What does it mean to trim an aircraft model in a flight simulation why do you need to trim?

Question

What does it mean to trim an aircraft model in a flight simulation why do you need to trim?

Answer 1

Trimming an airplane is like fine tuning it's elevator. Sometimes when I fly without autopilot in a flightsim, the plane keeps nosing up/down whenever I relax the joystick. To remedy that, I trim the elevators so it slightly applies up/down direction to the plane...

You're not going to hold the joystick at a 5 degree angle for 30 minutes straight are you?

Answer 2

To 'trim' an airplane means to equalize the aerodynamic forces working against it to enable it to fly a desired path without the pilot providing input from the controls. One can trim the elevator to provide straight and level flight, or a steady rate of climb or descent. The Microsoft Flight Simulator program only provides elevator trim, while some real aircraft also have aileron and rudder trim.

Answer 3

Trim to lighten control input.

Answer 4

Each of the above answers got it a little bit right but a whole bunch wrong. I assume if you're in flight sim you are flying a large aircraft. These aircraft can be trimmed in all three axis. Trim has nothing to do with changing aerodynamic forces. It's sole purpose is to remove pressure required at the flight controls that the pilot must apply as he adjusts from one pitch, roll or yaw attitude to the next. For instance, if the aircraft were pitch trimed correctly at two hundred knots, no force required on the yoke, and then the pilot wished to increase speed to three hundred knots, he would push the throttles forward. If he did nothing else the nose would rise and the airplane would hold two hundred knots as before but begin to climb. Of course the goal was to increase speed not altitude so he would counter this climb by pushing forward on the yoke. Now the airplane is maintaining altitude and accelerating as was the plan. However, as the airplane accelerates, the force required to keep the nose where it belongs to maintain altitude will become greater and greater. So downward pitch trim should be supplied to keep that force to a minimum. When the new speed of three hundred knots has stabelized final pitch trim inputs would be made until the airplane will fly level at the new speed with no control force required of the pilot. The new pitch attitude at three hundred knots would be slightly more nose down than it was at 200 knots because the higher speed requires a lesser angle of attack.

Trim is effected in a number of ways including trim tabs on the control surfaces as mentioned above as well as hydraulically positioning the control surface itself and in the case of pitch, repositioning the horizontle stableizer with jack screws.

Answer 5

Aileron trim does work in Microsoft flight sim on those types which have aileron trim in reality.

I have my joy stick "hat switch" configured to work elevator and aileron trim, and it works well with the Learjet and Boeings.

Answer 6

I will assume that you are supposed to be flying the model and need to trim it.  It is to take the pressure off of the yoke or stearing wheel or stick that you use to control the roll, pitch and coordinate the yaw with the needle ball indicator.  It you don't trim the airplane then you will be 'fightin' those movements all the time. Trim is mostly for pitch which is the nose up or down and if you will look at the horizontal stabilizers, one of them will have a little 'flap' back there that is the trim tab.  Also there is a permanent tab on the vertical stabilizer    that is manually adjusted to trim the yaw so it evens out the pedals and keeps the plane going straight in flight.  Ask you flight instructor as you really need to know these things to enjoy flying.