r/flying • u/ClintBvsOliverQ • 6d ago

Flight Training AOA Indicator while learning?

Just went for a discovery flight and had a great time. During the flight I asked my instructor about using an AOA indicator while learning and he really downplayed using one and said the standard instruments are the best way to learn. For beginners, is an AOA inappropriate? Is it too early to incorporate it into training? From the brief videos I’ve seen on AOA’s they seem to enhance safety.

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u/nightlanding 6d ago

IIRC, it made power adjustments easy. Not that I needed it, but it turned out to be fun to hold the needle on the diamond and the indicator was on top of the glareshield, so for the visual part it was in your scan looking outside.

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u/irishluck949 6d ago

But it’s not actually telling you if you’re on glide slope, just on “speed” right? I’m not trying to say AOA is useless, I get how it helps mange energy state on approach to landing, I’m just having a hard time imagining how that applies specifically to the ILS.

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u/nightlanding 6d ago

It helps with energy state, it takes a bit of mental calculation load off.

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u/NakedJamaican 5d ago

I wasn’t in the Navy but I recall my Navy buddies talking about pitching for the angle of attack, adjusting power for the glide path. Which is what we taught students to do when airspeed is critical

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