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Angle of attack indicators
http://thorp18.com/thorpforum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=7630		 Page 2 of 2
Author:  jrevens [ Wed Aug 13, 2014 1:40 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Angle of attack indicators
OK, maybe I'll think about getting one for my T-18, someday when I grow up.
Author:  Bill Williams [ Wed Aug 13, 2014 5:12 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Angle of attack indicators
Years ago I flew with an instructor that had license number 6 signed by the Wright Brothers, his name was Charlie Miller.
We flew J3's and one of his first instructions was you wear your plane like a glove and you feel it in your butt. I think all of these new gagets are fine, but we tend to use them to make ourselves pilots. Go cover up the panel and fly and see what it's like
Author:  fytrplt [ Wed Aug 13, 2014 6:38 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Angle of attack indicators
Well said, Bill. Every day, when I put students in the Cub, I have to reteach them how to fly. It never ceases to amaze me how many "pilots" can't make a coordinated turn without a slip indicator.
Author:  Doug S [ Wed Aug 13, 2014 8:34 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Angle of attack indicators
I have found that both t-18 & s-18 will speak to you quite clearly as you approach its limits. Seems to me to be more than an adequate AOA indicator.
Author:  Fraser MacPhee [ Wed Aug 13, 2014 8:43 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Angle of attack indicators
...an AOA would have given me at least a half a second warning just before I foolishly fell out of that loop near the top....
Author:  leewwalton [ Wed Aug 13, 2014 1:08 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Angle of attack indicators
I doubt it would have helped you Frase ... the 20 Series Lears are flown approach by AOA as well, never thought to even look at it in any other phase of flight, of course that thing would literally buck, bark and push itself out of a stall (not naturally of course)!

Don't see a need for it in the Thorp, if your accustomed to looking at your panel at times where it may help you .. you're already on your way to a bad place.
Author:  jrevens [ Wed Aug 13, 2014 6:09 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Angle of attack indicators
Spanky, Bill, Bob, & Lee... That's what I'm talkin' about! I'm glad some guys can so clearly express some of the points I'd like to make! ... maybe when I grow up.
Author:  denndowning [ Fri Aug 15, 2014 1:47 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Angle of attack indicators
The AOA on my airplane was installed by the original builder and is just a flip switch on the leading edge, which activates a horn in the cockpit. It's installation is just a little off, causing it to go off a little above 100 KIAS, which means it is on continually in the pattern. It was such a pain that I disconnected it. Besides, I think the real key is airspeed control, which most GA pilots don't seem to be as good at as they should be. The accident statistics for the GA stall/spin scenario also show that having an AOA indicator has absolute no affect stall/spin accident rate. Most stall/spin accidents come from getting low and slow on the base to turn, taking off too heavy for the density altitude, or abrupt pull-ups, and I don't think an AOA indicator would do much good for these scenarios. A good link for some more information on this is http://airfactsjournal.com/2013/08/angl ... acle-cure/.

Dennis
Author:  flyingfool [ Fri Aug 15, 2014 2:58 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Angle of attack indicators
I would think that a properly caliberated AOA could be used for more than just a stall indicator. It could be used for glide slope accuracy especially when trying to minimize landing distance. Also it would seem that it could be used for Vx and Vy acurately despite the weight. In addition if got really geeky could be used to determine max indurance attitude etc.

So it is not just stall warning. For that stall strips may be just fine. But a series of lights on the glarshield brighter than anything and going from green to yellow to red and then possibly an audio alert be it voice or horn would seem to be far better than the Cessna horn blaring forever that you can ignore. But if the AOA you know is calibrated and WILL stall when a certain indications shows itself is a whole lot different.

I guess I've beat this horse long enough. And I once heard a quote that said; "When the horse is dead...dismount".
Author:  Duke Raven [ Sat Aug 16, 2014 3:28 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Angle of attack indicators
Has anyone read, "Stick and Rudder" by Wolfgang Langewiesche? This guys really gets into AOA! And he wrote the book 40 years after the Wright Brothers first flight. And their Angle of Attack instrument was merely a piece of string tied to the nose of their airplane. Interesting read.
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