Aspen AOA initial pirep

[donkaye]

46 minutes ago, Marauder said:

I have never found any of the information displayed on either unit to be too small to read. The display is bright and back lighted.

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I was referring to the AOA indicator in the PFD.

[donkaye]

1 hour ago, mike_elliott said:

how does it know what your flap setting is, Don?

I calibrated mine flaps down at 1.3 Vso and flaps up at the top of the white arc based on reading the Rogers Report.  So the Blue Donut is accurate at 1.3 Vso, my approach speed, because that is where it was calibrated.

[mike_elliott]

14 hours ago, donkaye said:

I have flown with the Aspen AOA, but since I don't have the manual on it would be interested in anyone telling me how to fly a stabilized approach with it.  What is the indication for 1.3 Vso.  I personally think that you need a magnifying glass to be able to read it on the PFD.  It's large enough on the MFD, but has no indication how to fly Vx, Vy, Vglide, 1.3 Iso, 1.2Vso.  Would someone enlighten to as how to do that?

I have the Alpha Systems AOA and love it.  It easily gives direct indications of the above mentioned speeds and is easily readable.  I use it on all landings, as there are no calculations involved as to weight, CG position, Density Altitude.

Here is an excerpt out of the POH supplement Don. DA, Weight and flap position are all taken into account with the Aspen AOA...

 

 

 

 

New Microsoft Word Document.docx

[ArtVandelay]

For me it doesn't matter, I don't look down at the panel most of the time unless in IMC, so unless Aspen has audio alerts, it's useless. Especially true of landings. I consider it a toy, like synthetic vision, I would not pay for that either.

[donkaye]

17 minutes ago, mike_elliott said:

Here is an excerpt out of the POH supplement Don. DA, Weight and flap position are all taken into account with the Aspen AOA...

 

 

 

 

New Microsoft Word Document.docx

Thanks, Mike.  Between that and the Video made by Phil Boyer I get the just of the Aspen AOA.  For those having an Aspen it is a good way to go.

[mike_elliott]

9 minutes ago, donkaye said:

I calibrated mine flaps down at 1.3 Vso and flaps up at the top of the white arc based on reading the Rogers Report.  So the Blue Donut is accurate at 1.3 Vso, my approach speed, because that is where it was calibrated.

I had to calibrate the Aspen AOA at Va, 1.3 Vso clean, 1.3 Vso Approach flaps and at 75 kts full dirty. That's how it knows the stall speeds at the different flap settings and the 2 pointers. Where it shines is on TO at 15 degree settings to maintain Vy, which is a bit difficult if you haven't calibrated with takeoff flaps.

This wasn't meant to be a weenie wag of who's is bigger better etc, just a pirep on one that has zero weight, drag increase with a super simple install, albeit a very precise calibration flight needed.

[donkaye]

2 minutes ago, mike_elliott said:

This wasn't meant to be a weenie wag of who's is bigger better etc, just a pirep on one that has zero weight, drag increase with a super simple install, albeit a very precise calibration flight needed.

You're right, Mike.  I modified my posting.

[mike_elliott]

3 minutes ago, donkaye said:

You're right, Mike.  I modified my posting.

and I have to plead ignorance of the Alpha systems Don. I am sure it is a thing of beauty. Fact is an AOA of anyone's properly calibrated is still yet another tool in one's toolbox for precisely flying the plane.

[aviatoreb]

If I had the Aspen already I would probably go that route, for ease of installation is just a software install.  I trust that they used good physics in their algorithm.

I installed the top of the line alpha system almost 3 years ago, and I really think it is still best of the market for one particular feature, that others could easily add - it has an audible English voice warnings in your head set of impending stall.  This was important to me when making choice because besides helping me in landing, I wanted this to have the best possible chance to catch my attention if I were inattentive someday near a stall at the wrong time.  I figure rather than yet another buzz, or ring, or such, a voice that says "Getting Slow" is best.  Also it has a heated probe.

[DonMuncy]

Does anyone know how the Aspen measures AOA. I recognize that it would be quite hard to measure AOA directly. The Alpha System uses two air pressure ports, and uses the differential between them to "calculate" AOA. We know that the stall warning switch uses the direction of the airflow to "trip" when the air hits the wing at just the right angle. I like the stall warning switch system, but its deficiency is that it is either on or off, with no ability to tell how close you are to it until it trips. I have an Alpha System, and although it uses air pressures to read the AOA, it seems to work flawlessly. I was wondering the mechanism Aspen uses.  

[Marauder]

46 minutes ago, Marauder said: I have never found any of the information displayed on either unit to be too small to read. The display is bright and back lighted.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I was referring to the AOA indicator in the PFD.

So was I. Mike provided his commentary on the AOA display being on the PFD. I was commenting that I never found anything too small to read on the Aspens and I was happy to hear they didn't sacrifice visibility to squeeze it on the AI.

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[mike_elliott]

1 hour ago, DonMuncy said:

Does anyone know how the Aspen measures AOA. I recognize that it would be quite hard to measure AOA directly. The Alpha System uses two air pressure ports, and uses the differential between them to "calculate" AOA. We know that the stall warning switch uses the direction of the airflow to "trip" when the air hits the wing at just the right angle. I like the stall warning switch system, but its deficiency is that it is either on or off, with no ability to tell how close you are to it until it trips. I have an Alpha System, and although it uses air pressures to read the AOA, it seems to work flawlessly. I was wondering the mechanism Aspen uses.  

Don, here is a link to a Socialflight AOA webinar, go to 15:03 for how the Aspen works

http://www.socialflight.com/university-view.php?video=gxCy6-P9hRI

 

[DonMuncy]

Thanks Mike.

[PeytonM]

For those of you who have the AoA installed and calibrated:  

I have the AoA upgrade and my avionics guy estimated a Test Weight. I'd like to change it to closer to the true test weight. (It is supposed to be within 10%, and right now it's 15% light.)  I'd also like to change the Near Cruise number. 

How do I get to that data screen? i.e. what magical combo of buttons do I push?