Trim Out Back Pressure? and other "chair flying" practice advice

cointyro

New Member
Trim Out Back Pressure? and other \"chair flying\" practice advice

Hello all!

I'm trying to "chair fly" / visualize my first few lessons so I will know what all the arm motions and general movement of the instruments will be. I've visualized / practiced the whole carb heat / throttle / mixture adjustments for different phases of flight, and have practiced coordination of rudder pedals with turns (counterintuitive to me as I'm used to skiing where I press left to turn right).

Anyway, to trim out back pressure on the yolk, say in a Cessna 152 or 172, do I rotate the trim wheel upwards or downwards? For ex when I'm in a climb I add power, pull back on the yoke, hold slight right pressure on the rudder pedal, and trim out the back pressure, but which way do I turn it?

To extend flaps you move that lever downwards, but it has a latch right, so you have to pop it slight left and then into the right setting on the right for flaps down a particular degree amount? Or is it a smooth downward rotation that "sticks" at each of the settings?

This will help me practice further and economize that huge $100-an-hour expense!!

Thanks! Any other pointers appreciated.

Dan
 
Re: Trim Out Back Pressure? and other \"chair flying\" practice advice

Yolk, LOL. Sorry, of course I meant "yoke". You know, the steering wheel thingie : )
 
Re: Trim Out Back Pressure? and other \"chair flying\" practice advice

To get nose down trim on the C-172 or C-152 rotate the trim wheel upwards. To get nose up trim rotate the trim wheel downwards. The flap switch needs to be pulled down and just slightly to the right to bring the flaps down. I've noticed the biggest problem with the flap lever is when someone tries to bring the flaps up. It's is very easy to be in a hurry when cleaning up the flaps and accidently go from full flaps to one notch of flaps. So just make you move the flap lever in very small increments when cleaning up the flaps. And keep chair flying! That is a great way to save money! Good luck!
 
Re: Trim Out Back Pressure? and other \"chair flying\" practice advice

Trim goes down for back pressure. Try going to the airport before your lesson and sit in the plane to become familiarize yourself with everything.
 
Re: Trim Out Back Pressure? and other \"chair flying\" practice advice

When I was a CFI I used to teach my students the trim technique by imagining like it was someones ponytail. When you pull upward on the ponytail that persons nose goes down. It works the same with the Aircraft trim as well if you want the aircraft nose to go down trim the wheel up. And if you want the nose of the aircraft to go up, trim down. Just like when you pull down on someones ponytail his or her nose goes up.
 
Re: Trim Out Back Pressure? and other \"chair flying\" practice advice

Great, thanks all! Keep the advice on chair flying coming, that's great. Any other tips and tricks to save on $$$ spent actually flying? I'm planning on knowing all I can cold before I start spinning the Hobbes.
 
Re: Trim Out Back Pressure? and other \"chair flying\" practice advice

One more related question... when trimming from level flight to "normal" climb pitch orientation, are we talking half a turn on the trim wheel, 25% of a turn, 10%... what range? I know there are bumps on the trim wheel and each is about 10%, right?
 
Re: Trim Out Back Pressure? and other \"chair flying\" practice advice

What you can do is also study and memorize power settings and profiles for each of the private pilot maneuvers that you will be doing. Such as the power setting and airspeeds for entering each maneuver. Also include some flow checks and other memory items in your chair flying such as emergency procedures and go through each senario until you have it down cold.
 
Re: Trim Out Back Pressure? and other \"chair flying\" practice advice

I've got the Jeppesen "Private Pilot Manual" textbook and the most recent Jeppesen "PPL Flight Maneuvers" glossy manual. Neither of these seem to have flow items or power settings / airspeed settings for each stage of flight. What items do you suggest I obtain to further my studying for the FAA Knowledge exam in addition to the practicality of actual flight?
 
Re: Trim Out Back Pressure? and other \"chair flying\" practice advice

As far as the trimming goes it varies. You're in reality trimming for airspeed not altitude. Once you have reached altitude you set the pitch by pushing down on the yoke when transitioning from a climb then set the power by reducing to cruise then you set the trim by trimming off any backpressure. How much? Well trim off just enough to relieve any control pressure you have on the yoke. This is where you have to get the feel of the aircraft. The end result should be a constant airspeed and level flight.

Knowing how to trim will help a lot especailly during your instrument rating when you have to maintain a certain airspeed as you descend. The main thing is once you have the plane trimmed for a certain airspeed all you need to do is adjust power for your altitude, you no longer need to reset the pitch or play around with the airspeed once the plane is trimmed for that particular airspeed.
 
Re: Trim Out Back Pressure? and other \"chair flying\" practice advice

Flow checks and memory items can be found in the aircraft Pilot operating handbook. Hopefully you can purchase a copy of that at your local FBO. Also while you're there pick up a checklist for your aircraft.

As far as power and airspeed settings your CFI might have some material on that if not just ask people on this board and they can probably give you some target airspeed and power settings for different maneuvers.

For the FAA written I found that The red Gliem book works the best.

Good Luck!
 
Re: Trim Out Back Pressure? and other \"chair flying\" practice advice

What airplane will you be flying as someone here has already flown it and might know the power settings.

Do you have FS? That can really help with basic aircraft controls and understanding the instruments (in my opinion; don't want to start a huge debate here).

If you keep up your attitude you'll whiz through the training.

Something else to consider doing while 'chair flying' (or sim flying): think through possible emergency scenarios and what, exactly, you'll do. Figure out the glide ratio and how far you can go in no wind conditions (it's in the POH). Then take a look at how wind will affect your glide: i.e. if you have a fair amount of headwind, you'll actually want to fly faster than best glide speed; the opposite is true for a tailwind. Memorize Va for different weights, as that's what you'll fly in heavy turbulence. Not only will these 'what if' chair flying exercises help you power through the training, they'll help a TON if the real thing ever happens.

The fact is that things like aircraft control and trimming will come with practice in the actual plane. It's great to know what does what, but no one knows how much of it you should do for your exact plane (i.e. 25% of trim vs 10%). These things vary even between exact same makes and models.

For the ground study, make sure you have the ASA private OEG for the oral; and for the written I am a huge fan of computer testing software (you can even get free online tests to help study, but I don't know the links).
 
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