Do you have to mess with aileron trim at all or are you just playing around with elevator, btw? Or do you simply turn off CT when you drop your first flap and call it a day.
If I'm at flap speed and not on initial climb out, I likely am in the middle of some maneuver and not flying level... do you find any adverse effects to turning off CT in the middle of a hard turn/barrel roll/etc.?
Thanks for your help
I just toggle it off when I engage and things start to get twisty, typically at a specific speed.
To review, CT sets trim automatically based on speed (more or less). Auto climb is an adaptation of combat trim. It sets trim to maintain a set speed. That speed results in a climb at full power, and can be used to descend similarly (power off, turn on "auto climb", and you will descend at that speed). At other times, CT tries to set the trim tabs so you have zero stick deflection to stay on that course. It's also assuming level flight, no flaps basically (could be wrong on that, but that's what it feels like)
I may not be the expert, but here's what I've experienced. CT reacts a little slow, and during violent maneuvers where your speed changes quickly, CT can't keep up. I see it most effecting me when I go nose up in a zoom climb after a con. As I rapidly slow down with CT on, the nose pitches up violently, so much so forward pressure on the stick is required to keep it straight. Sometimes, when getting really slow it's so harsh, I can't keep on the same vector with full forward stick. To solve that problem, in a hog as things start, I turn it off, in hog at about 200 MPH, this freezes the trim tabs where they are. I don't feel any issues as I get slower, if I seem to be holding too much pressure to maintain my vector, I turn it on for a second, it resets, then I turn it off again. Normally, I feel nothing until speeds pick back up (like red guy is now diving toward their ack), and I notice it starts to nose up the faster I go. No biggie, I just hit the switch and turn it back on. It's never a dramatic change, subtle really. Through out a fight I turn it on and off depending on how much constant pressure I need on the stick for the plane to do what I want. If I am in a real slow fight and notice it's nosing up (or down) I hit the switch on then off, and things equalize.
Try it once. Leave CT on, go into a zoom climb, pop flaps near the top and you will see it rolls over almost on it's own when you get really slow. Try it again, turning CT off as you zoom climb and you will see that at the top, you have to provide the incentive to flop over on your back. You can also see the effect when landing. Most planes nose up when you drop flaps. Turn CT off just before you do that, and it's less apparent.
Let me know if you have any other questions.
