PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Changing stabilizer trim from recommended
Old 24th Sep 2005, 01:48
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Old Smokey
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
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I would think that deliberately setting the stabilizer to anything other than that computed from the load sheet is a very questionable practice.

We do live in the real world where there will always be some degree of variation, forward or aft, of the computed CG position, but these small variations should be well within the 'handling tolerances' for pilots, and are considered during flight testing.

As one poster has indicated, ideally, the Stab Trim setting is optimized for the V2+15 (or thereabouts) climb-out, and, as such, already has a degree of inbuilt 'positive rotation bias'.

If the aircraft IS correctly loaded, any additional aft trim can only result in an excessive pitch up.

If the aircraft is incorrectly loaded with a CG aft of the computed position, any additional aft trim may well lead to (and has) a serious tail scrape, and excessive pitch up after airborne, possibly all of the way to stall.

If the aircraft is incorrectly loaded with a CG forward of the computed position, OK, any additional aft trim may well compensate for the error, but how did you know that this was the case in the first place? If the aircraft is loaded within the normal deviation tolerances considered at flight testing, controllability of the aircraft is still well within pilot manageable control forces.

If an accident or incident arose from deliberate pilot mis-trim, you won't have a leg to stand on at the enquiry. Bye bye career.

Regards,

Old Smokey
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