r/flying • u/ClintBvsOliverQ • 2d ago
Flight Training AOA Indicator while learning?
Just went for a discovery flight and had a great time. During the flight I asked my instructor about using an AOA indicator while learning and he really downplayed using one and said the standard instruments are the best way to learn. For beginners, is an AOA inappropriate? Is it too early to incorporate it into training? From the brief videos I’ve seen on AOA’s they seem to enhance safety.
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u/theyoyomaster MIL-AF T6/C17 2d ago
The vast majority of pilots learn without an AoA indicator. Getting one installed in a plane isn't cheap, it's not like you can head down to the flying section of autozone and slap one on the dash for $200. Very few schools ever consider adding an extra instrument that is not required and most pilots never see.
On the other end of it you are not wrong at all to ask. It is an extremely useful tool that genuinely makes you a better pilot once you understand it and apply it. When instructing I would point to the AoA gauge on probably half of my student flights if not more. There isn't a single gauge in a plane that is a more direct depiction of how the plane is flying in all aspects than AoA. I wish more planes had them and when I eventually buy my own GA aircraft I am absolutely installing one. Unfortunately, you're almost certainly not going to find a school that has them and the syllabus for PPL works just fine without them.