Why no angle of attack indicator on G1000s?

P

poadeleted3

Pattern Altitude
Joined
Mar 2, 2005
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I got to wondering why angle of attack isn't displayed on G1000s & other glass panels. It's a lot more accurate, and I'd think safer, way to fly the proper approach speed for most planes instead of just picking 60 kts (or whatever the usual speed is for your plane) and using that. The speeds shown in most POHs don't cover all the various weights we fly at, as well as other factors. I'd think just about everything needed to know the actual angle of attack is already part of the system, so why not display it?
 
not sure that there are many reasonably prices AOA indicators out there for production aircraft. This is one area where the experimental guys are light years ahead
 
AOA is something I wish were more common on GA aircraft. There are a couple of after-market systems that can be installed via 337, I know someone who installed the LiftReserve unit and is very happy.

One factor with some GA aircraft is adequate engine cooling at the limiting AOAs....
 
There are no true AOA indicators available for light GA. There are some pseudo-AOA devices that synthesize AOA based on differential pressure like the Lift Reserve Indicator, which I'm seriously considering for my plane. However, a real AOA sensor is an expensive piece of kit even by new Cirrus standards.
 
Ron Levy said:
There are no true AOA indicators available for light GA. There are some pseudo-AOA devices that synthesize AOA based on differential pressure like the Lift Reserve Indicator, which I'm seriously considering for my plane. However, a real AOA sensor is an expensive piece of kit even by new Cirrus standards.
Click to expand...

They also don't work very well behind a prop or within a foot or two of a wing so you'd need some kind of long boom to mount it in free air.
 
Steve said:
A few AoA vendors for GA:

http://advanced-control-systems.com/Products/AOA/aoa.html

http://www.lriaoa.com/

and one Ron would like:

http://www.riteangle.com/RiteAngle/components.htm

http://www.riteangle.com/RiteAngle/photos.htm
Click to expand...

Nothing on your list is a true AOA for certified aircraft. The first (developed by a neighbor of mine) comes closest, but it senses the pressure difference between ports on the top and bottom of the wing and combines this with the pressure sensed in your pitot and static lines. My neighbor tried to get the system certified for a wide range of aircraft but was unsuccessful. He's sold the design to someone else who is pursuing certification. The second doesn't even claim to be AOA, it measures the differential pressure between two pitots arranged at an angle to each other (BTW this is the exact unit Ron said he was considering). The third isn't approved for certified aircraft even though some of their pictures show it installed on a Cherokee. There was mention of a certified version "in the works". I'm not holding my breath.
 
Another reason is that stalls are relatively easy to recognise in light GA aircraft compared to high performance jets.
 
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