Originally Posted by
DaveReidUK
I don't think there is any dispute about the fact that grasping the trim wheel stops the stab moving.
Once the wheel is held, you are not fighting against the electric trim motor, which is disabled if resistance is detected at the cable drum.
But this proves that electronic trim is less powerful than manual trim, right? Or can the motor distinguish where the force is coming from?
To me as an engineer everything lines up if one adds this clutch/force limit:
Pilots try manual trim: Too much force, no chance (and free hands)
Pilots reactivate electric trim: Short movement and the clutch/force limit stops it. (FDR Trace...)
Pilots try a few times: Small blips... (FDR Trace...)
Pilots give up: MCAS kicks in again...
If you find people at Boeing with lot's of bandaid, you know they had the same idea recently...
