I have not trimmed for minimum speed, but I can tell you that I always fly
the final approach at 65 knots at which I have around 1.5 to 2 marks left on
the standard supplied trim gauge.
On take-off I ALWAYS lift the tail during the roll. I am guessing, but
probably at around 35 knots (I never look at the ASI as I do it all by
feel). In fact my preferred method is to slowly unload the back pressure on
the stick from just a few yards into the take-off roll. This seems to stop
any tendancy to swing (through precession) as the tail comes up, because it
is all a much more gentle affair. I have on many occassions forcefully
pushed the stick to get the tail up and you do have to be ready to stop the
extra swing that incures.
Dave Watts G-BXDY (now with 830 hrs on the clock)
> I am now a test pilot and I would like some input, if you could. I have
now
> flown the Mini U2 (motorgllider) 2 flights and 1.8 hours. It has gone very
> well, except for today's near disaster landing. I have not explored the
> slower speeds enough and was too conservative on the approach speed. (too
> fast). The rest of the story, I will not tell, as it must be obvious. It
> ended up OK with a go around.
> The troubling thing I have encountered is that I can only trim to about 65
> knots minimum and that is at full aft trim. I have not refined this
exactly,
> but it is close. The airplane acts as if it is at a too far forward CG. My
CG
> sits at 59.4, which is wwell within the envelope for the short wings. I
> susect the long wings may have some adjustments here. I have checked again
> all the controls and trim system movements and they all check out fine. My
> question to the group is:
> With the short wings, what is the minimum airspeed you can trim the
airplane
> - especially at a forward CG?
> Also, in the videos of takeoffs, I see the tailwheel come up well before
the
> airplane main leaves the ground. I am paranoid about keeping the stick aft
> and was wondering what those experienced with this configuration find
during
> takeoff for the tail coming off the ground. My airplane has been leaping
off
> the ground abruptly as I am keeping that stick probably too far back too
> long.
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