---------------------------------------------------------- Lightning-List Digest Archive --- Total Messages Posted Sat 03/22/08: 5 ---------------------------------------------------------- Today's Message Index: ---------------------- 1. 09:20 AM - trim system (Tex Mantell) 2. 09:24 AM - trim question #2 (Tex Mantell) 3. 09:39 AM - Re: trim system (Brian Whittingham) 4. 02:02 PM - Re: trim system (N1BZRich@aol.com) 5. 02:10 PM - Re: trim system (N1BZRich@aol.com) ________________________________ Message 1 _____________________________________ Time: 09:20:47 AM PST US From: "Tex Mantell" Subject: Lightning-List: trim system Buz, very interested in the trim system. I would like to know what the square inches of the tab is, and what about cutting out the elevator and making a normal type tab? Would take some work, but would look real nice. When you get a chance to fly the new set up, see if you can over ride full up trim with the stick. This is a major problem with the RV's. A run away trim and your in the toilet. Tex ________________________________ Message 2 _____________________________________ Time: 09:24:10 AM PST US From: "Tex Mantell" Subject: Lightning-List: trim question #2 Buz, also when you see the new trim system, see if they are still using the bungees as a counter balance on the elevator. Tex ________________________________ Message 3 _____________________________________ Time: 09:39:07 AM PST US From: Brian Whittingham Subject: RE: Lightning-List: trim system Tex, I believe that Nick already said that he could easily override the full trim with stick forces. I'm sure it would wear you out more, but in a ligh t aircraft it's generally pretty easy to overcome. It shouldn't be too har d to wire a trim disconnect though. Flying Piper Seminoles and Arrows we a lways had a trim cutout switch and had to use it quiet often in one aircraf t in particular! I think that adding a new trim system though will make th is aircraft even more appealing to the masses. I personally liked the sens itive and quick trim of the old system, but I can see where a lot of pilots might want a stable, quick, and cheap cross country plane and would want a more conventional system. The best thing is that it is adding a little co mplexity, but is decreasing maintenance on the system. Brian W. From: wb2ssj@earthlink.netTo: Lightning-list@matronics.comSubject: Lightnin g-List: trim systemDate: Sat, 22 Mar 2008 12:17:41 -0400 Buz, very interested in the trim system. I would like to know what the squa re inches of the tab is, and what about cutting out the elevator and makin g a normal type tab? Would take some work, but would look real nice. When y ou get a chance to fly the new set up, see if you can over ride full up tri m with the stick. This is a major problem with the RV's. A run away trim an d your in the toilet. Tex _________________________________________________________________ How well do you know your celebrity gossip? http://originals.msn.com/thebigdebate?ocid=T002MSN03N0707A ________________________________ Message 4 _____________________________________ Time: 02:02:23 PM PST US From: N1BZRich@aol.com Subject: Re: Lightning-List: trim system In a message dated 3/22/2008 12:22:07 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, wb2ssj@earthlink.net writes: I would like to know what the square inches of the tab is Tex, I will have to measure it for you tomorrow as I am back in the motel after flying three flights today - one in the prototype and two in 31BZ evaluating a new prop. Also flew the prototype yesterday and it only took that one flight to decide that Nick has hit another home run. The new trim system is definitely the way to go. It is better in all flight conditions and provides accurate feed back. Nick has already made the tab on the new Demo larger by 2 square inches. The reason for the increase is to provide more nose up trim when very slow or when the flaps are down. I did quite a bit of checking that yesterday and found that full nose up trim is "trimmed flight" for 20 degrees of flaps at 80 mph, 10 degrees of flaps is good to 70, and no flaps is good down to 60 mph. So you can see that putting the flaps down will require a larger tab to be able to trim the forces off when using the flaps. Tomorrow or Monday I will add some area to the prototype's tab and see how much better that will be. Nick's plan all along has been to make the tab integral to the elevator itself like you described. But he is doing it the smart way by using a separate tab first until we determine the total area of tab that will be needed. Doing it this way allows us to add or subtract area as called for by the test flights. Once Nick knows the size, then it will be cut out of the elevator. To answer your other questions, yes you can over ride full up or full down trim tab travel. The amount of stick force required to do this obviously depends on your speed - note the numbers above talking about full up trim travel and the speeds and conditions that they have the airplane trimmed at. And No bungees are used with the new system - Yeah, I like that. Those things are a nuisance. I now have 431.6 hours on 31BZ now and I can't begin to tell you how many times I have adjusted them. And when you do get them adjusted it will change with the weather, the temperature, and which Thursday of the month it is. Heck, might even have to do with a person's "white count". Hope this helps, Buz **************Create a Home Theater Like the Pros. Watch the video on AOL Home. (http://home.aol.com/diy/home-improvement-eric-stromer?video=15?ncid=aolhom00030000000001) ________________________________ Message 5 _____________________________________ Time: 02:10:20 PM PST US From: N1BZRich@aol.com Subject: Re: Lightning-List: trim system In a message dated 3/22/2008 12:40:15 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, dashvii@hotmail.com writes: It shouldn't be too hard to wire a trim disconnect though. Brian, I will have to ask Nick where on the Lightning's electrical system he got the electrical power for the Ray Allen trim servo. Might also be good to know the mean time between failure for these units as well. But as you say, it should be easy to isolate the circuit and "kill it" by pulling a circuit breaker or have the circuit "switched". Buz **************Create a Home Theater Like the Pros. Watch the video on AOL Home. 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