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Electric elevator trim
Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2010 3:49 am
by itisgood
I am getting ready to order the fuselage kit.
I am wondering if the trim kit is necessary at all. I few Cessna's with wing fuel tanks, they did not have a trim.
Please advise those of you who did it and those who did not and the results.
thanks
Dave
Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2010 3:54 am
by Spike
I did not. I personally like the feel of the manual trim. This one really from my experience is just a personal opinion thing.
Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2010 5:43 am
by lancef53
You are going to need a trim tab, and the electric is easier to install and lighter. If you go with manual, think about where you will place the knob for adjusting it. That is the reason I went electric, but I have an 8 with a small cockpit.
Didn't you need to make the decision with the emp kit?
Aileron trim
Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2010 10:22 am
by Lycosaurus
If you are making decisions at the fuselage kit level, then it must be the aileron trim. I believe that the elevator trim decision is made at the tail kit level ... but my build memory is fading fast.
Three options for aileron trim:
1. no trim
2. manual trim
3. electric trim
Your Cessna had overhead fuel tanks, and were linked together. They are self leveling, so you do not need trim.
Our tanks are in the low wing, and connected with a fuel valve. You will be draining one tank more than the other, thus creating an imbalance. If you are methodical in selecting your fuel source alternately (e.g. every 15 minutes), you will not need aileron trim.
I pay attention to my fuel balance, but like my manual aileron trim for when I forget, or when I want to purposefully burn off the fuel in a tank.
Electric trim allows you to have this control at your finger tips. A matter of choice (as in all options ....).
As far as I know, the kits for aileron trim are spring loaded. Trim tabs are not offered as an option, but could be designed-in if you really wanted to.
Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2010 6:46 pm
by itisgood
You are correct, I posted wrong, I mean the aileron trim tab. I intend to install an auto pilot, won't it take care of any imbalance?
Thanks
Dave O
Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 5:27 am
by TomNativeNewYorker
itisgood wrote:You are correct, I posted wrong, I mean the aileron trim tab. I intend to install an auto pilot, won't it take care of any imbalance?
Thanks
Dave O
I would think the tab must be able to have enough travel to overcome the weight imbalance. I guess you still would have to try to keep the fuel as close together as practical so you don't run out of tab.
Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 8:38 am
by lancef53
Vans does not have a trim tab, but some builders install one. Like was posted above, the manual system uses springs to pull the stick one way or the other to relieve pressure on the stick. I think the electric uses the same type of actuator as the elevator, to provide pressure.
I think it is good to have, but opinions vary
