AOA Digital data

[N707RW]

Most data on the EFIS is presented with a graphic and/or a digital output. It sure would be nice to have a digital reference under the AOA indexer. The indexer spends most of its time fully populated with colored bars and only really comes alive on an approach, or approaching stall, and it is actually a bit difficult to fly an approach with due to its small size and sensitivity. In other airplanes, it has been possible to fly AOA digitally as well and it is really a nice option. (For example, in one airplane I flew, we flew approaches at 7 units of AOA. I'm not sure what the units represented--possibly degrees of angle--but they were repeatable and easy to fly)

Is there any way to present digital AOA data? Could you consider presenting some digital data in the next release?

What does the green/yellow and yellow/red indicate? Is the beginning of the red stall AOA? And is the beginning of the yellow a suggested approach AOA?

Thanks,

Rich Wilson
N707RW RV-8

 

[dynonsupport]

There isn't currently any way to present the AOA information digitally.

The red/yellow border represents critical AOA, as demonstrated to the EFIS during calibration. The yellow zone represents AOA that is getting "close" to critical. Exactly what that means in terms of where your best approach AOA are depend a bit on your particular calibration and airframe. Generally, AOA somewhere in the yellow or near the yellow/green border ends up equaling an approach with the right AOA to manage energy properly. Cross-check for sanity (against airspeed) to verify that your AOA calibration makes sense before relying on it exclusively.

One thing you can do if you're not getting the sensitivity you want out of the AOA indicator is to do a fresh calibration, experimenting with how "deep" you stall the aircraft.