Looking for some help with Trim..

Hey Matt,

Using trim is a piece of cake once you master it, but can take a little while to get use to when you first start to use it.

Lets take an example of a Cessna 172 climbing to 1500 ft from 1000. As you near your cruise altitude of 1500 ft, you will slowly push the joystick forward until you have your required attitude (basically the angle of attack of the aircraft) that will be needed for straight and level flight. Once you have this, you will want to move the trim wheel upwards slowly, and while doing that gently release your pressure on your joystick/yoke.

You will now have straight and level flight, however you may occasionally need to touch the trim to get back to straight and level.

But most of all, practice makes perfect, and don't forget to make small adjustments to the trim and not large movements. I'm glad to hear that you enjoy our forums too!

Let us know if you need any extra help,
Jarred.

In most cases elevator trim is all you will have to deal with. With the Cessna 172 the trim should be set to the "TO" mark, that is takeoff trim. When you take off and start gaining speed you can ease up on the stick and the Cessna will continue to climb to what ever altitude you want to reach. Once at altitude you need to level out and start trimming the nose down until the plane will fly level with no pressure on the stick, you will also want to reduce your power setting which will change the trim and require you to trim it for level flight.

Minor trim adjustments will have to be made when flying level to maintain you selected altitude.

When you are ready to land you will reduce your power and again have to retrim for that power setting for level flight. Once trimmed you should be at about 80 Knots and flying level. Then as you go on final start lowering your flaps which will slow the airplane and put it on a decent path. With full flaps you should be at about 65 Knots. Use your throttle to control your rate of decent. When all goes well you should touch down nice and easy by flaring out (raising the nose with the stick) just before touchdown.

With a little practice you will be fine.

I had a lot of problems with trimming the C172 when I first started, and I finally learned that I needed to decrease the sensitivity of the elevator controls. Each click of the "trim" buttons on my joystick was causing a huge change in trim, so I was up and down all the time.

In the "Options" menu, select "Controls" and then "Sensitivities." I keep the elevator sensitivity way down, maybe 10%, and that works for me.

Also, you can use mouse clicks on the elevator trim wheel for fine adjustment.

Ed

Guest Ed wrote:

Also, you can use mouse clicks on the elevator trim wheel for fine adjustment.

Ed

Using the mouse does seem to be finer tuning that the buttons on the stick. I have got used to the stick now, but I did use the mouse a lot for trim.

It may depend to on what kind of stick you are using, I don't know.

Alright guys with your tips I was able to move on fly my first Solo! It was really fun and after a few says of just practicing solo's i plan to keep moving on and taking more lessons.

Once again Thanks!

Matt

matt is your name blank?

WarHawk42 wrote:

Guest Ed wrote:

Also, you can use mouse clicks on the elevator trim wheel for fine adjustment.

Ed

Using the mouse does seem to be finer tuning that the buttons on the stick. I have got used to the stick now, but I did use the mouse a lot for trim.

It may depend to on what kind of stick you are using, I don't know.

Am I the only one who uses the Num Pad for trimming? I find that very small adjustments can be made using the Num Pad.

Tailhook wrote:

Am I the only one who uses the Num Pad for trimming? I find that very small adjustments can be made using the Num Pad.

No, I have used the NUM pad, but I preferred the mouse over it. I have a wireless mouse and keyboard and when I fly I put the keyboard on the desk and the mouse on the keyboard tray beside the stick. It's just more convenient.

Roger that. It all boils down to the set up, doesn't it.
I got my stick on a small, low table right next to my thigh. The keyboard (non-wireless) is right in front of me and the mouse somewhere in-between.
Needless to say it makes reaching for the mouse rather awkward.
I've been trying to train it to respond to verbal commands... no luck so far