pitch trim...

I have the same problem. I can't find a good pitch trim level. It always is going up or going down when I release the joystick. Not only that, but in some cases I can't pull up properly, even nose-diving.

A couple of questions.

What plane are you flying and are you talking about trimming it out after take off?

I've tried the trim wheel but havn't been able to nail it that accurately. I prefer using the key assignments for it (PgUp and PgDn for me) to adjust. You get a lot more fine tuning!

Make sure when you're trimming, your engine power is just where you want it to be. Even just a little extra nudge will give you a slight nose-up attitude to what you have it trimmed to be.

originalgrunge wrote:

I've tried the trim wheel but havn't been able to nail it that accurately. I prefer using the key assignments for it (PgUp and PgDn for me) to adjust. You get a lot more fine tuning!

Make sure when you're trimming, your engine power is just where you want it to be. Even just a little extra nudge will give you a slight nose-up attitude to what you have it trimmed to be.

No doubt OG's explanation is spot on as usual and for once I can claim that it all makes sense even to me - and works. But since we all learn and comprehend in our individual ways, not to mention the fact that one and the same procedure can be executed in a variety of ways, I'll take the liberty to offer a different approach. (I'd like to emphasise that the only difference is in the wording!)

I read in a tutorial that to trim your a/c succesfully you must first establish your intended cruising speed and altidude preferrably handflying and naturally adjusting your throttle/thrusters in the process until your satisfied. Hold it steady for a while and THEN start trimming.

I only remember this procedure because I found that it really works having practiced it so many times.

I hope this helps - otherwise I'll have to start from scratch again

ultimate solution: CH Yoke.
A joystick can never be accurate on pitch control. With a CH yoke, you can trim to take your hands off, a must for the serious simmers

CoasterXtreme,

I have a Sidewinder Prescision2 and the trim works quite well in smaller aircraft. I don't know about anything like a 737 or anything heavier than Cessna, Baron, etc...I wouldn't mind having a yoke but the wife would kill me for getting something that clunky. On my joystick I have a button on the right hand side that sets my trim on Cessnas and other props.

Regards,

Page up, Page dn, buttons assigned on joy stick all work pretty well. Do not have Yoke which I assume would be great. My point is the button / key asignment work well trying to spin the wheel with a mouse isn't in my opinon that easy. I find that I am adjusting trim quite often. Take off adjust trim for climb attitude. Arive at altitude trim for level flight. Adjust mixture / speed / RPM may need to adjust trim for level flight or climb or decent attitude. I use button assigned on my joy stick I hit the button and gradually return the stick to nominal position, then tap button one or two time for final trim. 🙂

edr1073 wrote:

CoasterXtreme,

I have a Sidewinder Prescision2 and the trim works quite well in smaller aircraft. I don't know about anything like a 737 or anything heavier than Cessna, Baron, etc...
Regards,

That is the same stick I am using and the trim buttons on the controller work quite well. The reason I asked what plane he was flying was I don't fly the large aircraft (Jets) either. Trimming out the plane for level flight is a balancing act once you level off and go to cruising speed until the plane stabilizes. Once you have reached that balance it takes only an occasional minor adjustment to keep things level.