Originally Posted by
Smythe
The AoA measurement vane with the calibration and usefulness, is not a science but an art. To rely on the AoA measurement, especially on a DEP climb (forget if there is a turn) to be able to determine if the ac is near stall is simply voodoo engineering.
I agree that it is an art, but not as much as to find the perfect location for static pressure sensors and to calibrate those. Luckily we have some "artists" around who understand this type of engineering, and of course these days with all the computers you can "photoshop" any picture of an artist after painting is complete, i.e. you can postprocess the measured value in the air data computers. It is absolutely possible to install a perfectly working AoA System on any aircraft which has no propeller at the nose of the fuselage. It is not easy, it might actually be rocket science, but we have the experience to do it. Nobody is interested in absolute AoA values, we just need to have a value which we can compare with critical AoA figures determined during test flight. As long as we know the indicated stall AoA, we can work with the AoA indication perfectly.
This sometimes means compromising, I for example wonder who decided to put the AoA vane on the dreamliner that close to the #1 door, just asking for the airstair operator to accidentially damage it...