I know you drivers of certified flying objects can’t go installing whatever you please in your cockpit, but let’s imagine it’s Christmas, and you can do what you want 
How about an angle of attack indicator? Would you? It appears that quite a few homebuilders install this type of kit, and the FAA is apparently moving to make the installation of angle-of-attack indicators in light general aviation airplanes as easy as possible.
If all that dosh in your pocket is weighing you down, here’s a brief review of products currently available on the (US) market
The long-awaited arrival of the Lancair 320 is imminent (yes!) and I’m having my arm twisted to buy the AoA Sport at USD 890 (plus horrendous P+P). That’s the price of a very nice handbag, so you’ll understand my dilemma, I know 
I would buy fuel for that :-))
Would you?
No. „My“ aeroplane has one installed, but if someone secretly removes it, I will probably not notice for several weeks… Anyway, we’ve had a dozen or so threads on this topic here!
Anyway, we’ve had a dozen or so threads on this topic here!
Ooops, sorry to waste your valuable time, what next. I’ll make sure to check first before posting next time
I sometimes fly an aircraft with an AOA indicator and I never look at it. The only person I met who really uses them is an ex navy pilot who used to fly off a carrier.
If you put
aoa
in the search box, you get a few of the threads.
I was going to install one to enable me to climb to the ceiling more efficiently, but the comms I had with the company (which they eventually got fed up with, because I was asking them questions they couldn’t be bothered to escalate to somebody who might know the answer) made me realise that calibrating these things is a very inexact process.
I also questioned whether their 200 watt heated version (essential, even for VFR, IMHO) would melt the wing skin in 5 minutes or 10 minutes if you accidentally left it on on the ground… I concluded that it would damage the sensor at the very least, unless one added an “unauthorised” mod in the form of a temperature switch.
But I am sure they work fine for low speed flight, which is what most people think of them as being used for.
Is AoA more critical on a critical wing like a Lancair?
And would an AoA indicator still show correctly if the wing was compromised with insects, rain, or even ice?
And would an AoA indicator still show correctly if the wing was compromised with insects, rain, or even ice?
Even if it did, your actual critical AoA would have decreased — particularly in the case of ice on the wing…
And would an AoA indicator still show correctly if the wing was compromised with insects, rain, or even ice?
It would still show correctly but if the shape of the airfoil is compromised, then stall could occur at a lower angle of attack then on a clean wing.
I suppose the real issue is what do you want it to do for you? What advantage do you hope to get from this expense?
For most straight and level type of flight (touring) a stall warner is probably all that’s needed.
Is the Lancair aero capable? I suppose if it was, you might have more of a need for it.
Ooops, sorry to waste your valuable time, what next. I’ll make sure to check first before posting next time
It’s really not about wasting my time (if I don’t want to answer to a thread, I will just not do it…) but because most of the regulars of this forum have already written in detail about their experiences – or desires – regarding these things.
