The purpose of "takeoff trim" durring a decent???

[FN FAL]

You should always trim for neutral control force. The only time to set trim to takeoff is for, you guessed it, takeoff.

I've found a few instructors over the years who think its too much trouble to spend more than a cursory few minutes on the proper use of elevator trim. I've discovered these f-ing lazy idiots because I've had to re-train their students after a checkride failure, new rating or when upgrading to bigger aircraft.

You said it brother...I don't why teaching and using trim is such a big bugga boo.

 

[gkrangers]

You said it brother...I don't why teaching and using trim is such a big bugga boo.

Point plane where you want, move trim wheel till its steady.

*shrugs shoulders*

 

[pilotmiketx]

I asked this dumb anorexic Norwegian bimbo CFI about it and she said it bothered her that students were constantly fiddling with the trim wheel, so she stopped teaching it.

 

[FN FAL]

I asked this dumb anorexic Norwegian bimbo CFI about it and she said it bothered her that students were constantly fiddling with the trim wheel, so she stopped teaching it.

In a two place trainer, there shouldn't be much "fiddling". Jeeze, it's not like you got two tandem masters in the back of the plane moving about with their students during "hookup".

 

[Bongo]

Just stopped teaching it eh? It might be alright to fly "training" type aircraft in an out of trim condition but there are many, many aircraft that are considerably more difficult, if not impossible to fly without using the trim wheel. Probably better to learn the operation of the trim wheel on something that is generally forgiving than on something that is considerably less forgiving.

When I first started out I really didn't think the trim wheel was that important. Ah, if you're not muscling the airplane around then you must not be flying it right. Quickly (well it took a few hours) figured out that probably wasn't the best way to do things.

Additionally, by not teaching the use of the trim wheel, it later on becomes "one more step" to add to the flow and an additional thing to think about. If the use of trim is taught properly and from the start it becomes something that is done without any forethought.

 

[Immelman]

Food for thought: In better than half the (rental) airplanes I've flown, the trim indicator is so messed up that attempting to move it to the "takeoff" position -- even for takeoff -- will not have very desirable results.... trim for control pressure in a given configuration & desired airspeed, that's all there is to it.

 

[Kream926]

I do beleive I remember my instructor saying something about it compensating for the nose-down pitch induced by flap extension.

the airplanes i fly will have a pitch up moment when i extend flaps

 

[moxiepilot]

i'm thinking that it might be more along the lines of verifing that you're not going to have a trip up stall in case of a go around. without the power on a descent the student might not recognize the position of the trim tab

 

[Moonfly201]

Think of the trim wheel as an "airspeed" adjuster. Any action (whether it's a change in pitch, power, or flaps) that causes the airspeed indicator to register a different airspeed, will most likely require an adjustment of trim in order to relieve control wheel pressure.

Go faster, trim down. Slow up, trim up. Don't chase the trim for minor or temporary changes in airspeed (like turbulence induced), use it when you want to stay at a particular speed for at least a little while.

 

[darkvw]

I trim for best glide , then it's hands off all the way down , changing as needed