Saitek Trim Wheel

[smendlik]

I was thinking about buying Saitek's Cessna trim wheel but then I saw this picture on Amazon's website. Is this the correct size compared to an actual Cessna trim wheel? It seems small and cheap looking. Not that my simulator will be 100% correct but this has a toy look to it.

5716

[AK Mongo]

The real thing has about a 3.25" radius. Saitek Throttle is about 4.25" deep and 4.25" tall. I would say it is not 100% to scale.

Reid

[smendlik]

Thanks for the reply. Here I was thinking the Saitek looked small and it might actually be bigger!

[AK Mongo]

Sorry, maybe I stated it wrong. It does appear to be 2/3 actual size or less. Can't really take a good picture, but the radius of the thing inside the saitek looks to be less than 2 1/8" (4.25/2)

[smendlik]

Well, I just ordered it so I'll post details once I get them. Are the trim wheels pretty consistent or have they varied across plane models/years?

[Tom_G_2010]

. . . Are the trim wheels pretty consistent or have they varied across plane models/years?

I have a pair of trim wheels from a 172 and a 152. As for variation between models and years, the 172 trim wheel is from a 1977 172N and is about 6 1/4" in diameter as compared to 4 1/2" in diameter for the 152 trim wheel but I don't know the year on that one.

In my case I'll be using the 172 trim wheel as intended for elevator trim, but the 152 trim wheel will be retrofit in my pit as a rudder trim wheel.

[AK Mongo]

Did not know the 152 wheel was smaller. That will be good for my rudder trim as well! Saitek may be a good choice if it is easily "re-engineered".


Reid

[nemo_7708]

i love the saitek product but a trim wheel is very easy to make and cheap at that and u can make it any size u want here check out this link i could have made a beta one but this will do for now.... http://youtu.be/XK7SnTWEtAc all u need is a 2090 rotary encoder board from desktop aviator($53.95..usd) and a potentiometer ...its a usb plug and play board so no programing is needed and u can set it by using fsuipc

[AK Mongo]

I agree and have made a trim wheel from a 172 by interfacing a real wheel with a Bodnar card. The mechanical trim indicator is giving me enough problems that I may go with a servo driven one.

[nemo_7708]

:D yup u should give making your own trim wheel as shot

[No Longer Active]

I made my first wheel with a rotary encoder and a trolley shopping wheel, worked a treat! The trim wheel indicator made absolutely no difference to me whatsoever as I adjusted the trim 'blind' like most pilots...

[AK Mongo]

Alex,
Probably true, but the hole in the pedestal trim just won't do!

The only time I would probably look at it would be to trim for takeoff.

Reid

[No Longer Active]

I have seen it where the trim ratio was changed so that a 90 degree turn on the physical trim wheel gave 4.5 turns on the virtual trim and vice versa. A white strip was painted in the centre of the trim wheel and this indicated the position. It works well! Its not real life but it works! Just food for thought. Its dead simple!

Aj

[AK Mongo]

Good idea, but I am a knucklehead and want to do it the hard way.

Reid

[fsacademy]

I agree that Saitek's trim wheel looks small and cheap on this picture. It is indeed smaller than the real 172 trim wheel and it looks a little bit cheap but the fact is that it actually is really cheap. And as a real world Cessna 172 pilot I can tell you that there is no trim wheel around for that price tag that gives you anything that comes close to the original thing. But I find it a good enhancement for my training on the simulator.