You know... that actually makes sense to me. The only contributing factor I can think of that's missing is the updraft or downdraft component. If your plane can climb 800ft/min at Vy and you're just holding altitude because of a big downdraft, the VSI will read 0 but you'll still have a large AoA.
Maybe you don't really want the vertical speed so much as you want the vertical wind component, because vertical speed is ground-referenced and vertical wind would be wing-referenced like TAS? I don't even know if there's a term for that.
I see what you are getting to. I guess "true" VSI is needed to do this accurately in practice.
Uncertified avionics equipment, maybe.
Certification or not, that doesn't change how the math works.
Maybe due to the lag of VSI?
As I understand it, actual AoA indicators measure the air pressure differential between the top of the wing and the bottom of the wing. That's a pretty instantaneous measurement.
VSI is more of a 'trend' measurement. A 'calculated' AoA might not be as useful in low/slow/dirty air scenarios as an actual AoA measurement would be.
I'm not sure thats how AoA meters work, but the VSI lag makes sense. As Ted said, I should be referring to "true" vertical speed.
Dynon has AOA on some of its EFIS systems
Pitot tube has two ports
I just looked at that. Is that actually measuring AoA though? I could be wrong, but that seems to be more like a LRI with a pitot port that is aligned with the known critical angle of attack? Wouldn't an AoA meter need to be physically movable to align with the free stream direction for all phases of flight?
You still need the incidence angle of the wing with reference to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft.
That is true.
You can stall with the nose pointed straight at the ground. Angle of attack has nothing to do with the parameters you mention.
Angle of attack has everything to do with the parameters I mentioned... in fact it is defined as the angle between the wing chord (which is the pitch angle plus the constant angle which the wing is mounted with reference to the longitudinal body axis) and the velocity vector (stability axis).
Pilots need to fly their plane by the seat of the pants and skill.... Having AoA gauges and all the other {gotta have} stuff in the panel will kill you fast... IMHO...
Staring at a gauge will NOT overcome instant windsheer..
As I said, I was not recommending this be the best solution for small aircraft. In larger aircraft, it is very important though. The flight conditions are not as constant with larger aircraft and experience is much more difficult to rely upon. The stall speed depends on the weight of the aircraft which drastically changes in bigger aircraft. Additionally, the obvious warnings in larger aircraft are not present to the extent they are in most smaller aircraft. This is why they have stick shakers and such and actual AoA meters.
I will fly my plane..........................
You can stare at your life saving gauge........
Ok... you use "the seat of the pants and skill", I'll use instrumentation that tells me.
I think that the upward and downward moving air could be solved for with GPS data, just like winds are.
I think think the lack of precision, lack of accuracy, and instrument lag would be the primary reasons this would be difficult to accomplish.
I would think the opposite.
All you need to know is what direction air is hitting the aircraft from. If you know your attitude (pitch/roll/yaw) and the path through the air (TAS, and "true" climb/descent rate) you could easily calculate AoA.
The difficult part is doing it it accurately and with no lag.
Most people that say this fly aircraft with more instruments than is required by regulation, and I doubt they ignore them in flight.
IAS is good for knowing how long it's taking you to get somewhere. AoA is the most critical information when aerodynamic limits are of concern. From what I understand, it works pretty well for carrier pilots, and high altitude pilots.
Good points, except I think you mean to say
ground speed is good for knowing how long it takes to get somewhere.
