FSX-MS Trim Before Takeoff

[HullWashOut 0]

Hi All,

Sorry if I'm wrong section but couldn't see anywhere that I thought was apropriate than here. 

I am currently reading FSX Real world training. In here it's says that the trim should be set forward (noose down). Is that right? I would have thought noose up to help the climb.

i am using the piper cub to learn.

any advice is welcome.

Please see attached a picture from the book if you can read it.

[nealmac 260]

It all depends on where the centre of gravity of the aircraft is. You are right in the sense that it's usually trimmed up though.

[scottb613 1,186]

Hi Folks,

Ideally - you'd probably want a fairly neutral trim - with a slight nose up for a tricycle gear - I don't know tail draggers but I would assume that slight down would be to get your tail off the ground a bit quicker which probably would reduce drag making your takeoff a little quicker ? Your biggest safety concern on takeoff - is over pitching into a steep climb and stalling...

Regards,
Scott

[HullWashOut 0]

Thanks for reply guys, reading them maybe it wasn't such a daft question. My concern is when I pitch down " to help bring the tail up " I fighting the plane in its initial climb 50ft to say 400ft.

[charliearon 3,017]

Maybe just after takeoff you can hit the Numpad 5 key to center all of the controls and get rid of

the trim.  See if that gives you better control during your initial climb.

[scianoir 610]

I used to fly real world taildraggers, albeit many years ago, but until you know how the aircraft behaves, you are better using neutral trim for take off initially, as the real risk is prop damage if the aircraft assumes an excessive nose down pitch. Once you have done a couple of take offs you might then be able to feed in a little nose down trim for take off although it should be used cautiously!

Bill

[DaveCT2003 1,820]

8 hours ago, scottb613 said:

Ideally - you'd probably want a fairly neutral trim

Perfect answer!  Really getting to be a habit of yours Scott!  :)

 

 

[Mithras 87]

I always trim the A2A Cherokee for some nose down, as I often find it leaps up off the runway in a most dangerous way! 

[Chock 17,769]

I was always taught to stick it in neutral trim for take off, and to be honest, in a flight sim that's probably a smart idea too, not least because you don't get the feedback through the stick in a simulator which you do in a real aeroplane, that is one of the disadvantages of a flight sim on a PC. At least when you trim neutral, if it all goes horribly wrong and you find yourself performing the '******* manoeuver', you know the plane won't do anything too extreme. If you are unfamiliar with the ******* manoeuver, that is when iit all goes pear-shaped so you let go of the controls and say: 'okay *******, you have control'.

In real world aeroplanes, it is dead easy to trim them; you just hold the stick/yoke in the correct position to maintain whatever pitch it is you want and then move the trim wheel/lever/buttons until the stick stays at your preferred position when you let go of it and voila, you are perfectly trimmed. Until we get PC yokes/joysticks which will do that, trimming a simulated plane on a PC is always going to be a bit of a pain in the arse compared to the real thing.

[HullWashOut 0]

Guys, fantastic feedback. Your right I find a very slight trim up is best for a steady climb. I don't mind trimming the cub to how I feel it should be. I'm trying to read this book and do things properly, rather than making it up as I go along. Thanks for the replies guys 😊