I was messing with my control gear the other day (see
http://home.swiftdsl.com.au/~pchance/squidgear/index.html) and installed a second gameport joystick. I now have 2 gameport sticks plus a USB in concurrent use. I've mapped RPMs to the additional Y-axis, so now I've got two little levers side-by-side, one for RPM and one for throttle (i.e. manifold pressue or boost).
Initially, however, I accidentally mapped RPM and throttle to the same axis. At min. throttle you get min. RPM and max. throttle you get max. RPM. In between you get combinations close to the recommended combinations for max. cruise etc. This works well also if you don't want the flexibility of having separate controls, or if you don't have enough axes to map to.
After this, I briefly messed with mapping elevator trim to the main pitch control, and aileron trim to the main roll control. As you pull back, the pitch trim kicks in more and more, and as you roll the aileron trim does likewise. I have no idea if there is any benefit in this, but perhaps the trim freaks will have opinions. Can we have some heated arguments, flaming, and perhaps some informed advice from those that know, as to how trim is modelled in AH?
I always figured that the maximum mechanical deflection (and therefore aerodynamic effect) of your control surfaces should remain constant no matter what the trim settings are. At low speed the trim in AH might only affect the rate at which you can get your control surfaces into position, not the maximum available aerodynamic effect. Perhaps trim in AH at very high airspeeds, where you should need more physical strength to operate the controls, affects your ability to reach maximum control deflection. I don't know. I've always been a combat-trim-monkey but I'm willing to change.
