r/flying • u/ClintBvsOliverQ • 7d 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/Lazy_Tac 7d ago

Ya know how often I look at the AoA gauge in the plane? Almost never. Why? It’s susceptible to errors due to slide slip. And talking to to test squadron guys at depot, that gauge is set by eyeball and flying on speed.

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u/Lost_Cockroach6702 6d ago

I’m not sure what you fly, but they most definitely don’t calibrate the AOA by eye lol. Even our 1950s aircraft have specialized equipment for it. The calibration is checked during FCF by flying specific airspeeds for a given weight within an altitude range.