Originally Posted by
ignorantAndroid
The rollercoaster technique wouldn't be needed. As far as I can tell, the only scenario in which the rollercoaster technique could've become necessary would be a trim brake failure. In that scenario, the motor wouldn't be operating but the stabilizer would move freely and would react to aerodynamic loads. The only way to regain control would be to grab the trim wheel(s), bring it to a stop, and then hold onto it for the remainder of the flight (or at least be ready to grab it again if needed). This is the reason for the final step on the Runaway Stabilizer checklist (Trim Wheel...Grab and hold).
Which brings on another topic of another recovery procedure that is completely forgotten and where things might get really confusing if you start with these recovery procedures.
If the THS is "free-floating" in the wind, you can "control" the trim through the elevator, but the weird thing is that the actions are completely opposite to the "normal". If I recall correctly, if the trimwheel is continuously trimming nose down, you have to push the elevator full down and it will stop the runaway. You don't use the elevator to "control the nose movement", but you use the elevator to "control the THS movement". And in that case, the elevator actions are completely opposite to the rollercoaster. You create a force that moves the THS in the direction you want it to move and you don't even need to touch the trimwheel to retrim. It will rotate by itself, you just have to know how to steer the elevator. If others have more information, feel free, as this is really long lost in my memory... I'm not aware of any sim that is capable of simulating this recovery procedure.
In the end, all these procedures are nice to know if you know what you are doing, but can lead to gigantic disasters if you don't really know what you are doing. Just stop the runaway in time and continue with what you have as you should have plenty of controllability. You shouldn't be doing testpilot recovery procedures.