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  1. #21
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    Re: Cessna 172 (ish) FSX Simulator

    I also have the Saitek trim wheel and love it. However, you should understand that it's use is not the same as in the real aircraft. In the real aircraft, the trim wheel is used to reduce the pressure on the elevator that you feel from the air stream wanting to keep the elevator neutral with regards to the angle of attack. For example, when you pull back on the yoke for a climb, the wind wants to push the elevator back down to neutral, and you feel that as pressure on the yoke that naturally wants to push the yoke forward away from you. So you use your muscles to hold the yoke in the climb. If you don't have a trim tab on the elevator, you arms will eventually get tired from holding the yoke against that pressure. So then you use the trim wheel to counter-act the wind forces on the elevator. How does that work? Well, the trim tab on the elevator is actually like an "elevator" for the elevator! Only in this case, it is moved downwards from the elevator. The airflow pushes on the down trim tab which causes the elevator to be pushed up. The more the trim tab is down, the more the elevator will be pushed up. And if you are trimming for nose down, the opposite happens. The elevator is down but the trim tab will be up.

    What you really do in the airplane is this... You pitch for your climb and then hold the yoke there. Then you slowly turn the trim wheel and you actually feel the pressure lessoe on the yoke. It's like the "weight" wanting to return the elevator to neutral slowly and magically goes away. Eventually it disappears altogether when it's perfectly in trim, and you can literally let go of the yoke and it will actually stay at that position. Furthermore, you can push or pull on the yoke at that point and then let go, and the yoke will return to that trimmed position all on its own. It's almost like a poor-man's autopilot! If you over trim, then you'll find your muscles have to push the yoke forward, and you'll have to turn the trim wheel the opposite direction until all the forces are "trimmed out".

    So why is it not realistic in a simulator? Simple... your yoke (unless you happen to be really lucky to have a realistic force-loading / force-feedback yoke) can't simulate the changing control pressures on the elevator. Most simulator yokes are spring-loaded to a neutral elevator position. It doesn't matter if you trim the nose up or down, you will never reduce the effect the springs have on wanting to return the yoke to neutral. That said, trim is useful in a simulator, but it is not at all like how it is used in the real airplane. In a simulator, what you end up doing is dialing in the trim as you ease the yoke back to it's neutral position. The end result is the plane stays in the pitch you desire, but the yoke is actually in an unrealistic position since you are not holding it in the correct place like you would in a real aircraft. In a simulator, you are using the trim to pitch the plane instead of the elevator, which is not what you do in the real aircraft. I know this is confusing... but you will understand when you learn to trim in the real aircraft.

    If you had a yoke that could change the pressure felt on the elevator (they do exist, but they are very expensive or are home built with massive engineering skills!) then the trim wheel could be used just like it is in the real aircraft. Most of us aren't that lucky of course. As I said before, I do have the Saitek trim wheel and I do absolutely love it, even though it's operation is not realistic because I have no variable control loading on my yoke.

    Anyway, hope this helps.

  2. #22
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    Re: Cessna 172 (ish) FSX Simulator

    Quote Originally Posted by CathayA340 View Post
    Thanks for the info! The GTN 750 is by Flight1, I assume? Did you just use Air Display or something to drag it on to the tablet?
    I'm not going to be getting the autopilot though. I would actually prefer to have the power switches and radio as actual panels, maybe Desktop Aviator and Saitek. And the TPM is extremely important is well...so probably I'd first get the TPM and Desktop Aviator Cessna panel.
    Yes I bought both Air display and idisplay but only idisplay is working fine with my setup.

    I"m goign to do the gauge panel next week.

  3. #23
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    Re: Cessna 172 (ish) FSX Simulator

    Anyone knows where I can but a good more realistic cessna 172 TPM other than the Saitek because all you need is the Black (throttle) and Red (mixture) push buttons. Why do saitek adds blue (pitch) and many switches on side?

    Or maybe any idea on how to custom mod the Saitek TPM by removing switch side and pitch?

  4. #24
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    Re: Cessna 172 (ish) FSX Simulator

    Because some Cessnas are equipped with variable pitch props. There's no reason to remove the pitch control. Just "install" a variable pitch prop on your airplane. Problem solved.

    g.

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