Trim help!

Is the trim the throttle?

Hi,
No, the trim is not the throttle. I don't no much at all about trim, so someone else can explain better. But it is used to control the flight of an aircraft, i.e. to keep it in level flight. It controls surfaces on the plane to keep the plane from diverting, i.e. rudders and ailerons. Not sure if this is correct, but it is partially correct 😂

It's possible to trim 3 elements of the Aircraft; The Elevator, The Ailerons and the Rudder.

The most common type of Trim referred to is FS is the Elevator and since your talking about Altitude, that's also the Trim that you need to be looking at.

"Trim" simply refers to calibrating the Controls of the Aircraft so that the Aircrafts attitude (position) can be held without the need to hold the Control Yoke in a certain position. So if you've just taken off and are climbing, you can set the Trim so that it holds the Aircraft at that climbing attitude, without you holding the Yoke back..... same for descending, and level flight, you adjust the trim until the aircraft is remaining in the position you want it to, without you needing to make movements on the yoke.

Elevator Trim is adjusted towards one of two directions:-

- NU (Nose up)
- ND (Nose down).

So after take-off, you would adjust the trim towards "Nose up" until you were able to stop pulling back on the yoke, and the aircraft kept climbing.

Trim controls are not well detailed in FS2004.... They are assigned by default to the NUM 2 and NUM 8 keys but sometimes do not work.

Best thing to do is go into settings and into 'Assignments' now assign the Elevtor Trim buttons to 2 buttons that are comfortable to reach (buttons on your Joystick are even better, especially on the top).

Now, try taking off, and when you are climbings, press the button that you assigned to Elevator Trim "Nose Up" a few times, until you can stop pulling the joystick back - and the plane still climbs.

Actually, GPS, i thought I'd point out, that the trim controls are assigned to HOME and END. Num 2 and 8 are used as elavator control when you dont have a joystick.

Yip - you're absolutely right, it is HOME and END..... I reassigned them a long time ago so made a mistake.

It's probably worth pointing out that a lot of simmers don't get grabbed by the TRIM explanations within the FS Learning Centres and so just forget about trimming (I done didn't bother properly trimming my aircraft for a long time)... but when you master proper trimming it's really rewarding and it improves your climb as it makes it smoother, as it avoids the slights Joystick movements that would occur if you done your wle climb by just "pulling back" the stick.

Just to add that when you change power settings configuration etc you must re-trim. In simple terms .....you are in the climb and require back pressure on the control column in order to maintain x degree nose up. To releive this back pressure you trim the aircraft this then ensures if done properly no need to hold the control column (still would until AP engaged!) this allows you to drink your coffee with both hands!!

that or dunk your donut in it

Mmmmmmm donuts! Merry xmas to all.....off to work now!

Yo GPS, remind me again about how to access the 'assignments' as I need to do the tailhook/airstairs bit.

Thanks bud.

IN FLIGHT-

Hit ALT

Point to OPTIONS

Go down to CONTROLS

then ASSIGNMENTS

In the menu

On left side, click SETTINGS

In CONTROLS category, find ASSIGNMENTS

Thanks Fire, you da man bro. 🙂

lol, i try.

Did you get the CD yet?

Thanks guys, I'll try this. I have a joystick btw

Oh, cool, this is nice! Thanks a lot guys!

You're welcone!