Direct-Vane Angle of Attack System for Experimental Aircraft
 
See the Wing Working
The Radiant AOA 2026 Version gives experimental-aircraft pilots a direct, highly visible picture of relative angle of attack.
 
Unlike pressure-based systems that infer AOA from differential pressure, the Radiant AOA uses a balanced, ball-bearing-supported vane positioned directly in the local airflow. The vane follows the air, and its position is transmitted electrically to the full-color cockpit display.
 
No pressure ports. No pneumatic tubing. No leak-sensitive pressure connections. No in-flight pressure-system calibration.
 
Install the vane, establish the aircraft’s CRUISE and STALL reference positions on the ground, and then go fly.
 
Immediate, Color-Coded Information
The redesigned operating screen presents angle of attack three ways at once.
 
A huge digital AOA value shows relative angle of attack from the calibrated CRUISE reference.
The digits change from green to yellow to red as AOA increases.
A 16-segment vertical bar graph fills upward toward stall.
The upper bar segments become progressively wider, placing greater visual emphasis on the high-AOA region.
A separate data box continuously displays the live VANE angle together with the stored CRUISE and STALL reference angles.
 
The result is an instrument that can be understood at a glance. The pilot can see the current AOA, the trend toward stall, and the actual vane position relative to the two calibrated reference points.
 
The Radiant AOA is more than a last-moment warning device. It lets the pilot watch what happens to the wing as pitch, power, bank and airspeed change.
 
Optional Head-Up Display
Select HUD mode and the complete display is mirrored for reflection from a suitable transparent HUD film installed on the inside of the aircraft windshield.
 
This allows the pilot to monitor the color bar and numerical AOA indication while looking forward—particularly useful during slow flight, approach and STOL operations.
 
HUD film is optional and is not included.
 
An Alarm That Commands Attention
The AOA-022 includes Radiant’s exceptionally loud 110 dB external Annunciator Alarm.
 
When the aircraft enters the critical AOA warning range, the annunciator produces an immediate solid-tone warning. It connects to the instrument through a simple 3.5 mm jack, making behind-the-panel installation straightforward.
 
The pilot can mute the alarm from the front panel while retaining the full visual warning. Mute is automatically cleared whenever the instrument is powered off, so a previous mute cannot silently carry into the next flight.
 
A front-panel ON/OFF switch provides immediate and unmistakable pilot control.
 
The Radiant AOA is supplied as a complete system, not merely an instrument head and sensor.
 
Calibration is isolated from normal operation and can be entered only during the power-up sequence.
 
The Radiant AOA  is especially well suited to STOL aircraft, including Zenith and other experimental aircraft frequently operated at higher angles of attack.