements can be made.
Advanced pilots will find more marginal gains — but still valuable ones. Even experienced pilots drift. Performance changes over time. This tool helps you validate what you're doing, spot regressions, and refine technique. It also enables deeper analysis — comparing your flying to top pilots and studying their lines, decisions, and group dynamics.
Beyond that, there's a fourth layer: exploration. When you start analyzing high-level flights — whether local or international — you begin to see patterns that are otherwise invisible. For example, looking at long-distance record flights reveals how top pilots spread out, choose lines, and work together in subtle ways. There are lessons there that are difficult to access any other way.
What This Is Really About
At its core, Parametrics is about three things:
- Performance — helping you fly better
- Safety — helping you make better decisions
- Clarity — removing guesswork from your progression
It's a system built from real problems, tested in real flying, and refined with one goal: help you become a better, safer, more confident pilot.
What Comes Next
This is just the beginning.
The platform will continue to evolve — with more data, better insights, and new features — guided by real pilot feedback.
If you use it and something stands out — good or bad — I want to hear it.
Because the goal is simple: better pilots, safer flying, more fun.