Should I have the trim settings for rudder and ailerons at +6 and +6 same as for takeoff or should I set them both back to 0? I have seen a couple of videos and it seems like some reset them and some didn’t. I am having trouble keeping the plane straight on touchdown either way.
I reset them both to 0 after takeoff. Once you’re flying, the rudder provides plenty of yaw control authority. If you’re in a power-climb at 40 MPA or better, you might want to notch some trim back in to counteract yaw and stay on course, but in cruise at steady power or ordinary maneuvering, you shouldn’t need much trim at all.
During descent and final before landing, you should be at idle or very low power, so again you should not need much trim.
Thanks for the reply. I had been doing pretty good setting my trims back to zero also. But I started having trouble keeping the plane on the runway and the wings level while trying to slow down so I began trying to land with trim set as 6+ for the rudder and 3+ for the ailerons. I am still having trouble staying straight on the runway. I think a large part of my problem is getting the air speed down to 90 or less before touching down. There is a fine line between slow enough and stalling. I do most of my flying late at night between 9:30 and midnight. Maybe I am just to tired at that point.
The best way to do this is to ensure the tailwheel is locked for takeoff (does wonders to help limit the need to “rudder dance” to stay straight) and then KEEP IT LOCKED for lading. The trick, such as it is, is to use your rudder to ensure you’re pointed straight down the runway the instant before touchdown, then use your brakes to slow and steer. If you don’t have rudder pedals with toe brakes, obviously this won’t work. But if you do, it works amazingly well. The locked tailwheel keeps you straight with no real need to actively control - so long as you’re pointed straight when you touchdown. It takes a little practice to get into the habit of verifying you’re dead-straight down the runway just before touchdown, especially in a crosswind, but it’s not hard at all. Then just gently brake to slow and remain straight until you’re ready to turn off the runway. Look down, unlock the tailwheel and taxi off.
As for landing speeds - that really does depend on your load-out. If you are flying “clean” (no external payload), stall speed is under 80 knots. If you have the default three external tanks full or partly full of fuel, you’ll be heavier. The stall behaviors and warning light are well-implemented though and the engine is powerful enough to add throttle and gain a few knots if necessary.
If you find yourself too fast, add a notch of flaps and go around. The flaps add a lot of drag which helps you slow. Progressively add flap as you decelerate, nudging the throttle if necessary up or down.
You could also use a fast approach as an opportunity to practice the military break - come down the field at about 1,000’ AGL and 220+ knots until mid-field, then cut sharply left at 4G’s (the G-meter is at the upper right of the instrument panel). Make this a 180 degree turn. This will kill your speed very quickly! Add flaps and drop your gear as you get past the approach end, turning another 180 degrees back to land.
It’s tricky the first time or two you try it, but it’s tons of fun and very rewarding. 
1 Like
I have gotten control of the Corsair. Takeoff has become easy and landings are pretty good. In the last 2 dozen or so landings I have only screwed up twice. One night it was getting late and I needed to land and picked a narrow airstrip that I ran off of. Didn’t hit anything though so it was OK. The other time I nosed over trying to slow down before running off the end of the runway. I’m Happy with my progress. I haven’t flown the Spitfire for quit a while now due to learning the Corsair. I need to go back to it and see if I still have the skills to fly that one.
1 Like