Elevator trim at spawn

When you spawn on the runway the Spit will automatically dial in a massive amount of positive elevator trim.

I don't know about any else but I immediately wind it back to something like this....

....or else the plane just balloons into the sky during take-off.

Is there a good reason for this?

I go 1 notch down, which I believe is standard for takeoff

2 notch up is the approximate setting for landing, and - as I personally have never met a pilot who resets his trims to neutral on shutdown - it seems logical for it to be in this position when you come to the cold airframe. Same with the rudder; for the low power approach I typically have the bias left a bit and it appears that way in a freshly spawned DCS Spit.

Air spawn is another matter entirely; the gyrations immediately after we do a squad Spitfire airspawn on our DCS co-op nights is something to behold!

A being from another dimension has just relayed the following message to me....

The reason for elevator trim gauge pointing two notches up is the fact that all DCS planes spawn with all their trims in neutral positions and in case of the Spit, two notches up is indeed "zero" for the elevator, as explained in the manual.

I question that Lixma - it's an incredibly disingenuous gauge if that's the case. I suspect the manual is wrong, as there is no reference in the original Air Ministry pilots notes to this '2-divisions up is neutral' concept.

indeed, as I am landing I trim up to keep her straight an have less movement on the stick.

once landed after flaps n gear down, it will be near that position, so its like when you get in again that's where it would be

I question that Lixma - it's an incredibly disingenuous gauge if that's the case. I suspect the manual is wrong, as there is no reference in the original Air Ministry pilots notes to this '2-divisions up is neutral' concept.

Yeah....I just checked the quickstart manual and Chuck's guide and both recommend neutral elevator trim and a helping of right rudder trim for take-off.

This is what happens as you spawn....

It starts at neutral then hurriedly dials in two notches.

ED, make it stop.

One increment above the screw is neutral (god only knows why, and he's busy shaving the queen :) ).

The better question is, why doesn't ED put an leave the elevator trim at neutral at mission start and have done with the discussion.

Inquiring mind want to know ;)

I prefer the one increment nose up setting shown in the original post and described by Capt Orso for takeoff, for the simple reason that it better sets the aircraft up for climb out. "Neutral" or one division nose down on the gauge requires the model to be coaxed into the air, followed by conscious and sustained back pressure and rapid re-trimming, to maintain a nose up attitude. I appreciate that the one division nose up setting runs contrary to the Pilot's Notes and our various guides - the most expedient solution to bring it all together would be to recalibrate the gauge, making the current one degree nose up appear as neutral.

not at all, down allows you to keep stick back to gain momentum, stops the bird going up to soon and "ballooning, and allows you to push forward onto 2 wheels to gain speed, no coxing needed, see the runway and take-off smoothly, but of course each to their own :)

The "what's the best elevator trim for x" questions are further complicated by user hardware; I have a MS Sidewinder FFB2 and routinely require 2-divisions from horizontal nose down for level cruise fully laden.

However, other members of my squad who have spring tensioned joysticks (Warthog etc) routinely need one division nose up...

The plot thickens!

really, didn't realise there would be a difference in the stick you own. makes sense now how we all do it different, wonder why the hardware makes a difference in game?

The "what's the best elevator trim for x" questions are further complicated by user hardware; I have a MS Sidewinder FFB2 and routinely require 2-divisions from horizontal nose down for level cruise fully laden.

 

However, other members of my squad who have spring tensioned joysticks (Warthog etc) routinely need one division nose up...

 

The plot thickens!

I remember reading somebody did some tests and the FFB did not centre 100% or something like that. I think the neutral position was a tiny bit aft.

The "what's the best elevator trim for x" questions are further complicated by user hardware; I have a MS Sidewinder FFB2 and routinely require 2-divisions from horizontal nose down for level cruise fully laden.

 

However, other members of my squad who have spring tensioned joysticks (Warthog etc) routinely need one division nose up...

 

The plot thickens!

Interesting.

My TM Wartog and myself prefer zero up or down for take off. It helps to gets the tail up but not enough that I have to fight the nose down tendency too much when I leave the ground.

For cruise I use one notch up which is near hands off for non-maximum rpm and mid range boost and is very close for most situations other than below decent flight speed. I.E. below 180 mph.

As I drop below 180 mph and continue to decelerate, the tail indeed gets heavy and requires more and more rudder down to near zero rudder trim on approach at 160 mph. When lowering gear at 160 mph and flaps at 140 mph I find that immediately following gear down command the aircraft requires a generous trim up and the flaps require the same amount of additional trim up after they are lowered. This leaves the elevator trim on landing right around the 2 notches up.

I used to count to 5 while trimming up on approach once I slowed below 160 when I lowered the undercarriage.

I also used to count to 5 when trimming up after I lowered the flaps.

It got me very close.