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Old 13th January 2003 | 23:25
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ChrisVJ
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 517
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From: Kelowna Wine Country
I have seen this one do the rounds of at least five or six forums and no two answers appear to be the same. Surprising for such a fundamental question. What is also surprising is that a number of the answers were so obviously wrong you had to wonder if the posters had ever done a principles of flight lesson at all. Perhaps they had just forgotten more than I ever knew.

My answer would be.

If you are asking what are the factors that can affect the AoA, then at least these, (but not in order of importance.)

Weight
Weight distribution
Power setting
Speed
Bank
Elevator position
Flaps
Gear up/down

The test I use is: If you take a plane in stable level flight and alter a parameter will it result in a change of AoA directly or indirectly even if temporary? If the parameter change causes a deviation from equilibrium then it almost inevitably causes a change in the AoA.

Speed, in itself, is not independently tied to AoA. (If a plane goes from level flight into a banked turn at the same speed the AoA rises. )
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