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Thread: Do it yourself cheap AOA Indicator

  1. #1
    Senior Member Dave S's Avatar
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    Default Do it yourself cheap AOA Indicator

    Curious if anyone has tried this AOA kit and had any experience. $60 seems pretty reasonable. Instructions seem to be straightforward. The mounting would need to be different on most Kitfoxes.

    http://barkeraircraft.com/AOA_kit.html

    Sincerely,

    Dave S
    KF 7 Trigear
    912ULS Warp drive

  2. #2
    Senior Member
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    Default Re: Do it yourself cheap AOA Indicator

    Hi Dave, I don't have this exact unit , but if you look up google Rite angle AOA you will see the one I have (basic model) . I won the unit years ago in a drawing at Sun n fun years ago , and since I was in the midst of my build, I installed it on my Series 5 . It works fine but there are flaws. Turbulence on final will affect the vane (mounted on my jury strut) and cause erratic outputs to the light bar. And slipping aggressively will give erroneous readings. I use it now and again when conditions are right , but do not rely on it for all flights. 60 bucks for the unit you are looking at is cheap-I think at the time mine was going for 400 bucks. Bruce N199CL

  3. #3
    gregsgt's Avatar
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    Default Re: Do it yourself cheap AOA Indicator

    I think that looks like a pretty neat setup and the price is right. I just don't know how I would mount the vane. My pitot tube wouldn't hold that.

  4. #4

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    Default Re: Do it yourself cheap AOA Indicator

    Even simpler to do it yourself if you have an EFIS. Mine is simply two quarter-inch aluminum tubes held together by some fiberglass that are plumbed into my Dynon D100. Pitot tube should face into the wind directly, AOA tube is below the pitot and cut at about a 45-degree angle (so that if you were climbing at 45 degrees, the opening would be directly into the wind). Exact angle doesn't matter, as you can calibrate it through the Dynon software. Cost was essentially zero as I had scrap pieces of tubing laying around.

    Caveat: I don't know if/how this might work with other EFISes but worked perfectly with my D100.

    Greg

  5. #5
    gregsgt's Avatar
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    Default Re: Do it yourself cheap AOA Indicator

    If I had the money for an efis I wouldn't be looking for a cheap AOA.

  6. #6
    Senior Member
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    Default Re: Do it yourself cheap AOA Indicator

    I have an AOA indicator in my Advanced Flight System, I turned it off about a week into owning the plane. However yours might be better than mine, I have got to contend with *****in’ Betty screaming, on every landing and every take off:
    Angle, Angle, Push, Push,
    Angle, Angle, Push, Push,
    Angle, Angle, Push, Push,
    Angle, Angle, Push, Push,
    Angle, Angle, Push, Push,
    Angle, Angle, Push, Push,
    Angle, Angle, Push, Push,
    Angle, Angle, Push, Push, until I landed.
    I never tried setting he correctly. When I replaced my AF3500 with a AF5600 she came alive from the Dead. I had to figure out how to turn her off again.
    Paul Zimmermann
    LSRM-A
    Garland, Texas

  7. #7
    Senior Member jiott's Avatar
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    Default Re: Do it yourself cheap AOA Indicator

    Paul, I know what you mean, that "angle, angle, push" audio is next to useless- not much different than the typical old stall horn but more irritating.

    I have the Dynon Skyview system AOA which has a much, much better audio alert. No ladies voice, just a slow beep that starts about 5 mph before stall and then the beep gets progressively faster as you get closer to stall, until it finally turns to a solid tone at impending stall. I love it because I can keep my eyes outside where they belong during landing and also get the full progressive AOA information in my ears in a non-irritating way. Since Dynon now owns Advanced Flight Systems, I wonder if there is a setting for your panel to give this kind of tone rather than '*****in Betty'.
    Jim Ott
    Portland, OR
    Kitfox SS7 flying
    Rotax 912ULS

  8. #8
    Senior Member kmach's Avatar
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    Default Re: Do it yourself cheap AOA Indicator

    I agree, the Dynon progressive beeps work well, not irritating and gives useful info as you look outside.
    Kevin,

    Kitfox Outback
    912 ULS
    Airmaster AP332CTFH-WWR70W
    Summit Aircraft Wheel Skis
    C-FOXW

  9. #9
    Senior Member
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    Default Re: Do it yourself cheap AOA Indicator

    I consider mine useless. On take off, she start as soon as you rotate. I don't care what angle, what speed, she's screaming non stop. She so irritating she overrides the controllers. On landing it is exactly the same. If I'm descending she's screaming. One of these days I need to go up, and try to get her set, but it's not been a big priority.
    Paul Zimmermann
    LSRM-A
    Garland, Texas

  10. #10
    Senior Member jiott's Avatar
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    Default Re: Do it yourself cheap AOA Indicator

    Paul, the AOA calibration process is very easy, takes hardly any time at all. Its done in flight, you enter the in-flight set-up mode, choose AOA calibration, follow instructions on-screen which has you do a few stalls in landing configuration (up at a safe altitude). That's it!
    Jim Ott
    Portland, OR
    Kitfox SS7 flying
    Rotax 912ULS

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