Elevator position in cruise

[Slick Nick]

1991 201 MSE.

In cruise, with the plane properly trimmed “hands off” at around 150 knots, I looked back and noticed the elevator horns were sticking up into the slipstream a bit. Not sure if this is normal, or abnormal, honestly it’s the first time I’ve looked back there during flight. C of G was fairly forward, just me on board and about 20 gallons of fuel. Has anyone else seen that position before? Again, not sure it’s abnormal, but just something I noticed. Photo attached. 
 

 

[EricJ]

Totally normal and common.   There've been a few threads about this in the past as well.

[KSMooniac]

Yep, totally normal.

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[Slick Nick]

Awesome thanks fellas!

[Fritz1]

interesting, my horns are pointing down in the Bravo in cruise, this may be different between a short body and a long body, I even know a guy with an Eagle that put little fairings at the bottom of the horizontal stabilizer in front of the horns, position may also be dependent on rigging of elevator bungees

[PT20J]

1 hour ago, Fritz1 said:

interesting, my horns are pointing down in the Bravo in cruise, this may be different between a short body and a long body, I even know a guy with an Eagle that put little fairings at the bottom of the horizontal stabilizer in front of the horns, position may also be dependent on rigging of elevator bungees

M20Ks and later have a bob weight and variable downspring instead of trim assist bungees used in earlier models and trim in flight with the elevator trailing edge up.

[blaine beaven]

Next flight, throw some gold bars behind the back seat (or something else heavy) and see what you get for a deflection. I find on my 78J that the elevator position depends on how the plane is loaded. 

[BravoWhiskey]

Like @Fritz1 mine point slightly down on the Bravo.  All the rigging and trim is good so I think nothing of it.  First time I noticed it I tried playing around with the trim… ended up being a waste of time.  It seems to change slightly depending on weight and balance and speed but only slightly.