Ultimate Issue: AOA Gets Revisited—Again

Designing an accurate angle-of-attack system represents only half the challenge.

Monday, July 08, 2024 at 09:13 AM ET

Verified

There is also the problem, perhaps even more difficult than designing an angle-of-attack system, of how best to present the information to the pilot. [iStock]

Key Takeaways:

The article advocates for the widespread adoption of angle-of-attack (AOA) indicators, suggesting they be termed "lift indicators" due to their universal relevance across aircraft types and their superior ability to convey available lift compared to airspeed.
Recent advancements in low-cost electronics have made highly accurate AOA systems affordable (under $100), removing a significant barrier to their broader implementation in general aviation.
A crucial challenge is designing an effective pilot interface, with a promising prototype from FlyONSPEED.org combining visual cues (for speed, lift fraction, slip/skid) with an innovative, continuous aural feedback system that provides critical information without requiring constant visual monitoring.

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For as long as I can remember—I started doing this in 1968—writers for FLYING and other aviation publications have been singing the praises of angle-of-attack (AOA) indicators.

They were rare in general aviation airplanes until 2014 when the FAA simplified the requirements for installing them. A proliferation of aftermarket AOA systems followed, ranging in price from around $300 to more than $3,000. I don’t know how widely these devices have been adopted, nor do I know whether any study has been made of their impact on the GA accident rate.

Peter Garrison

Peter Garrison taught himself to use a slide rule and tin snips, built an airplane in his backyard, and flew it to Japan. He began contributing to FLYING in 1968, and he continues to share his columns, ""Technicalities"" and ""Aftermath,"" with FLYING readers.