how to avoid roll and pitch in Piper PA46 310?

[Horst-Rolf Rixrath 1203318]

How do you stabilize (trim) en route the Cessna Pa46 310 if your are flying by hand (no autopilot engaged) to achive a ´straitahead´ flight situation without roll and pitch? I couldn´t find an instrument /handle/wheel for this in the cockpit.

Sorry for this question as I´m a newbie here!

 

Thx, gtrotter

[Keith Smith]

A Cessna 310, or a Piper PA46? Your post lists two planes jumbled together into one confusing make/model.

 

You can trim the plane to fly hands off with delicate use of power, elevator trim and aileron trim. Many planes don't have aileron trim that is adjustable in flight, however, most do have a trim tab that can be rigged on the ground based on feedback from the pilot after a flight.

 

Simply map a joystick/yoke 4-way switch to aileron/elevator trim and enjoy.

[Horst-Rolf Rixrath 1203318]

sorry Keith, it´s a Piper PA46!

 

Thx for your tip,

 

Gtrotter

[Brian Cheung 1181193]

In the real world (which X Plane models better than Flight Simulator) you are most stable, in cruise, at a "cruise RPM". The reason your piper wants to roll in flight is due to propeller torque, or p-factor. Basically the propeller is trying to torque the rest of the aircraft around its rotational axis, which results in a perceived left roll.

 

As was said, most small piston-powered general aviation aircraft don't have aileron trim. So throttle back, or give it some right rudder.

[Keith Smith]

Brian,

 

That wasn't quite what I said. I said that many planes don't have aileron trim, HOWEVER, they do have a trim tab that can be set on the ground. For that reason, X-Plane pilots should have no qualms about using aileron trim to remove any rolling tendencies that occur at cruise power.

 

Also, I didn't plan on going into this in the original post, but real planes are built with offset engine mounts and twist in the fuselage/horizontal/vertical stabs, or asymmetrical airfoils for those surfaces to counteract the left turning tendencies, such that the plane flies straight(ish) at cruise speed/power.

 

Most X-Plane designers don't model this correctly, building the planes PERFECTLY straight. Hence, many aircraft in X-Plane have pronounced rolling tendencies (particularly at high power settings). Right rudder is not the solution, though. If a plane wants to roll left, you want to add aileron (trim in this case) to correct it, NOT yaw in the opposite direction.

[Brian Cheung 1181193]

If a plane wants to roll left, you want to add aileron (trim in this case) to correct it, NOT yaw in the opposite direction.

 

That is not the complete correct solution.

 

This aileron deflection has the effect of making the aircraft asymmetric, or uneven, because one side of the plane produces more lift than the other. When this situation occurs, that side of the aircraft also produces more drag than the other. This increase in drag on the left side of the plane causes it to yaw to the left, an effect known as adverse yaw. To correct for this yaw effect, the pilot must also apply right-rudder (rudder deflects to the right) to counteract the adverse yaw and keep the nose pointed stratight ahead.