Safe Flight has unveiled its answer to the challenge set by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to dramatically reduce low-altitude stalls in general aviation.
The SCx angle of attack indicator now is available for sale for experimental and kit-built aircraft at the Experimental Aircraft Association's AirVenture fly-in in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, says Ken Bannon, director of corporate and commercial sales.
The FAA, meanwhile, is fast-tracking the approval process for the SCx to receive Part 23 certification, allowing the sensor and indicator display to be installed on factory-built aircraft. "We expect to have it by the end of the year," Bannon says.
Angle of attack (AoA) sensors are well-known in military and transport-rated commercial aircraft, but they have only recently appeared on the general aviation market.
The SCx joins the Bendix King KLR10 as the two AoAs now available to general aviation pilots. The start-up company Icon Aircraft also has unveiled a bespoke AoA sensor for the A5 amphibian.
Statistics show that uncommanded stalls are the most deadly mistake made by general aviation pilots, accounting for 40% of all fatal accidents, says Talis Berg, director of marketing for White Plains, New York-based Safe Flight.
Even a simple AoA can help pilots understand when they are entering a dangerous flying state. The Safe Flight systems costs $1,495 and includes a leading edge-mounted transducer and a cockpit mounted digital display.
Part 23 certification, if achieved, will open the SCx to the wider retrofit and forward fit market of factory-built aircraft, Bannon says.
Source: FlightGlobal.com
