SAIB 2024-07 - FAA recommends installation of AoA indicators

[AV8R_87]

Feels a day late and a dollar short.
Nothing in there about making it easy (from a regulatory/approval standpoint) to install one, like deeming them minor changes.
Maybe they'll follow up with an AC this decade.

Dynamic Regulatory System

drs.faa.gov

 

[Bell206]

Nothing in there about making it easy (from a regulatory/approval standpoint) to install one, like deeming them minor changes.

FYI: For small, private CAR3 or Part 23 aircraft a supplemental AoA indictor system install has been considered a minor alteration for about 12 years or so. While the SAIB points to commercial ops, the original FAA AoA has been updated over the years to make it easier for any category aircraft to have them installed.

 

[AV8R_87]

FYI: For small, private CAR3 or Part 23 aircraft a supplemental AoA indictor system install has been considered a minor alteration for about 12 years or so.

Thank you. Good to know. Since they didn't reference that in the SAIB, would you happen to have a link to the guidance for that?

 

[Noah Lorang]

Thank you. Good to know. Since they didn't reference that in the SAIB, would you happen to have a link to the guidance for that?

Policy Statement PS-AIR-21.8-1602 lays out the FAA policy on NORSEE - Non Required Safety Enhancing Equipment: https://www.gajsc.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/PS-AIR-21.8-1602.pdf

 

[Bell206]

Since they didn't reference that in the SAIB, would you happen to have a link to the guidance for that?

These are the main ones, but there are several others.

2011 original Directorate AoA memo

2014 FAA AIR-100 AoA policy memo (Design & Production)

2014 EAA AIR100 AoA policy follow-up letter

2014 FAA InFO AoA installs

Policy Statement PS-AIR-21.8-1602 lays out the FAA policy on NORSEE

That policy statement is similar to the AIR100 memo above which covers more design and production requirements. Usually there will be a separate PS memo covering installation like the one for installing electronic attitude indicators in place of vacuum ones.

 

[Kristin]

Interesting that the FAA is recommending AoA's. Are they recommending a training program? The couple of times I have landed an airplane with an AoA, I ignore it. I have been landing light aircraft of various makes and models for almost half a century, so the A/S indicator and the feel of the plane seem to do it fine for me, so far. I can't imagine why I would install one, but maybe there is something there that I am missing.

 

[Tools]

With a GOOD AOA system you can KNOW if you’re close to a stall no matter the angle of bank, how loaded up you are or how heavy.

Zero guesswork, zero extra knots carried for a margin.

 

[hindsight2020]

Meh, never needed it in recreational flight. As someone who relies on AOA work to an above average degree for a living, calibration is important, and that is not trivial in the least. Miscalibration can easily get neophytes killed.

I don't see calibration in the rec piston space being a particularly reliable proposition as a population, that's my bias. Garbage in garbage out. I see this is not a directive, so the fear is moot. Slow day at the FAA I guess.

Honestly, I go back to the cost proposition. If they did make it a directive aka go about it "fac built stupid", it'd be another cost burden that won't improve safety outcomes in a statistical manner. As it stands, it's norsee toy stuff. Sure, knock yourself out, just caveat emptor on the GIGO aspect of it.

 

[455 Bravo Uniform]

Not sure if this ground and flight calibration guide is good or bad because I have nothing to compare it to.

https://www.alphasystemsaoa.com/assets/PDFs/falcon/Copy%20of%20Quick%20Cal%20Guide%20for%20Falcon%20Display.pdf

I have this one on my wish list. Partly for fun, mainly for safety. I figure if I’m going to have to make an off field emergency landing, I want to hit sh*t as slow as possible.

The same reason I bought a Peterson canard 182. Also the reason I bought and installed the BAS shoulder harnesses before taking possession.

I suppose a chute is maybe a safer option, especially for wife, as would a GFC500 with the blue button…

Love watching @motoadve videos. No, don’t need anyone to start a “flirting with disaster” lecture, thank you, lol (reminds me of:

 

[Bell206]

Not sure if this ground and flight calibration guide is good or bad because I have nothing to compare it to.

Thats the company that pretty much brought an affordable AoA to the private Part 91 market so its a good reference. Also you'll see in the AIR 100 memo above most AoA systems are built to an ASTM standard. The data on their effectiveness is out in the public domain should you care to read up on it.

 

[nauga]

As someone who relies on AOA work to an above average degree for a living, calibration is important, and that is not trivial in the least. Miscalibration can easily get neophytes killed.

I don't see calibration in the rec piston space being a particularly reliable proposition as a population, that's my bias. Garbage in garbage out.

As someone who has calibrated, tested, flown with, and relied on more than a handful of AOA systems I think everything you said above could be equally applied to pneumatic airspeed indicators. They aren't FBM, and it's not that difficult if the system is implemented properly. Just like your pitot-static system.

Nauga,
calibrated in units

 

[AV8R_87]

How about the non-pitot, non-vane AoA systems? Like what uAvionix is doing with the AV-30. Useful or garbage?

 

[nauga]

How about the non-pitot, non-vane AoA systems? Like what uAvionix is doing with the AV-30. Useful or garbage?

IF what uAvionix describes in their manuals and brochures is the actual methodology used to "calculate" AOA it is garbage. Whenever we've discussed in the past here someone usually mentioned there is more to it and it's more in line with conventional air data/Kalman filter estimation that can be very good. I hope the written descriptions are just dumbed down for the less technically-minded.

Nauga,
from where ADD means airflow direction detector

 

[chemgeek]

What is there in the accident record that suggests an AoA indicator would significantly reduce the accident rates in light aircraft? Would better stall training and recognition have a similar result at lower cost? I'm all for safety and enhanced tech (autopilot, EFIS, TIS-B, GPS nav, in-flight weather, fuel and engine monitors, etc.) but there has to be a demonstrable benefit that outweighs mandate cost. In addition, all safety enhancements, including EFIS, APs, in-flight weather, etc. come with training requirements to realize any benefit. Without training, some of these "enhancements" have been demonstrated to be safety impediments in some incidents.

What's the intended AoA usage paradigm? Monitoring AoA during final approach? Turn to final? Emergency procedures? What is the expected benefit over monitoring bank angle and airspeed during say, routine approach to landing procedures, where unusual attitudes are not likely? Is it really that difficult to avoid stalls in routine operations in a light aircraft?

 

[AV8R_87]

What is the expected benefit over monitoring bank angle and airspeed during say, routine approach to landing procedures, where unusual attitudes are not likely?

It seens to me a lot of people get used to the plane's performance in light load conditions (pilot only, half tanks) and get surprised by the loss of performance once they add a couple heavy pax and fill the tanks. Also, base to final turns add the complication of not being level turns, but descending. This changes the AoA in the turn because you're not demanding the lift of a level turn.

 

[Bell206]

What is there in the accident record that suggests an AoA indicator would significantly reduce the accident rates in light aircraft?

There have been a number of studies/presentations done to mitigate loss of control accidents with the AoA being one method to do so. The links below give a general background with additional info available online from various sources like universities, etc..

FAA InFO 14010

FAAST Team AoA

FAA Handbook AoA Memo

but there has to be a demonstrable benefit that outweighs mandate cost.

No mandate. All optional and voluntary. Based on the background and mitigation to increase safety, the FAA developed a method to install AoA systems as a minor alteration and reduce cost similar to the methods replacing certain vacuum powered attitude indictors with electronic as a minor.