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Pitch Trim on Light Biplane, Needed or Not

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Cameron

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Still in the planning stages on my Skyote project. The plans do not show a trim tab on the elevator. As a substitute for a trim tab, the designer provided a sketch that shows the stick sprung to center with two extension springs, then a handle to adjust the centered position by adjusting the preload on one of the springs. I'd imagine that this would work ok, but I really don't like the idea of springs in the control system. Seems like that would make stick effort higher.

Anyway, I'm considering installing a trim, or maybe even a servo tab kind of like a Pitts, or maybe just not having a trim tab at all. I'd just install a fixed trim tab and adjust it to cruise speed and then deal with the stick forces in other flight modes. In my Eagle, I don't think I'd like this setup. In my old Acro Sport, or my old Luscombe, this type setup wouldn't bother me much. Just wondering what other's experiences have been with this. I think many of the early S-1C's didn't get a trim tab. Surely some of you have flown airplanes without them?
 

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