Sorry to fuel the controversy but looking at the instrument panel (AOA or otherwise) when an aircraft has been placed in an unusual attitude by a alarmed pilot is the last place that can save the outcome. Once the rotation started and before the aircraft was inverted, the only way out was lots of forward stick and proper rudder management while looking outside. This is not the instinctive reaction for any pilot unless he has significant hours of aerobatics. I would like to avoid the argument about whether or not an AOA yelling at an alarmed pilot would help or hurt.

The lesson is don't do anything when confusion sets in until you begin to understand the situation you are in. In any case, rapid control inputs when at pattern altitude and speed must be avoided…. especially when flying high performance aircraft like the Cirrus and our Lancairs. If the pilot had taken a second to verify that no mid air was imminent and then flown the airplane rather than reacting to a harried controller we would not be trading emails on this.

I am not arguing against AOA's or trying to promote aerobatics. Having an AOA on the panel should not give a pilot a false sense of security that all unusual attitudes can be avoided. The accident rate while getting properly trained in aerobatics is slightly higher so it is also understandable that it is not for everyone.

Don't care whose fault it was on this one….. after the mistakes were made, the pilot was the only one who could have prevented the accident… his fault or not.

Jack Morgan

On Jan 28, 2014, at 6:01 AM, Lancair Mailing List wrote:

From: Terrence O'Neill <troneill@charter.net>

Subject: Re: [LML] Re: LOBO eNews -- January 2014

Date: January 27, 2014 2:24:52 PM EST

To: lml@lancaironline.net

Kevin,
Yes, I agree.  He pulled his wing up into a stall-angle -- because he did not have or did not use an AOA -angle of attack indicator.

An AOA indicator PRIMARILY shows a pilot -- instantly, eye-to-hand -- how close he himself is pitching his wing -- to its stall angle.
Speed has nothing to do with that; a wing stalls at an ANGLE.

The FAA is STILL not requiring training using AOAs -- fifty (50) years after the US Navy put them on every carrier-based aircraft.
What was the result of using AOAs on landings by the excellent Navy pilots' accident rate?
It cut landing accidents fifty (50) percent in the very first year!
Unintentional stalls cause about a quarter to a third of all general aviation fatalities every year.
The FAA is a stubborn, slow learner, imho.
It is so sad to lose the wonderful pilots and their friends and families, and their beautiful flying machines .. needlessly.

Terrence O'Neill
4 yeas a Navy pilot.
I designed, built and flight tested and major-modified and flight tested six original aircraft, using my own-design of a simple AOA vane... so I could SEE how close I was flying my wings to their fixed stall AOA.
Have published magazine articles ranting on the same need for 50 years ... but  pilots seem to be locked into thinking programmed by their first FAA-dictated flight training.