AOA Pro-Con
As you can tell, this is a great loaded question!! Those who trained since diapers with AOA are pretty passionate about it. I flew for 35 yrs before even seeing an AOA. So for me, I learned to fly and feel what my plane was telling me. I really think that has been lost in training over the past 20 yrs. Even Barry Schief (sp) has acknowledge that.
I've been flying with the AFS and GRT AOA for the past 20 mo in my -9A. My observation is there is no doubt that a measured AOA (AFS system) is superior in accuracy and repeatability to an otherwised computer derived AHRS AOA.
I use it for general reference in the pattern, but when I'm a 1/4 mile from the end of the runway, my eyes and fingers are flying by nose attitude to the ground and stick forces, period. I've often wondered about mounting the AOA light tree on the glare shield so it could be seen as a reflection on windscreen, like a poor mans Heads Up display. That kind of display would be really helpful!!
I think it's helpful if you're mess'n around in slow flight, but honestly, even with power off, the nose has to be obviously too high to get into a stall, so you'd really have to be asleep at the stick to miss that.
I think where it would be really helpful, is under poor visibility conditions where you have poor visual clues (night, IMC, etc). Otherwise, under normal VFR flying situations, I still fly by the seat of my pants... not by the AOA.
Your milage may very.......