Originally Posted by
777Supremecist
but isn't that a very inefficient process? For example, in a C152, I would trim it out until I feel the pressure on my yoke is gone, and then refer outside to see my aircraft's attitude. So in the sidestick, they won't feel that force, they can only refer outside and trim accordingly (ie release the stick, see that the aircraft is still pitching up, trim again), whereas in my case, I can simply do it once by trimming until I have 0 pressure on my yoke.
On a light aircraft like a C152, pitch trim adjusts the neutral ('stick-free') position of the elevators. So you hold the yoke/stick in a constant position and trim until the stick-free position matches the position you're holding it in.
Large transport airplanes use trimmable horizontal stabilizers. [Note: The rest of this paragraph applies mainly to non-FBW airplanes.] Changing trim has no effect on the elevators. Instead, it adds to the effect of the elevators. So let's say you're pushing forward on the yoke. When you apply nose-down trim, the plane starts to pitch down. You have to release some of the forward pressure on the yoke if you want to maintain the pitch. So you make a series of pitch inputs while gradually reducing pressure on the yoke. When you've finished trimming, the yoke (and elevators) are back in their original positions; their neutral position doesn't change.
It may be somewhat inefficient, but this is how it's always worked on planes with trimmable horizontal stabilizers. I don't think the difference is really all that significant. All of this is harder to explain than it is to do.