Tailplane and elevator in line in flight?

[garytex]

Bill Wheat makes sense.  I will quit wondering if I could go faster with a different trim condition.  I found that I could affect airspeed by loading in my old Grumman Cheetah as far aft as possible.  This would bring the elevator into a faired position with the tailplane.  If I was a little light in the baggage, I could move the seat back about 3 inches, it would fair, and I would pick up a couple of knots.  The Mooney trim system is not analogous, however.

Thanks, Guys

Gary

[sleepingsquirrel]

duplicate

[sleepingsquirrel]

For what it's worth I went up today and forced the elevator into streamline as I trimmed the tail for level flight. It was an emormous amount of back pressure I had to exert to keep the elevator in line with the stab. It was FAR more than the bungee pressure I can feel on the ground, if I had let it go the plane would have tucked under, there was a very apparent reduction of AOA and speed increased about 4 M.P.H.

I'm suspecting that when the wing went flat there was less downwash on the tail plane.

[M016576]

Quote: sleepingsquirrel

For what it's worth I went up today and forced the elevator into streamline as I trimmed the tail for level flight. It was an emormous amount of back pressure I had to exert to keep the elevator in line with the stab. It was FAR more than the bungee pressure I can feel on the ground, if I had let it go the plane would have tucked under, there was a very apparent reduction of AOA and speed increased about 4 M.P.H.

I'm suspecting that when the wing went flat there was less downwash on the tail plane.

[sleepingsquirrel]

I was at 4000 feet maintaining level flight 23" MP and 2300 RPM. I was amazed at the amount of back pressure to keep the elevator aligned with the stab. I eased it once to find out that it wanted to dive or tuck under. Possibly with a rearward CG the elevator pressure would be reduced and stay in alignment and trim out for that 4 M.P.H. in level flight.

I've read here that the Mooney will go faster with a rearward CG.