Originally Posted by
Vilters
it is shocking to read (or not to read) that nobody insists on improved AOA sensors.
Those "vane" sensors became obsolete somewhere in the late 70's.
The arrival of pressure AOA sensors was one of the "major improvements" that came when the F-16 replaced the F-104.
Again, this was in late 70's.
And how many accidents with how many lives have these obsolete vane style sensors cost us since then?
I am deeply saddened that nobody INSISTS on better and fool proof sensors.
Cdt Tony Vilters
Belgian Air Force
Retired
Any sensor -can- have issues, the B2 that crashed on takeoff in Guam was brought down by multiple failing pressure sensors with a common failure mode combined with a dose of human error/oversights.
What would be a significant improvement is to use multiple technologies such as vanes
and pressure sensors, to provide better true redundancy.
That should apply to air speed as well, as was discussed (at great length!) in the AF477 thread(s) there are alternatives to pitot air speed sensors.
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