Angle of Attack Indicator installation

[captnkirk]

AOA is a great tool but not sure if it is worth the expense in a maule. I'll have to go with look out the window MW posted.

[gbarrier]

Worth, we all know better. Toys...... well.

[beaver]

Beaver, where is your probe located?

Is the newer electronic ones just a digital versus analog representation?

out on left wing, was a great training tool early on, the one with the needle allows you ability to see how deep the plane is in the angle, new electronic one you "set" at a point and just watch the lights, no variation allowed really, useless in my opinion.

[Maulehigh]

Thanks a lot for your reply, the Caa in France is a pain... i called them today and they request a technical study. I'm quite sure that they will request a proving fly blablabla. If someone who has the system on board could you send me some pics ?
If someone in Europe did it before with the EASA i will maybe avoid the suicide

Hi Philou,

I am also located in the EU and know the EASA Airworthiness regulatory system reasonably well.
If the installation of the AoA indicator is deemed to be a minor modification (refer to Commision Regulation EU 748/2012, Subpart D, Point 21.A.91 for classification of changes to type design), then the approval of the change may be performed by any Part-21 Subpart J approved design organisation or EASA upon submission of the necessary paperwork from you. If the change is determined as a major change, the design organisation will have to submit for approval from EASA, regardless of whether it is STC or not.
Given that the AoA indicator does not have any appreciable effect on the mass, balance, structural strength, reliability, noise, fuel venting, exhaust emission, or other characteristics affecting the airworthiness of the product, it would be considered a minor change. However, if you are intending to use it to change the operational characteristics, i.e. approach speeds, that may complicate things a bit.
The best thing to do is either find a friendly Part-21J organisation or submit to EASA for a minor change yourself and see what they say.
You should not need to present any pack to the French DGAC as they do not have any design authority over an aircraft governed under the Basic Regulation EC 216/2008.

Good luck.

[gbarrier]

Analog makes sense. On the Citation we have both. I reference the needle/gauge to confirm my ref speed is correct on final. Then in the windshield near center post is an indexer which looks a lot like the Alpha Systems Legacy indicator. it is great to have in the corner of your eye as you approach the runway.

I really like the gauge that Icon aircraft show in their videos. If I could get one of those I would be happy. I just think that the needle looks so thin on the Alpha Systems unit that it might take some staring to see.

[andy]

I've never flown with an AOA indicator but I've seen videos. I have a pretty good seat of the pants feeling for critical angle of attack in both my MX-7-180 and the Cessna A185F that I fly on fires. The way the controls feel tells me what I need to know. Don't think an AOA indicator would be of much help. It would be a better tool than the airspeed indicator when you're getting used to a different aircraft, though.

[aero101]

Andy hit nail on head in my mind... when close to ground, eyes should be outside, not on airspeed or other gadgets inside ckpt! No substitute for seat of pants. Maybe airliner or heavy metal would be useful and fun to play with, but if you have no feeling on the backside, you probably shouldn't be going that slow anyway near ground or doing tight turns, etc, etc. That's my 2 cents worth anyway.

[gbarrier]

Looks like some time has passed since the original discussion of the Alpha Systems AOA.

So, here's my question: Who has installed a digital system lately. I talked to someone who had one in a Bonanza and said he was continuously calibrating it. Anyone else had that problem? That same person worked for a major avionics supplier who also said they no longer stocked them because the market was dead but he could order me one.

I think I like the looks of the Alpha Eagle unit because it looks a lot like an indexer on an airplane I flew in another life. Just think it would be nice to glance at one on occasion and see how far into the stall light I am.

[rjb]

I have a CYA AOA installed. It is one of the cheapest, if not the cheapest, although the mechanics charged what I thought was a lot (1 AMU if I recall correctly) to install it.

You don't have to look at it- it will send a very annoying warning into your headset if turned on. You will get that on takeoff or on roll out.

On final, it is setup so that the audio comes on at the same time as the stall horn. I suppose there were would be more information if I were looking at the lights but I don't.

I don't regret buying it but after having flown with it for two years, I wouldn't miss it.