Trimming a 4 Channel Plane

TommyG

Member
Thanks FliteTest, That was a very valuable lesson for a beginner pilot like myself. Hopefully I will maiden my scratch built Avispad this weekend and can put those lessons to the test.

Have you ever thought of doing a stick cam so we can see what Bixler is doing with his hands?
 

bmsweb

Site Moderator
Fantastic Episode Guys . . what a laugh :)

I did a maiden of my Mini Skyhawk which I'll post. In any case it's the perfect example of how not to Trim an aircraft. I was trimming the elevator and I tried to do it 1 mistake high. I was lucky to catch it in time :eek:

BTW: My Mini Skywalker is tracking Strew too ;)
 

earthsciteach

Moderator
Moderator
Great episode! I learned not to trim while level. I also trim elevator and ailerons with my left hand (mode 2). That does keep me out of trouble, most of the time.
 

colorex

Rotor Riot!
Mentor
Great episode! I learned not to trim while level. I also trim elevator and ailerons with my left hand (mode 2). That does keep me out of trouble, most of the time.

+1 to using your other hand. I sometimes don't trim, just keep flying, but with a plane like the Bixler you can take your eyes off it momentarily if it's well trimmed and you have enough altitude.
 

glydr

How many letters do we ge
My tail draggers need rudder input on takeoff to keep tracking straight on the runway but are fine (strew!) in the air.
 

John Campbell

Senior Member
Can i change the text to different languages?

The site is currently PHP. Do you prefer ASP?

I hope you aren't talking about Spanish... I hear too much of that everywhere else.

Chad, Please don't change to ASP, I prefer PHP, Much better Language.
 
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colorex

Rotor Riot!
Mentor
I find the same thing. They always go to the left, but track straight once on two wheels or in the air.

Couldn't you adjust that just by twisting the little tailwheel instead of trimming? Or is it just the effect of the torque that turns it?
 

lobstermash

Propaganda machine
Mentor
I think it's torque. I don't trim tail draggers on the ground because I've found this to be the case with all of them. To keep them tracking straight, I zig zag on the rudder like a full scale tail dragger. I have no trouble tracking down a cricket pitch.
 

glydr

How many letters do we ge
I think it's torque.

Yeah - though I read an article which suggested it was the way the prop's circular air hit the tail. Though it's all on the ground where you have to stand on the rudder to keep it straight.

When I flew full size gliders I was in a tail tragging Blanik (though only had one wheel under me). I don't remember having to adjust rudder on take off (just elevator trim) but the C172 ahead of me providing aerotow I believe had to push his right foot to keep us all straight on the runway.

Always a few nervous moments on take off roll as the glider very quickly reaches take off speed and the tug plane has some speed to gain yet before leaving the ground. So here I am flying 6ft off the ground waiting for the poor Cessna to come unstuck.
 

bmsweb

Site Moderator
Since Flite Test did such a great job of showing how to trim a plane, have a look at my latest video and in particular jump to 57sec mark and you'll see how not to trim your elevator!