Not installing electric trim on such a nice airplane is like ordering a new Cadillac with manual transmission and non powered brakes and steering
I couldn't bring myself to put a spring on any controls surfaces.
At the Atlanta Airport old Ford plant there is now a Porsche Experience center where customers can select various car models to test drive. I’m told that most he-men want the manual trans models but within thirty mins want to trade fir the auto trans models.
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There are many planes without any roll trim, I guess my question is about the sensitivity of an RV-14. If you start off the flight with neutral roll trim, how out of trim can it get? Is it really noticeable when hand flying?
Thanks for all the feedback... Any other thoughts?
I'm with Paul on this one, and I'm especially not fond of the trim system in the 14, be careful that the springs don't wear into the aileron torque tube.On aileron trim - I am always surprised that even though we have electric trim on all three RV’s, I rarely touch it. Of course, two of them are centerline seating, and I change tanks every thirty minutes. And when I am flying the side-by-side, it is usually cross-country, and the autopilot is flying, so I don’t care….. but I wouldn’t remove it because every once in awhile, I play with it.
Not to get off topic but is rudder trim an option? My understanding is the most that is available is yaw damper with a 3 axis autopilot.
To the OP, having an RV7 with AP and no automatic trim, the AP will cause stick "tick" when the roll trim is not balanced. If observed carefully the stick points to the trim button needing action. Tick -tick - tick.
I found the oem clips will allow the springs to rub on torque tube. Made two new ones that were approx 1/4” longer and 1/8” taller. Found it easiest to install springs to servo arm on workbench and then reinstall arm to servo once torque back in the wing. Washer wrenches were helpful for servo arm reinstall. I abandoned the micro molex and will plug terminals in to each other and heat shrink with a piece of fishing line under heat shrink. If I ever have to remove, pulling the fishing line cuts the heat shrink. No Olfa knife while laying on back.be careful that the springs don't wear into the aileron torque tube.
For the -14 but perhaps will give you some idea.
The manual trim in a 6, 7 and 9 work great and even better than the electric. It is super easy to install.Thanks.... It appears the 14 has the aileron trim in the wing. The 9 (and I'd guess the 7) have it in the forward fuselage. I'm replacing the manual setup and wondering how the trim motor attaches to the springs.
I only wish I could buy a Hi End car with manual transmission!
They correctly figured no one with a car like that would want an auto trans.
And yet, the 2023 Corvette is only available with an automatic. Too little demand for the manual.
Back to the topic. My -10 has neither aileron nor rudder adjustable trim. (Rudder has a fixed trim wedge). When hand flying, I can tell where most of the gas is, or where the heavy passenger is - it’s often out of roll trim, slightly, one way or the other. (My (Trio) autopilot flies great, handles these imbalances with no complaint.) Hand flying vfr works fine. But, when hand flying an instrument approach, I do wish I had roll trim. It’s just easier when the plane is perfectly trimmed. When I owned a 182 that was slightly out of balance in roll, I would use the adjustable rudder trim to raise the heavy wing, and fly approaches in a slight slip. It was definitely less work that way. So, if I was building now, I’d include the roll trim.
And yet, the 2023 Corvette is only available with an automatic. Too little demand for the manual.
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