An “angle of attack” is the angle between a
plane’s wing and the oncoming air. If the angle
of attack becomes too great, the wing can stall
and lose lift. If a pilot fails to recognize and
correct the situation, a stall could lead to
loss of control of the aircraft and an abrupt
loss of altitude. Stalls can happen during any
phase of flight, but they are critical when
planes are near the ground and have less room to
recover, such as during landing and takeoff.
AOA indicators may help prevent loss of control
in small aircraft because they provide a more
reliable indication of airflow over the wing.
Although they have been available for some time,
the effort and cost associated with gaining
installation approval has limited their use in
general aviation. The streamlined requirements
are expected to lead to greater use of the
devices and increased safety in general
aviation.
“We have eliminated major barriers so pilots can
add another valuable cockpit aid for safety,”
said FAA Administrator Michael Huerta. “These
indicators provide precise information to the
pilot, and could help many avoid needless
accidents.”
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