Originally Posted by
cardiomd
I think that Avidyne actually uses AHRS for a derived AOA indication based on velocity vector and acceleration, offered as an upgrade. As far as I know there is no upgrade for the G1000.
I googled "AOA" and "religion" and found this link, which I agree with completely. Nice to see other non-crazy voices, but I'm sure he will be accused of witchcraft too!
Angle of Attack isn't a miracle cure - Air Facts Journal
From the article:
Exactly what I have been saying.
AOA also could be a useful training tool, and would be reasonable in new constructions. However, the last thing we need in general aviation is more FAA regulation, championed by those who don't even understand current regulations.
Absolutely. Browsing NTSB reports will confirm this.
I see what you are saying, but I also don't agree.
The problem with airspeed as a proxy versus an actual AOA gauge is that it doesn't give you any information about load factor.
I have done low angle fixed wing stuff and aerobatics, and you can make due without an AOA IF you understand the relationships and are paying attention to the "feel" of the airplane. Of course, feel is subjective and even from one airplane to another, the warning indications may be different. I have flown fleets of older airplanes where the stall speeds could vary by +- 5 knots on the same exact airframe design.
The great thing about AOA is that not only does it give you a visual representation of what the wing is doing, but it is a fantastic tool to teach primary students the relationships they are supposed to understand in various regimes of flight. It is possible to do it without an AOA, but an AOA display really hammers it all home.
From a safety standpoint, it is a nice tool for backup guidance on the single most important performance aspect of an airplane at those time when you are distracted, maneuvering, looking or traffic, at the end of the day when performance is waning. Some airplane will have little to no warning approaching the stall in an uncoordinated banked turn, and by the time the pilot figures it out by "feel" it is too late.
If there was no benefit to these devices there simply wouldn't be any stall/spin accidents at low level (or any level for that matter) and loss of control wouldn't be a primary cause of GA accidents. The data on the need for these types of devices speaks for itself.