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Aileron trim

Making out my wish list for my fuselage order. Would appreciate everyone?s opinion on the ( Aileron trim). Do I want manual, electric, or just hope that this thing is going to fly without any roll. ?I put electric trim in for the elevator?
 
No, I do not plan to put in an auto pilot. Going with an RV 8A. This will be for just pleasure & Aerobatics. Probably not a lot of cross country.
 
No, I do not plan to put in an auto pilot. Going with an RV 8A. This will be for just pleasure & Aerobatics. Probably not a lot of cross country.

But - at some point your mission may change. The RV-8A is a good IFR cross country plane but two axis autopilot is essentially mandatory.

I installed the Van's electric trim (roll and pitch) in the 8A, 10 and 8 and recommend them. Keep in mind with most current EFIS your autopilot will also do auto trim, both roll and pitch. At this point in construction adding roll trim is easy - it gets harder after the plane is flying.

Carl
 
Thank you Carl for your reply. I?m sure if I do install it, that the cost would be recouped if sold. I think this should be what I?ll do. Thanks again
 
Hints and Tips....

Congratulations on starting the project.

I look after an 8A for a chap near where I live. First thing - keep it light at the front end. He has probably the worst combination, an angle valave 200hp motor and nosewheel and a metal prop. It is way nose heavy and we are into ballast issues now. Please consider a 180 motor and a composite prop. More than enough power for cruising and aeros.

Now - the other items.

Having installed a manual trim in an 8, I would say - never again ! It is a complex PITA compared to putting a trim servo in and some wires. You will need aileron trim from time to time - when on a cross country and using tanks to their best.

You really should consider a 2 axis autopilot. These aeroplanes clatter along at 140kts or more. You can get lost really quickly ! Also, there are many times when going A to B that you just need some breathing space and the autopilot gives you that. Whether you choose Garm*n or the wonderful Dynon system (hint there) both offer the autopilot for the cost of the servos - around $1500.

Once you fly your 8, your mission will change - because you will find that what was an hour in a Piper or Cessna is 30 mins in a Vans - then, you will go cross country !

Enjoy and use the forum.

Mike
 
I put in the manual aileron trim but now regret it. I haven't flown any long cross countries yet, but with the narrow fuselage the tanks are pretty close together. Having one tank a bit off doesn't make nearly as much difference as on the 7 I did my transition training in. At one point I even ran one tank dry and had the other full (drained to fix a leak) and even that much imbalance wasn't much trouble. I find I just never bother touching the aileron trim.

Get it straight using the trailing edge and then just call it good.
 
Agree the manual aileron is a pia to install. I would rather do a small electric trim tab on the aileron trailing edge if I build another RV. Unless I am racing the Rv8, the drag penalty is negligible.
 
Handle for Aileron Trim will not stay in position

I am a non-builder RV6A owner. When I adjust my aileron trim (handle between seats), soon afterwards, the handle has gone back to where it was. What is used to keep the trim handle from changing position? Is there a friction knob somewhere?
 
I installed manual trim on my -8 and found it super simple to install. I have the drag set up so that once set it never moves. Full travel on the trim lever will just offset 1 hour of fuel burn although I try to remember at 1/2 hr.

I have considered installing an electric aileron trim servo but wonder if I would inadvertently move it when rapid trimming elevator on my Infinity grip...

I would not want to be without some form of aileron trim, even with autopilot to take some of the load off the aileron servo...
 
Trim

I installed manual trim on my -8 and found it super simple to install. I have the drag set up so that once set it never moves. Full travel on the trim lever will just offset 1 hour of fuel burn although I try to remember at 1/2 hr.

I have considered installing an electric aileron trim servo but wonder if I would inadvertently move it when rapid trimming elevator on my Infinity grip...

I would not want to be without some form of aileron trim, even with autopilot to take some of the load off the aileron servo...

I too have the manual aileron trim on my -8 and I do not regret it. I did not think it was hard to install at all. I would highly recommend installing some type of aileron trim. While the stick roll forces are very light, trim change from fuel burn is noticeable and keeping a plane well trimmed in cruise flight is good practice as it helps keep the wings level during momentary distractions.

Skylor
 
My 2 cents

I built my 8 with manual trim. Later I decided to install stick grips with the collie hat trim and installed electric aileron trim. In hind site I should have doe this I the first place. Much easier to trim the aircraft in small increments with the electric trim.
 
If you plan to install an autopilot, then electric trim would be a plus because the autopilot will automatically trim the plane as needed for lateral/longitudinal imbalance, and if you plan on flying IFR, I recommend a 2 axis autopilot. An autopilot and lateral electric trim can be added later, but for pitch trim, the mod may be a bigger challenge.
If you don’t need an autopilot - I don’t, and I fly VFR cross countries whenever I want - then manual trim is extremely easy to use, almost failsafe, and you can visually see your trim setting all the time. Roll trim installation takes about 2 hours to install. Pitch trim takes a little longer to install, but it is a simpler install than electric trim, I’ve installed both several times.
If you are building your airplane to sell - in other words, building it for someone else, then installing an electric trim system that is compatible with a connected autopilot, whether you install it now or not, might be the game changer for someone interested in buying your airplane. If you are building your airplane for you and you don’t need an autopilot, then lighter, simpler, less expensive, may be the way to go. It is for me on this, my 5th RV. My others have all had electric trim, electric flaps, and autopilot. This RV4 I have now has none of that. None of my manual systems can fail, unless I do.
On the cross countries I’ve flown, my manual trim system works very well. If I was flying IFR in this bird, I would want an autopilot with a connected electric trim system. I’ve had that before, but found it cost me several thousands of dollars per hour to have that capability, because I didn’t fly IFR in my RV8 that often, therefore, not worth it to me.
 
I am a non-builder RV6A owner. When I adjust my aileron trim (handle between seats), soon afterwards, the handle has gone back to where it was. What is used to keep the trim handle from changing position? Is there a friction knob somewhere?

The handle is mounted in a split plastic block which is under the floor. Tighten the screws on that block and it will increase the tension on the handle and keep it in place.
 
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