F

Frank N821BF

Active Member
Has anyone installed an Advanced Flight Systems sport or pro AOA. I would like some feed back before buying one. If you have had the opportunity to fly both is the pro a better display?

Frank
 
Pro.

Frank, I have the 'pro' model on the dash of my -6. I have been VERY satisfied with it and use it as my primary landing instrument (airspeed being second).

Landings are consistantly less than 1,400'. When landing on runway 17 at 52F (sat view), if I don't make the first turnoff then I've done something wrong. I think the AOA is a big part of these landings.

b,
dr

aoa.jpg
 
DeltaRomeo said:
Frank, I have the 'pro' model on the dash of my -6. I have been VERY satisfied with it and use it as my primary landing instrument (airspeed being second).

Landings are consistantly less than 1,400'. When landing on runway 17 at 52F (sat view), if I don't make the first turnoff then I've done something wrong. I think the AOA is a big part of these landings.

b,
dr

aoa.jpg
Click to expand...

Doug
Is your Pro AOA mounted on top of the glare shield? Any problems with excessive sun light dulling the display. Did you consider recessing it in side of some kind of housing to shield it from outside light?

Oldgeezer
 
DeltaRomeo said:
........I have been VERY satisfied with it and use it as my primary landing instrument (airspeed being second).......I think the AOA is a big part of these landings......dr
Click to expand...
I'm in complete agreement with Doug on this one. I would give up a lot of things before I would give up the AOA. It does take the "pucker factor" out of steep turns and slow flight. Nothing will get your attention like the stern female voice admonishing you to "ANGLE ANGLE PUSH!" Not to sound crass, but without any probes jutting into the airstream, it makes other "lift reserve" systems seem kind of high school by comparison. The only thing I would have done differently in the -6A is mount the AOA Sport on the glareshield like I have here on the current project. Although not flight tested yet, I'm not too worried about the brightness of the LED's in flight conditions, I know how bright they really are, in fact I may put this one on a dimmer circuit later as experience dictates.

 
Have it, love it

I installed the AOA Pro in my panel. Even in direct sunlight, there is no appreciable washout of colors. Installation package was first class, the user manual is great, support from Advanced Flight Systems is reliably first class. I fly every landing to the AOA, and have had it go off in flight a couple of times...both times I had my eyes outside and would have had no other warning that I'd let my angle of attack decay... I think every airplane should have one.
 
Front center on the top of the dash. No issues at all and very easy to see (just put the centerline slightly to the left of it).

b,
d
 
I love mine.

I have heard the "angle" warning also when I would not have thought that I would.:eek:
I mounted mine under the glare shield, but very close in-line with my view of the runway. It is my reference when in the pattern, not the airspeed.




Kent
 
Just a point for those who may be new to AOA displays. Assuming proper design and installation, an AOA indicator will tell you what your wing is doing, no matter what speed you're flying or how much you weigh. That's why they are both a great landing and a superb maneuvering aid. Tactical military jet flight manuals usually have a number of "angles" that can be used on their AOA indicators, for example best AOA for climb, descent, turn, approach, etc. Usually there is even an AOA at which you can drop your gear and flaps if you've lost your airspeed indicator. You can probably determine all those for yourself on your airplane with a little flight testing.

There is one additional "test" I should mention you might do with routine AOA use (I assume the manuals that come with these systems discuss it, but I'm not sure). When you are stable "on speed" on the AOA in 1 "g" flight in landing configuration, airspeed will vary relative to aircraft weight. In other words, if landing at 2,000 lbs you may be "on speed" at 56 indicated. At 1,500 lbs, on-speed may be at 53 and will be even lower at even less weight.

Military (Navy/USMC particularly) aviators just memorize the proper airspeeds for on-speed across the range of probable weights and cross-check against the airspeed indicator once they are stable on the glide slope/approach path. If the expected airspeed and observed airspeed are (or are approximately) the same, they fly AOA from there to touchdown. Since AOA is more sensitive than the airspeed indicator, it provides a near instantaneous indication of a change in approach speed (there are both sensitivity and momentum errors with an airspeed indicator). All this assumes a more-or-less constant speed approach which you may not be accustomed to (a la carrier style), but the payoff in minimization of airspeed excursions and touchdown scatter is very useful. With an properly calibrated AOA system, you can hit the spot you are shooting for more accurately and touchdown with less airspeed scatter as well. This can pay off in minimizing total landing roll and brake energy "costs" in a big way.

Sorry if I'm chattering too much about stuff that everyone already knows. My excuse is that AOA is so important in Navy/USMC tactical aircraft that most (prior to HUD systems becoming available) actually had three AOA indicators, one displayed as a dial so AOA could be read in very precise increments and two more, usually one on each side of the center windshield panel that looked more like the ones that are currently available to experimental aircraft.

Anyway, you may not be flying on AOA, but your airplane is.

Best,


Lee...
 
Advanced Flight Systems Sport AOA for sale

Hi there, I have a brand new one for sale, never used, with all of the parts with it for sale...it was $890 new, but I would be willing to entertian offers. E-mail me at [email protected] if you have questions.
 
