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Old 16th November 2005 | 21:33
  #27 (permalink)  
stiknruda
 
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 1,966
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From: Norfolk
FFF

FFF

In short, generaly civvy aerobatic capable machines don't have an AoA indicator.

So how does the aerobatic pilot assess AoA? Quite simply through practice, initially one stalls or departs from the attitude being flown, then one begins to register the buffet, then one learns to ease off and only mildly "nibble the buffet", for greatest effect.

Then an amazing thing happens - you suddenly realise that the buffet and ensuing stall happen at a certain stick position, regardless of speed, bank, etc! That it works just the same for negative as for positive G makes flying even more magic, ie whilst inverted, the same stick position will cause the aircraft to stall regardless of configuration.

The military have AoA indicators primarily to assist the operator turning the flying machine into a weapons platform and doing so in as simple a manner as possible.

So very simplistically, even those unfortunates who have to to fly William T's aeroplane's have an accurately calibrated AoA indicator - it's called the column/yoke or stick!

Stik
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