We take on select custom builds.
TarmacLabs is a software solutions company first. Our two products — Trim and AutoBrief — anchor the aviation arm. The custom-build arm is the second revenue line: we take on a small number of engagements per quarter where the shape of the problem genuinely fits what we've already built.
One person
David Sawires — Commercial Pilot, CFII, IR, full-stack engineer. Aviation domain knowledge is native. Software is the day job.
Modern, boring choices
Next.js + Supabase + Vercel for the front. Anthropic SDK for the AI layer. Pure-function rules engines where correctness matters. Tests behind every load-bearing claim.
Already shipped
Two live products, seventeen free aviation tools, a 509-test codebase in production. See the full changelog →
Paid discovery first. Then three tiers.
Every engagement starts with a small, paid discovery — a written scope plus a tiered SOW. You see exactly what you're committing to before the build starts. No estimates that drift, no hourly-rate clocks running.
$1,500 – $3,000
One week. Output is a written scope, a measurable success criterion, and a tiered quote. If we decide there's no fit, you keep the scope document — useful when you take it to the next vendor.
$15K – $25K
2 – 4 week sprint
The "good-enough" version. One workflow, one integration, working software you can put in front of users.
- ·Single workflow automated
- ·1 integration (one system, one auth)
- ·Tests behind the legal/business-critical paths
- ·Deployed to your Vercel or ours
$30K – $75K
4 – 8 week build
The target tier. Productionized SaaS slice with the engineering rigor behind Trim and AutoBrief.
- ·Multi-system integration (2 – 3 systems)
- ·AI-augmented where it actually helps
- ·Pure-function rules engine for legal/business logic
- ·Full Vitest test coverage on engine layer
- ·Audit log + role-based access if relevant
$100K+
multi-quarter + retainer
Long-form partnership. Phased delivery, dedicated availability, ongoing advisory after launch.
- ·Phased multi-quarter roadmap
- ·Direct line during business hours
- ·Monthly retainer post-launch ($1.5K – $5K)
- ·Board / strategy advisory included
Prices are weekly / fixed-scope, never hourly. We'll never give you a number without first doing discovery. Engagement floor: $15,000.
- ✓Aviation businesses that need internal software that won't fit on Foreflight or FSP
- ✓Flight schools, FBOs, and Part 135 operators with one specific operational pain
- ✓Non-aviation businesses that want AI-augmented tools with deterministic legal/compliance logic underneath
- ✓Companies that have read the journal and like how we think about software
- ✓You already know what success looks like in numbers
- ✕You want a generic chatbot bolted onto your CRM
- ✕Project depends on touching FAA-approved certification or DO-178C avionics workflows
- ✕You need a 50-person enterprise rollout with procurement / RFP / SOC 2 attestation today
- ✕Budget is < $15K or you want fixed price before discovery
- ✕You need a Stripe-clone, a CRM-clone, or a copy of something that already exists at SaaS scale
How it actually goes
Reach out via /contact
Tell us what you're trying to do, what success looks like in numbers, and what you've already tried.
30-min fit call (free)
We decide together whether this is a good fit. If yes, we agree on a paid-discovery scope and a date.
Paid discovery — 1 week
We write up the problem, the proposed solution, the success metric, and a three-tier SOW. You decide which tier (if any).
Build — 2 to 8 weeks
Weekly check-ins, weekly demos, weekly invoice. You see progress on a preview URL every Friday.
Ship + handoff
Production deploy, documentation, source code, and a 30-day window of included bug fixes.
Optional ongoing
Monthly retainer if you want continued support, feature work, or just a brain to call when something breaks.
1 – 2 new engagements per quarter.
We're selective because product work (Trim + AutoBrief) is the primary job and we won't take on more than we can deliver well.
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