REFLECTOR: PITCH TRIM TRAVEL

[Jack Sheehan]

Tom,
I must have gotten real lucky with my airplane. I modified the spring 
(cut down added carbon) it broke so I had very little 
stiffness.landings were difficult because I could not trim to 90 
knots I had to hold back pressure on final. Actually got pretty good 
at it. I installed the factory standard spring it now works great. I 
do not believe I use any down trim ever. Hard to tell because there 
is not way to measure. I trim down(elevator down nose up) (two 
fingers for two people) for take off this trim from neutral ( 
trailing edges aligned) is about a 2-3 second push on the trim 
switch. This gives me about 100 Kts after take off on climb out I 
trim down( nose down elevator up) a littleto get about 140 Kts for 
climb. I would estimate based on the amount of trim taken out I still 
have about one finger elevator down trim at this setting. 
Accelerating level to cruise approximately 175-180 Kts indicated 
airspeed I trim a little more nose down( elevator up) but again I 
think this is simply taking out the nose up trim I put in for take 
off. At cruise the elevator flys with about a half inch up at the 
trailing edge My suspicion is that the trim system at this setting is 
about neutral maybe just a little bit nose down but hardly an issue. 
As I decend in cruise usually 200Kts IAS just a little nose down trim 
is added. I enter the traffic pattern at about 160Kts on downwind and 
decelerate once I slow which seems to occur by the time I am abeam 
the numbers. 120 Kts gear down I trim for 90Kts. This trim takes a 
positive ( 1-2 second) push on the trim switch to get the pressure 
relieved for the 90 Kts. After I land the elevator is about the same 
position as I would set for take off. I did not do anything different 
from the manual. The actuator is set approximately center travel at 
neutral elevator. I now have the sparrow strainer on but frankly I am 
not sure it does a whole lot
Jack
N55XL