Sorry to drag this back to angle of attack, but I have been looking at Denkers document and having a think.
Can somebody please explain to me where I am wrong in thinking that part of his document is flawed.
In his section on climbing and descending turns linked to earlier, he says
"In a level turn both wingtips are moving horizontally. In a climbing turn, both wingtips will be climbing, but they will not make equal angles to the horizon. This is because the climb angle depends on the ratio of the vertical speed to the forward speed. As a result of the different climb angles, we get different angles of attack for the two wingtips. The geometry of the situation is shown infigure 18.6 (in the chapter on spins)"
I have given this a lot of thought, and I don't believe that the angle to the horizon or climb or descent has
anything whatsoever to do with angle of attack.
In the referred to figure 18.6, he shows that in a spin or descent the outer wing has reduced angle of attack, and says that in a climb this changes.
I think this is wrong.
I don't think motion relative to gravity/centre of the earth is in anyway pertinent, rather I think that relative airflow is everything.
I don't believe that an AoA sensor on the wing would notice any difference between a climbing or descending turn or indeed level.
If figure 18.6 is true in a descent, if you now point the nose up above the horizon, what has changed? Lift is not relative to the horizon, it is relative to the wing/AoA.
I don't get it.
Somebody please explain slowly.