What's Your "Nose UP" Speed?

[Ed Cesnalis]

I tested today with 30 flaps. It's the same as 15 flaps...the trim full nose up is insufficient to maintain my preferred 55kt approach speed. If I let go of the stick the airplane noses down and picks up speed, even with full nose up trim.

 

The speed increases when you let go of the stick?  That means you are holding back pressure and not allowing the trim to maintain the speed.

 

For 30 flaps trim the nose down until it will maintain 55 hands off.

[WmInce]

I use roughly that config on my base and final turn.  15 flaps, idle power (on cool days at my altitude), and pitch trim DOWN, not up.  If I were to pitch up and/or trim up in that config, the plane would quickly slow to stall.  The nose has to be held down, and pitched down to keep the speed to about 62kts in the base and final turns.

 

Not sure this helps you.  As I stated earlier, I have never pushed trim all the way in either direction.  I use about half the trim on the pitch down for landing usually to help me stabilize a bit.  Some guys say they don't use any trim in the pattern at all.  I always usually do, it's a natural reaction for me now with the electric trim toggle switch always under my finger flying in almost all configs.  Even the autopilot calls for pitch trim when thermals are present.

Does your autopilot have automatic trimming, or do you have to use the button on the stick when SkyView alerts trim needed?

[Runtoeat]

Thanks for the replies regarding your airspeeds.  It appears that my stabilator trim tab requires some adjustment to allow more nose up trim.

[FlyingMonkey]

The speed increases when you let go of the stick? That means you are holding back pressure and not allowing the trim to maintain the speed.

 

For 30 flaps trim the nose down until it will maintain 55 hands off.

I'm pretty sure it mean the trimmed speed is higher than the 55kt I'm trying to maintain. It will trim for hands off, but not at 55kt. More like 58-60kt. Adding nose down trim will only increase the trimmed speed, not decrease it.

[FlyingMonkey]

Thanks for the replies regarding your airspeeds.  It appears that my stabilator trim tab requires some adjustment to allow more nose up trim.

Mine as well I think.

[Ed Cesnalis]

I'm pretty sure it mean the trimmed speed is higher than the 55kt I'm trying to maintain. It will trim for hands off, but not at 55kt. More like 58-60kt. Adding nose down trim will only increase the trimmed speed, not decrease it.

 

 

Right,

 

I never trim at 15degrees, I use back pressure for a few seconds until I see 62 and then I go to 30.  If I'm going to land 15 its because there is so much wind shear that I'm trying to keep speed between 60 and 75kts.  I don't know if I could trim for 55 @ 15 or not but I can now trim for 55 at 30 and that makes me happy.

[FlyingMonkey]

Right,

 

I never trim at 15degrees, I use back pressure for a few seconds until I see 62 and then I go to 30.  If I'm going to land 15 its because there is so much wind shear that I'm trying to keep speed between 60 and 75kts.  I don't know if I could trim for 55 @ 15 or not but I can now trim for 55 at 30 and that makes me happy.

 

I agree, I'd be happy with that, but right now I can't trim for 55 @ 30.  I think I need to have the trim adjusted.

[sandpiper]

On a power off approach mine will trim to fly hands off at 55K with flaps 15 and it will trim to fly hands off at 50K with flaps 30 and 40. I have never experienced running out of trim to maintain any normal flight situation in this aircraft.