I completely agree with the FAA AFH quote.
So, you can "understand and appreciate factors such as airspeed, pitch attitude, load factor, relative wind, power setting, and aircraft configuration in order to develop a reasonably accurate mental picture of the wing’s angle of attack", or, you can just use an AOA indicator. On my best days I may be smart enough to juggle all those factors and possibly understand them, but to ask me to also appreciate them is just too much.
...and then to ask me to visualize and develop a reasonably accurate mental picture of the wing's angle of attack prior to entering any flight maneuver? I don't have that many brain cells anymore. I'll take the AOA gauge.
When many students start instrument training, the idea of "understanding" all of those gauges and getting the scan down is difficult. Then it becomes pretty much automatic, and I hand-fly IFR while doing multiple other tasks without thinking about it. It is the same with the visualization of wing loading, AOA and power for a GA craft. Those that simply refer to the "AOA gauge" are at risk of losing, or never developing, the skills that the AFH refers to.
Again to clarify my consistent position, I would find an AOA gauge somewhat interesting, and would not object to it on a new plane. I'm simply not naiive enough to think this will affect accident rates, or will be of general utility outside of training. We already have an "aural emergency AOA indicator." I never use it unless I am three inches above the ground.
