Manual pitch trim

Using manual pitch trim. Going cheap and simple, no AP. Mounted the vernier knob under the panel in a comfortable location. However it is almost impossible to see how far out the knob is and the corresponding trim amount. Considered a Ray Allen position indicator. Haven't ruled it out but reduces the simplicity factor.

What are others doing?

I figure a head turn and look back to set for takeoff. After that it's all by feel anyways. That's what I do with my Kitfox and it works fine. Keep it simple!

Finger feel

Mike Seager in his 7 taught me to feel the length using my finger from inside knuckle bend to tip between the base of the knob and the mount on the panel.

Hi Blain

As above, there's no check like a visual one!

Re the location, have you checked you can loop the cable round satisfactorily to that point? The plans location on the sub panel where you have a Inst Cutout (Vent?) makes it a fairly tight curve...

I have no idicator of any kind. I visually check the trim tab as part of my pre-flight and the adjust by feel when flying. It's the way my RV-8 was built (not by me) and I never thought about it. Keep it simple !

Manual trim setting detector

I lightly scored a groove in the shaft that I can feel with my fingernail, such that when the groove is next to the friction knob the trim is set for takeoff (neutral).
LeRoy Johnston RV-6A Esperanza 806 hrs.

BruceEicher said:

Mike Seager in his 7 taught me to feel the length using my finger from inside knuckle bend to tip between the base of the knob and the mount on the panel.

Click to expand...

Andy Hill said:

Hi Blain

As above, there's no check like a visual one!

Re the location, have you checked you can loop the cable round satisfactorily to that point? The plans location on the sub panel where you have a Inst Cutout (Vent?) makes it a fairly tight curve...

Click to expand...

Good enough for Seager, good enough for me. No indicator necessary.

The groove method was suggested in RVator some years ago. But since the knob is under the panel it doesn't seem practical. I like the idea of just feeling the distance out with a knuckle.

Cable installed. Went through gear tower, made a 180 with about 3 1/2" radius into baggage floor and turned aft for the knob assembly. Couldn't have been a better fit if it had been designed that way. I did slot the baggage floor and made a reinforcement that covers the slot but stays on the cable. My mission doesn't include baggage (maybe smoke tank later) so the small intrusion won't be an issue.

I didn't like the sub-panel location. Too close to roll bar. Real estate in the panel is a premium. And the under panel location is comfortable. Couldn't reach the tower with my short arms so that wasn't practical either.

Been flying my 7A for 8 years with manual pitch trim... I have never actually looked at the knob to set it, whether for neutral or adjustment. When preflighting the plane I visually check the trim tab, and I know by feel where neutral is supposed to be. And of course when flying, I trim by feel...

Good luck.

Victor

And then...

As Mike flies a side-by-side I found later one turn forward (down trim) with a GIB (as opposed to solo) for take-off works about right with my 8. IMHO...

How many full turns are used from full up to full down?