Rudder trim on 201?

[FlyDave]

I've noticed a couple of 231's have rudder trim and was wondering if it is available for a 201.

Does anyone know of such a product/STC? Is it manual or electric?

Thanks,

[M016576]

the real question is do you need it?  In my 201, the ball centers itself up after I cross about 125KIAS.  So the only time I'm on the rudder is when I'm a little slower, which means in the climb or pattern- and you wouldn't be using it in the pattern, as your air speed is continuously changing (you'd want to set your rudder trim to nuetral for landing).  YMMV.

 

-Job

[jlunseth]

I have no rudder trim in my 231 and no need for one.  Mine also centers up once the climb is completed and I go to cruise.  I suppose it would be useful to have rudder trim for the climb, which can be long if going to the Flight Levels, but if you are just thinking about cruise performance, and your rudder is out of trim in cruise, a better investment would be to have an MSC tune up the rigging.  It should not be out of yaw trim at cruise.

[KSMooniac]

I agree with the above posts... it frankly is not needed in a 201.  Typically you'll have 10-15 minutes max of climbing and after that it should be rigged to fly straight without rudder input.  A turbo Mooney might be climbing for up to 30 minutes in which case it is a "nice" option but not required IMO.

[RJBrown]

There also is an aileron trim by the same people. I believe there is a disease called gadjet-itis that planes catch from silly owners. Extra garbage not wanted or needed. They add a trim tap on the rudder or aileron. All it really does is add drag and slow you down. If the plane is out of rig fix it don't add something draggy to cover it up.

[FlyDave]

In calm to light winds aloft, the airplane flys straight with ball centered and wings level hands off. It's truly a pleasure - no autopilot needed.

It seems that at cruise in a moderate cross wind, the ball is a little out of center and the wings are not level. A little pressure on the appropriate rudder peddle and the ball comes in and wings are level. The ball is not out to the same side each time. I would think if this was a rigging issue it would consistently be out to the same side.

Climbout, as normal, requires a fair amount of right rudder and eases dramatically once transitioned to cruise climb.

Has anyone else experienced this?

[flyby201]

I was flying back from Houston yesterday and I noticed that while I was on autopilot (S-Tec 50) the wings were slightly rocking back and forth.  When I first bought my 201 I had a similar issue with the plane porpoising while alt hold engaged on the AP.  It was a voltage issue on the servo and I was thinking this was a similar issue.  After a while of flying like this I noticed the ball was slightly, very slightly, right of center.  I applied a little pressure on the right rudder and the rocking went away.  I now believe the rudder is slightly out of rig and the A/P is fighting the rudder to create the rocking.  Has anyone experienced a similar issue?

[N9937c]

Flydave

Back in the early 80's STEC made a Yaw damper for the 231. The control had a knob that worked as rudder trim.The system worked very well.

larry