Definition
The angle between the wing's chord line (an imaginary straight line from the leading edge to the trailing edge of the wing) and the relative wind (the direction of airflow meeting the wing). AOA is the primary factor controlling how much lift a wing produces, and exceeding the wing's critical AOA causes an aerodynamic stall regardless of airspeed or attitude.
Plain English
AOA is the angle at which the wing meets the oncoming air. The steeper that angle gets, the more lift the wing makes — until the angle becomes too steep, at which point the wing stops flying and stalls.
Context Anchor
Used during approach and landing discussions, especially when managing speed, descent, and how close the wing is to a stall.
Derivation
From 'angle' (the geometric measure between two lines) and 'attack' (here meaning how the wing 'attacks' or meets the air, not aggression). The phrase describes the angle at which the wing meets the airflow.
Why Pilots Care
AOA directly controls lift and determines the onset of a stall; maintaining the correct AOA on final approach prevents loss of control.
Grounding Statement
On final approach, AOA increases when the wing meets the airflow at a steeper angle, especially as the airplane slows.
Intuition Check
AOA is not the same as nose-up attitude. It is the wing's angle compared with the airflow, so the airplane's nose position alone does not tell you the full AOA.
Example Sentence 1
On final approach, the pilot kept a close eye on the AOA indicator to make sure the wing stayed well below its critical angle.
Example Sentence 2
If the AOA exceeds the critical value the wing stalls and lift drops sharply.