HI all. I’ve been flying the TBM 930 quite a bit, and like it for its combination of speed and range. However, I’ve been struggling with pitch trimming on it - I’m finding it really hard to get level flight - I always seem to be either slightly climbing or slightly descending and when I try to adjust it I always seem to go too far the other way.
I have a Honeycomb yoke and logitech throttle quadrant. By default, pitch trim is mapped to a two button switch on the yoke - but I found this way to sensitive. So I remapped pitch trim to an axis on the logitech quadrant. I though this would give me much greater control. But that’s not really the case. I’ve dialled down the sensitivity - currently on -35%. I tried -80%, but found that I then had to move the lever a long way to have any impact and then the curve gets exponential at the end and it just jumps away from me. -35% seems better, but I’m still oscilating.
I’m a nooby pilot, so probably doing something basically wrong, although I’ve watched a couple of videos on it. I’ve also practiced with the Cessna 152/172 and found it much easier there - I’m wondering if it is because the TBM is about twice as fast at cruise, if not more, and this makes everything a bit more sensitive.
Any tips or suggestions welcome
Thanks
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I’m only a beginner, but basically I trim for a constant speed, if that changes you have to trim constantly, plus wind, airplanes lose weight.
I use autopilot for Altitude/Hading.
Warning: The following hasn’t been tested by me so be very careful and always make BACK UP
Go here E:\Microsoft Flight Simulator\Official\OneStore\asobo-aircraft-c172sp-as1000\SimObjects\Airplanes\Asobo_C172sp_AS1000
or in your case (since you wanna change the TBM trim): E:\Microsoft Flight Simulator\Official\OneStore\asobo-aircraft-tbm930\SimObjects\Airplanes\Asobo_TBM930
Open the file flight_model.cfg in Notepad
Search for elevator_trim_effectiveness
Change the value to 0.5.
Save, exit and launch MSFS.
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Feels kinda scary to me…but I’ll try it tonight
simply trim the best that you can the use the throttle to make the tiny adjustment needed to maintain a constant altitude
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Your right, Fuzzy! Also, when the Honeycomb throttle quadrant comes out, get it. It will have a trim wheel. With that calibrated using FSUIPC7, when it is published, will allow you to calibrate the wheel precisely.
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Ok, so I think that kind of worked - seemed a bit easier to get stability…until I turned the AP on - and the trim wheel went berserk and the AP struggled to hold altitude and got totally lost when trying to get it to climb or descend. More than usual as well! So not sure if the AP is expecting the performance to be different somehow, but definitely seemed a bit screwy. So I’ve reverted back to the backup I made. Thanks anyway
Thanks Fuzzy - that helped a lot, and it definitely seemed to give me finer control. Many thanks
Thanks Taupe - I have the Honeycomb quadrant on order - it is due in the UK in late October. Looking forward to that. I had the Logitech Yoke/Quadrant and upgraded the yoke to the Honeycomb and it is so much better. Expecting the quadrant to be similarly better than the Logitech - obviosuly a lot more expensive though. I don’t know what FSUIPC7 is, but will hopefully make sense when it comes!
FSUIPC goes way back to the early days of MSFS. Basically it’s a tool that you can use it to configure your peripherals. You can get much finer control of the aileron, elevator, rudder and trim. Also, all buttons are assignable. It’s payware, but you’ll be able to get a free version to try it out. Don’t use the beta right now. For some reason it kills your framerate.
Are you aware of the Honeycomb bug that results in excessive trim values? If you have the magneto start function assigned to your yoke, unmap it and try trimming again. You can search the forum for more details.
https://forums.flightsimulator.com/t/coarse-fine-adjustment-on-obs-etc/129739/13
Thanks @SaffaJake812 I wasn’t aware of this. I knew about the issue with the 10 degree/hold mouse to scroll issue, but didn’t know that and potentially pitch trim was linked to the Honeycomb (or, as the other post says, and “on-on” switch on a controller). I will test this tonight and report back. Many thanks
Thanks @SaffaJake812 - that did it - suddenly easy to trim after I unmapped the yoke buttons - thank you!
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Goodday to all of you.
There are several ways to trim elevator, ailerons or rudders.
There is however a question to ask youre selfs, why am i saying this, has to do with the fact that the input through the different devices we use, “for example a keystroke” , is a short pulse. press is make, release is break.
A switch on, is make and stays, till switch off.
Now on a joystick it uses potentiometers mostly 10k ohm these work on frequency these you might find tricky to use the best way in my opinion is use a keystroke its there and works best but if you use them on the joystick delaý the sensetivaty and enlarge the deathzone tip: if you have calibration tools use them to, experience and find out.
Trimwheels use multiturn potentiometers on 1 round they give some four or two notch up or down.
By the way there is also in Windows the option of filter keys, u can delay keys or exclude repeatstroke with interval etc. might come in handy if you expand youre hobby and remap keyboards. Keep in mind that, you do it all before you plan youre flight and start, this is because when youre done youre mapping you apply save the profile under a new name and then restart fsms and load up the new profile to take full effect.
Good luck hope it is usefull to you out there.
Wouldnt it be nice to connect msfs to train, truck, crane, ship, dive and farm simulator then we can all work together.
Happy flyings
I have a Honeycomb yoke and use the two default left buttons and have had no problems trimming any of the planes i the sim or 3rd party.
The way to trim correctly is to FLY the plane to the state you want, climb, level or decent. Then while holding the plane there start trimming, few input first and let gradually go of the yoke to feel where your trim is and continue like this untill the plane flies as you want without a y input from you. More difficult in a simulated plane than the real world. Kind of like when learning to use the clutch in a car (sorry to my clutchless American fellow simmers).
You have to continue trimming from time to time to stay trimmed, as you change speed or pushed by wind etc.
Try and look at the trim wheel when in autopilot. The AP have to move it all the time.
Hope this is helpful.
This. I fly the Grand Caravan and it’s actually much easier to obtain stable level flight through minor adjustments in throttle. Trim is essentially fighting against the throttle, so just avoid that.
Trim is related to indicated airspeed. As you burn fuel, the aircraft will want to climb to maintain the same IAS. So you will have to re-trim. Changes in CG and configuration will usually require re-trimming, too. Wind, however, has no effect on trim.