Where is the AOA Indicator?

It is amazing to witness the evolution of technology in our lives. The last job I had in the Air Force was a program manager for "special projects". That was a term the government uses whenever they can not admit what they are really doing. Our office was a vault. The security in our working environment was enough to turn any Tom Clancy novel into reality. It was a difficult department to staff due to the extensive background investigations required for secret clearances.

One of our fundamental challenges was to convert new technologies into operational tactics. A single seat fighter is a demanding environment. Our goal was to take "thinking" out of the equation and simply have one switch. It was said many times to our engineers and vendors that "it had to be fighter pilot proof". All of that complex technology had to come down to one switch labeled On/Off. Our objective was to keep our secrets away from the enemy. Millions of dollars that enabled highly classified "stuff" would be at risk if one knucklehead flipped a switch while we were vulnerable to one of the many collection techniques employed by our
adversaries.

There are many examples of complex to simple scenarios in general aviation. GPS and the glass cockpit evolution are just the tip of the iceberg. It won't be long before Heads Up Display (HUD) and data link become more pervasive. The one gadget that needs to find its way into our cockpit is the Angle of Attack indicator or AOA. In one simple glance the pilot can understand if the aircraft is "on speed". It accounts for bank angle, temperature, altitude, bank angle, gross weight and a host of other variables. The airplane flies AOA not airspeed. The AOA indicator is especially useful when the pilot is busy and needs to max perform the aircraft such as engine out and high gross weight scenarios.

Another invaluable benefit of AOA is that it helps the student develop a feel for the airplane. There are subtle signs that help reinforce handling characteristics while practicing stalls associated with AOA. Once proficient, the pilot can become more aware with the head out of the cockpit. The T-38 used in Air Force undergraduate pilot training (UPT) was a slippery little jet. The pilot had to develop a feel for her in the traffic pattern. It did not take long to understand that there was a blend of throttle and back pressure on the stick to turn the aircraft. The "on speed" approach had a small rumble that felt like driving a car on a dirt road. Some instructors referred to it as a "light tickle". Others equated it to ants dancing on the wings rather than elephants.

We flew AOA around the final turn and airspeed was used to get us in the ballpark. Make no mistake that airspeed was king when it came time to complete the grade sheet. However, a student flying the "green donut" in the T-38 all but guaranteed an on speed approach and landing regardless of gross weight and configuration.

One of the aspects of water operations with an amphibian that nurtures my soul is the airplane requires me to "feel" the parameters and not just observe them. On more than one occasion I have found myself with an inaccurate airspeed indicator. Bugs have an uncanny ability to find the pitot tube holes and stake claim on their newfound home. This is probably the one time in VFR flying that I trust my instincts and not the instrument. Even when all systems are functioning, water flying requires the pilot to "feel" the optimum attitude to stabilize on the step. Improper technique will dramatically increase your takeoff distance.

I am convinced that there would be fewer GA accidents if pilots were taught to fly with AOA. I would wager that the highly publicized accident with Cory Liddle would not have occurred if they were equipped and proficient with the AOA indicator. The golden rule of aviation is to maintain aircraft control. Pilots become distracted while they are dealing with emergency or unfamiliar situations. When the windshield fills up with a close-up view of unimproved terrain while the engine is sputtering, maximum performance of the aircraft can be the difference between surviving and your last landing ... ever.

Additionally, the AOA indicator can help with fuel conservation. Trimming out the airplane to max endurance will guarantee the pilot is squeezing out every drop of fuel. I'm surprised that more airplanes in the general aviation community are not equipped with AOA indicators. We continue to splurge on gadgets to tell us where we are, how fast we are going, real time weather updates, obstacles in our flight path while installing more probes and sensors on our piston engines to dump data on its performance. Heck, some of us aspire to delegate all flying tasks enroute to Mr Auto Pilot and simply observe. Yet, there does not seem to be much incentive to use existing technology that allows us to hone our skills, understand the feel of the airplane and take the guesswork out of maximum performance. Or maybe it is that we can not bear to have a little reminder staring us in the face that we are not as proficient as we thought?

The average pilot, despite the sometimes swaggering exterior, is very much capable of such feelings as love, affection, intimacy and caring. These feelings just don't involve anyone else. Anonymous