We installed an AOA called a “Lift Reserve Indicator” in our missionary C182. It’s purpose was exactly what the name implied…at any given airspeed, weight, bank angle, and G load, you knew how close you were to a stall far more precisely than indicated airspeed, sound, feel, buffet, etc. The instructions said to completely cover the airspeed indicator during calibration as one’s normal tendency to visually cross check an airspeed readout with the current feel of the airplane would prevent you from ever get to the very ragged edge of the performance envelope. Since we had wing extensions, modified leading edge cuff, bigger engine, and a host of other standard mods for the mission modified 182’s, without covering it up, indeed, that was the case. When we did cover it up, and literally depended on sight picture, sound, feel, and slowly but deliberately reaching for the very edge of the performance envelope, once established and calibrated, this was not only a handy gizmo, but a bacon saver.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://www.avweb.com/features/reader-mail/top-letters-and-comments-may-31-2019