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04-05-2013, 01:36 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Ottawa, Ks
Posts: 2,188
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Trim switch orientation?
I've decided to keep things simple and cheap for now on my elevator trim, Ray Allen switch in the panel. Should I:
1. wire the top of the switch to be nose up?
2. wire the top of the switch to be nose down?
I would like to keep it "intuitive," but I've only flown electric trim on the stick/yoke. I'm also using the Ray Allen rocker switch for my flaps so I would prefer to keep the top of the switch up on both.
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04-05-2013, 01:38 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Newport, TN
Posts: 7,496
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I put mine with the top being up. They make both styles of legends however...
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04-05-2013, 02:24 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Dallas area
Posts: 10,768
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Which ever way you want it is fine. But it MUST be labeled.
Most people mount the switch as if were a trim wheel; i.e. push the top for down trim as if you were rolling a trim wheel forward.
But again, the choice is yours. Whatever you are most comfortable with.
__________________
Mel Asberry, DAR since the last century.
EAA Flight Advisor/Tech Counselor, Friend of the RV-1
Recipient of Tony Bingelis Award and Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award
USAF Vet, High School E-LSA Project Mentor.
RV-6 Flying since 1993 (sold)
<rvmel(at)icloud.com>
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04-05-2013, 02:43 PM
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VAF Moderator / Line Boy
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Dayton, NV
Posts: 12,256
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Don't feel bad - I presented this same problem to three different top military test pilots one time, and got four different answers.... 
__________________
Paul F. Dye
Editor at Large - KITPLANES Magazine
RV-8 - N188PD - "Valkyrie"
RV-6 (By Marriage) - N164MS - "Mikey"
RV-3B - N13PL - "Tsamsiyu"
A&P, EAA Tech Counselor/Flight Advisor
Dayton Valley Airpark (A34)
http://Ironflight.com
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04-05-2013, 02:44 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Ottawa, Ks
Posts: 2,188
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Hmmm...the trim wheel theory does seem more intuitive but seems backward with the button on the panel. I do have the labels for both directions. Either way It can't be anymore confusing then the Comanche's trim crank on the ceiling.
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04-05-2013, 03:04 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Ottawa , Canada
Posts: 224
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Quote:
Originally Posted by crabandy
Hmmm...the trim wheel theory does seem more intuitive but seems backward with the button on the panel. I do have the labels for both directions. Either way It can't be anymore confusing then the Comanche's trim crank on the ceiling.
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My switch is also mounted so up (top) is nose UP. That being said....I still hit the wrong side a few times in my first few flights.... (as long as the trim governor is turned down, its not a big deal to be wrong), you find out pretty fast that you are pressing the -wrong- side. (My excuse is my eyes are focused outside...not on the switch labels)
__________________
Chris Hepburn
Ottawa, ON
RV-8 C-GOGO FLYING
Renew 12/20
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04-05-2013, 03:14 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Estes Park, CO
Posts: 3,947
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hat switch
Not to hijack the thread, but it got me thinking.
If you have a hat switch on the stick...
1. Is it used for trim?
2. How should it be set up.
3. How does it trim for roll? Or is it just adjustment for the autopilot?
Sorry, sounds stupid now when I write it down but honestly I don't know.
__________________
Larry Larson
Estes Park, CO
http://wirejockrv7a.blogspot.com
wirejock at yahoo dot com
Donated 12/03/2019, plus a little extra.
RV-7A #73391, N511RV reserved (2,000+ hours)
HS SB, empennage, tanks, wings, fuse, working finishing kit
Disclaimer
I cannot be, nor will I be, held responsible if you try to do the same things I do and it does not work and/or causes you loss, injury, or even death in the process.
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04-05-2013, 03:45 PM
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Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Littleton, Colorado
Posts: 269
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Evaluate based on your past experience
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mel
Which ever way you want it is fine. But it MUST be labeled.
Most people mount the switch as if were a trim wheel; i.e. push the top for down trim as if you were rolling a trim wheel forward.
But again, the choice is yours. Whatever you are most comfortable with.
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If the switch were to be mounted horizontally on a side panel, then pressing the rear-most part of the switch would be up trim, and forward would be down trim, and this would also match the typical directional alignment of a hat switch or with the actual joy stick - easier to remember that way. Mounting on the face of the instrument panel does kind of throw a bit of a twist on things though.
If it were me, I would at least take a minute or two to ask myself (CFIs do that anyway out of habit) what would I instinctively want to do if I were in a stressful situation that required immediate action without really thinking about it too much? I would also rely on past experience and training to help me decide. I.e. if you flew a lot of Cessnas with a trim wheel then it might be worth keeping that same orientation just because you are used to it. If you flew with electric trim then I am willing to bet that you had a trim switch mounted horizontally on the yoke of the aircraft - basically the same situation I described above. if you fly IFR alot, then you may also want to consider some other less obvious things, such as the affect of your hand on the stick as you move your other hand to press the switch on the panel. The typical response is for the pilot to push forward slightly on the stick and/or bank slightly in one direction or the other whenever you have to reach forward to do something on the panel (radios, etc.). Now if you are on autopilot all the time, or only flying VFR, well I suppose you can dismiss such tedious things then.
It's true you would have to run some additional wire to either a side panel or to the joystick hat switch, but I don't think that is inherently more compilcated than mounting it on the panel. I could be wrong.
As Mel says, whatever you do - it must be labled.
I'll be curious about your final decision and also where you ultimately decide to mount the switch.
__________________
Bryan Raley
http://bryansrv8project.blogspot.com/
Building RV8
EAA Chapter 301
CFII/MEI, ATP
SportAir Workshop Graduate x 4: Sheet Metal, RV Building, Electrical, and Composite classes.
Tail Wheel Endorsement Completed
Empennage done, Wings in progress, N462AK reserved.
Last edited by Flyin'Bryan : 04-05-2013 at 04:07 PM.
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04-05-2013, 04:48 PM
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Senior Curmudgeon
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Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Dayton Airpark, NV A34
Posts: 15,420
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wirejock
If you have a hat switch on the stick...
1. Is it used for trim?
2. How should it be set up.
3. How does it trim for roll? Or is it just adjustment for the autopilot?
Sorry, sounds stupid now when I write it down but honestly I don't know.
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I have a two axis trim on the coolie hat, the switch movement is the same as the stick movement. Push is down pull is up. Right is right, left is left.
__________________
Mike Starkey
VAF 909
Rv-10, N210LM.
Flying as of 12/4/2010
Phase 1 done, 2/4/2011 
Sold after 240+ wonderful hours of flight.
"Flying the airplane is more important than radioing your plight to a person on the ground incapable of understanding or doing anything about it."
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04-05-2013, 06:12 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Estes Park, CO
Posts: 3,947
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roll trim
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike S
I have a two axis trim on the coolie hat, the switch movement is the same as the stick movement. Push is down pull is up. Right is right, left is left.
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So is there an aileron trim tab or does it actuate the aileron auto pilot servo?
__________________
Larry Larson
Estes Park, CO
http://wirejockrv7a.blogspot.com
wirejock at yahoo dot com
Donated 12/03/2019, plus a little extra.
RV-7A #73391, N511RV reserved (2,000+ hours)
HS SB, empennage, tanks, wings, fuse, working finishing kit
Disclaimer
I cannot be, nor will I be, held responsible if you try to do the same things I do and it does not work and/or causes you loss, injury, or even death in the process.
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