Traveling a helicopter with a cyclic trim is quite easy furnished a individual understands the technique and follows a couple of primary principles. One of the most simple sorts of a cyclic trim process is basically two electrically driven motors that are activated by a change found on the grip of the cyclic pitch lever. This switch is generally regarded as a “Chinese hat” and is created to be manipulated by the pilot’s thumb. The Chinese hat can only go ahead, aft, still left and suitable so in other phrases no diagonal motion is feasible. The swap is self centering and a pretty critical factor to try to remember is to never ever activate the change while the cyclic friction controls are however on.
When manipulating the cyclic trim switch powers up either one of the two motors. 1 motor positions the cyclic handle in the fore and aft placement (pitching plane) and the other motor positions the cyclic control remaining and right the rolling airplane.
For the sake of clarity and for our regrettable close friends that fly fastened wing aircraft it should be observed that no trimming is getting location on the blades by itself unlike with set wings where the trimming usually takes put by means of tabs on the management surfaces. So the cyclic trim system in a helicopter only positions the cyclic management in a wanted place hence assuaging forces on the adhere but it does not indicate that the helicopter can be flown arms off as that involves an autopilot process which is considerably extra highly developed than the basic trim process.
The essential theory of flying with a trim system is to make a transform then look at, adjust and trim. For case in point if the pace of the helicopter requirements to be improved from say 60 knots to 80 knots the first motion will be to make an attitude alter with the cyclic regulate by itself by choosing a new mindset exterior. This improve of frame of mind has to be checked at some stage when the pilot perceives the mind-set for the new speed has been attained. Immediately after the airspeed indicator has settled slight changes can now be designed to the perspective to refine the genuine velocity that wants to be flown. Only now does the trim method arrive into perform by manipulating the Chinese hat till no forces can be felt on the cyclic control. In other words the trim procedure really should not be used to make the first mind-set improve.
Most small helicopters with this sort of primary trim system can be flown devoid of making use of the trim but definitely a large amount of forces will be felt on the cyclic manage relying on the section of flight. The trim process can be a pilot’s largest close friend but if used improperly can be a worst enemy in so considerably as a person can trim the helicopter entirely out of a preferred attitude for case in point.
As said prior to the aforementioned dealt with a simple trim technique as there are extra progress systems for far more subtle helicopters that incorporates Security Augmentation Systems, Helipilots, Power Trim and Autopilots for illustration but the strategy of flying these programs apart from an autopilot in essence remains the very same.
© Harry Helicopter Instruction Syllabus 2008
