I've been flying a 180hp PA28 R a bunch lately, working on my instrument rating. With the trim at the neutral position, it takes some muscle to get the nosewheel off the pavement. I've taken to trimming it a little further aft, lighter forces, I can fly it off with better finesse.
I tow gliders in a PA25. I takeoff with the trim set to about neutral. Helps get it up on the mains easily, and it seeks an attitude which accelerates me to my desired climb speed quickly. I trim it back for the desired climb airspeed once I'm clear of the ground and about to intercept the desired speed.
Trim is all about making your workload less, so you will fly better. Use it as such for all phases of flight, even takeoff.
Neutral is definitely better than the extremes for most aircraft I fly. The C140 likes the trim all the way back for landing. But if you forget to get it forward for takeoff, the tail seems very heavy and hard to get off the ground. It gives the illusion of poor performance, i.e. like there isn't enough airspeed to get the tail up, until it suddenly leaps off the ground. I pulled that goof at a buddy's farm strip, with not very much runway and a fence, trees, power lines at the end. It worked out I had plenty of margin. Probably worthy of the senior moment thread. I've not done that one again though!
-- IFMU
Last edited by IFMU; 8th Jan 2009 at 03:04.
Reason: I forgot a y in there somewhere