Originally Posted by
Rob21
Thanks Bernd. But if, even with the wheel handle, the pilots can not turn the wheel fast enough? I understand that the elevator is the primary pitch control, but this is supposing the aircraft is trimmed accordingly. If, for some reason, the stabilizer does the opposite of what the pilot wants, the elevator becomes the secondary pitch control. An unwanted dive can only be corrected by using trim (on the 737). But with no electric trim it will take some precious time too bring the aircraft back to an atitude where the elevator is the primary pitch control again. And time was exactly what those pilots didn't have...
The problem is not so much trim-wheel-motion speed (which I guess at light loads can be up to 5 revolutions per second), but that the sheer force required cannot be exerted by a human "without exceptional strength" if the aircraft is more than just a bit out of trim
and nose-up control input needs to be held continuously because of low height above ground, which exacerbates the required force.
Bernd