Tina wrote:
For plain vanilla flying, D, (point to point in an M20J) what
improvement might we expect using aoa instead of what we use now in
takeoff, cruise, or landing phases?

I can appreciate aoa's utility in higher performance a/c, or maybe
when flying close to some edge, but am not sure how it would improve,
for example, our take off (best rate for the first few hundred feet,
that's less than 30 seconds of flying) , then a prudent cruise climb
to our en route altitude. En route, usually as high as possible
consistent with the trip length and winds, we go to the lowest rpm we
can, and maintain the same ias going lower until approaching the OM.





Generally, even in high performance airplanes, you don't reference AOA
on takeoff during rotation. If the airplane, (any airplane) has been
tested and charted for optimum climb AOA, you could set that up after
rotation for best rate for example.
The bottom line for light airplanes concerning AOA is that if it's
available, it can optimize performance for you referencing one instrument.
You can of course, as you have correctly noted, accomplish these things
manually as well.
I'm simply used to using AOA for various performance references so it's
normal for me to think in these terms.
For most pilots in light airplanes, using AOA would simply be another
option.


--
Dudley Henriques