LRI defense

Rick6a said:
Not to sound crass, but without any probes jutting into the airstream, it makes other "lift reserve" systems seem kind of high school by comparison.
Click to expand...

Well, he didn't ask about the LRI, but you've taken a cheap shot. The probe (adjustable) is perhaps a drawback, but so is depending on electrics - the LRI is pure "steam". It's also a long-sweep needle on a multi-color background which is very easy to read. It also gives readings way up in speed all the way to best glide. I agree with all who say angle of attack is important. That's strategic; which device is tactical. I don't knock others' choices but I do feel mine was rational and well informed.
 
Bob Brown said:
I installed the AOA Pro in my panel. Even in direct sunlight, there is no appreciable washout of colors. Installation package was first class, the user manual is great, support from Advanced Flight Systems is reliably first class. I fly every landing to the AOA, and have had it go off in flight a couple of times...both times I had my eyes outside and would have had no other warning that I'd let my angle of attack decay... I think every airplane should have one.
Click to expand...


Bob,
Any regrets about mounting the AOA display on the panel?
Mine is panel mounted high & right and should be able to be seen with peripheral vision while eyes are outside.
 
Where are your AOA ports located?

Just a quickie.. Where are you guys intalling the ports for the Positive and Negative pressure tubes? I just can't seem to come to any conclusion on where these should go.
 
I must be slow.

I am trying to wrap my brain around this. I want an AOA. I will likely go with an AFS flight dek, but that is 6 months to a year away and the way glass is changing...i dont want to commit at this point. I do want to FINISH wings 100%
So...i can still buy the plumbing stuff and get the wing part done, and later decide if i will t it into the glass display, or need the external pro or sport display right?
 
RickWoodall said:
I am trying to wrap my brain around this. I want an AOA. I will likely go with an AFS flight dek, but that is 6 months to a year away and the way glass is changing...i dont want to commit at this point. I do want to FINISH wings 100%
So...i can still buy the plumbing stuff and get the wing part done, and later decide if i will t it into the glass display, or need the external pro or sport display right?
Click to expand...


Yes, you can buy a wing kit. I just got one for my RV-10.
 
rv8180 said:
Bob,
Any regrets about mounting the AOA display on the panel?
Mine is panel mounted high & right and should be able to be seen with peripheral vision while eyes are outside.
Click to expand...

If I had to do it over again, I would mount the display right in front of me on the glareshield so I had to "look through" it to see forward. IMHO, that's how it was designed to be used. Having said that, I still like having it.

BTW, although you CAN retrofit, it is certainly much easier to run the tubes from the wings before everything is all put together...for those of you sweating drilling those teeny tiny holes in your wings...don't worry, you will hardly notice them.
 
Bob Brown said:
...for those of you sweating drilling those teeny tiny holes in your wings...don't worry, you will hardly notice them.
Click to expand...

I'm more worried at the moment about how I'm going to cover that while on the ground to prevent water and/or insects from getting in there, but I suppose someone probably make a handy little gadget for that?
 
Greg - dont worry about water ingress. AFS provide a sump, drain valve and rod to activate it with, though I am told the hole is so small water does not bother to go in. Steve.

You can see it here. Scroll down to 13 Sept '06
 
You're right about the water...my plane sat through several drenchers at OSH and I've never sumped one drop out of the drain...IIRC its a #60 hole...you will barely see it even if you are looking right at it.
 
Greg - dont worry about water ingress. AFS provide a sump, drain valve and rod to activate it with, though I am told the hole is so small water does not bother to go in. Steve.
Click to expand...
You're right about the water...my plane sat through several drenchers at OSH and I've never sumped one drop out of the drain...IIRC its a #60 hole...you will barely see it even if you are looking right at it.
Click to expand...
My experience is consistent with both quotes. While tied down, my plane has been subject to occasional heavy rain and driving wind over the years and the AOA has never had water or debris of any kind ever enter or clog that tiny hole 12" aft of the leading edge. They must have learned something over the years because the AOA fitted to my -6A shown in the photo is an older design that has a spring loaded plunger that protrudes through the lower skin and you simply depress as any quick drain. The newer version of the same AOA Sport installed in the -8 project omits the protruding plunger assembly altogether.

​
 
Last edited:
AOA Sport for sale

Hi there, I have a never-used AOA Sport, with all of the parts that came with it for sale, new in box. It was $890 new, asking $750, and I would welcome offers. Please E-mail me at [email protected]. Thanks.
 
I installed my AOA Sport a couple of weeks ago and been getting a bit more experience with it. So far, all is good and seem to be accurate though my calibration might have been a bit too conservative. One of the way that most people use it for is for landing and so far I have found that if I was going to use the AOA for landing, I would need to carry some power to reduce the rate of decent. But this is contrary to my habit and philosophy for landing as I typically like to set my pattern/attitude in such way that I would land at idle power, reason being that if I ever lost the engine I still can make it to the runway. I will have to practice more to see the AOA will yield a better result for my landing. All in all, I am happy with it specially with the display on the glare shield.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.