Udo, absolutely.

A mere stall warner is just a "stall" or "no stall" binary device. An AOA
indicator, by comparison, gives stall margin or how close you are to a stall
as well as the rate at which you are approaching it. Of course, stall
warning is a part of that.

It also is a performance device that lets the pilot optimize flight. You
can change AOA with the elevator with almost no delay. Airspeed needs more
time to change. Thermalling at a constant, optimum AOA is easy and the
airspeed will be much steadier. The optimum AOA is the same regardless of
wing loading or bank angle.

Unless you have flown with an AOA indicator, it's hard to imagine what it
does. I've never head someone who has used one say they didn' t like it.

Bill Daniels

"Udo" wrote in message
...
Bill,
I think what we are after is an effective angle of attack indicator to
optimize performance for a rage of flap settings that will also
coincidently act as a stall warning.
Udo


On Dec 7, 2:53 pm, "Bill Daniels" bildan@comcast-dot-net wrote:
Cost and installation issues are a real hurdle as is just how well the
device performs in actual use.

However, we seem to pay large sums for safety devices like transponders
and
ELT's when it is at least argueable that stall/spin accidents kill far
more
pilots than mid-airs or exposure after a landout. It's possible that on
a
"bang for the buck" basis, an AOA indicator is a better deal. This is
especially true if the AOA indicator actually improves our soaring
performance while increasing safety.

It's even possible to argue that one offsets the other. i.e. If your AOA
indicator prevents a spin in on the ridge, you have avoided, at least in
that instance, the need for an ELT, saved your glider and maybe yourself
in
the bargan.

I can't think of any device that would have more impact on accident
numbers
than a really practical AOA indicator.

Bill Daniels

"Paul Remde" wrote in message

news:aPg6j.222593$Xa3.195325@attbi_s22...



Hi Bill,

It is a very interesting device. I looked at it very closely at the
SSA
Convention in the past. I was impressed with the high quality of the
system. If I remember correctly it includes a low friction rotating
vane
that is mounted to the side of the fuselage and a variometer like meter
that is mounted in the instrument panel. I don't recall whether or not
it
had an audio output. It looked very cool. I don't remember the price,
but I do remember thinking that very few glider pilots would pay the
somewhat high price. Also, it required a hole in the side of the
fuselage.

Paul Remde

"Bill Daniels" bildan@comcast-dot-net wrote in message
...
I was very pleased to see the advert in the December issue of "Soaring
Magazine".
See:www.safeflight.com

Does anybody know more about this device - especially the price?

Bill Daniels- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -