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What a CFI Wants You to Know: Trimming the Aircraft Properly

You’ll smooth out your flying if you know how.

In light aircraft, a manual trim wheel often works in concert with electric trim, offering the pilot options in all phases of flight. [Courtesy: FLYING staff]
Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • During takeoff, pilots should use one hand on the yoke/stick with a gentle touch, relying on proper airspeed and minimal back pressure or trim for lift, rather than forceful two-handed yanking, which can lead to over-control.
  • Trim is a critical tool for smooth and controlled flight, relieving control pressures in all phases (takeoff, cruise, landing). The "Pitch, Power, Trim" mantra highlights its importance in maintaining stability.
  • Pilots must diligently verify trim settings, particularly before takeoff, by visually inspecting the trim tab's position (if possible) rather than solely trusting cockpit indicators, to ensure safe and accurate setup.
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One of the most distressing things a student pilot can do (from a CFI’s perspective) when they are learning to fly is to apply full power, then grab hold of the yoke or stick with both hands and yank it back during the takeoff roll. In a light training aircraft—I’m talking the single-engine Cessna, Piper, Diamond, Cirrus, various vintage designs—you do not, I repeat, do not need two hands on the control wheel for takeoff. You really don’t. That’s only for bad TV movies. 

Instead, keep one hand on the yoke or stick, and the other on the throttle during takeoff just in case you have to abort—like when that deer runs onto the runway or goodness forbid, there’s another aircraft, or a car or something else on the runway and you are heading towards it. Get that power to idle and stop.

Meg Godlewski

Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.

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