Sport Pilot Talk

I answered my own question by going and looking at some pictures.

drdehave, the speed that you picked up would not be due to the trim adjustment. With an elevator trim tab the adjustment you made would have allowed greater deflection of the trim tab to position the elevator to maintain level flight. The greater deflection of the tab would lead to more drag, not less. To reduce drag an adjustment to the airframe to decrease the trim tab angle would need to be made, something like changing the angle of the horizontal stabilizer. Maybe the increase in speed was due to some other factor, like cooler weather or a more aft CG.

Could be, I just know that Bill Canino at Sportair, who presumably knows more about this lsa than anybody, told him, when we were searching for clues to our speed differences, "The first thing you should check is your trim adjustment."

drdehave wrote:Could be, I just know that Bill Canino at Sportair, who presumably knows more about this lsa than anybody, told him, when we were searching for clues to our speed differences, "The first thing you should check is your trim adjustment."

If he is having to use full nose down trim for level flight, then maybe something else is wrong. Maybe the flaps are a degree or two down. this would explain slower speed, better climb, and the need for the trim. Another possible issue is thrust angle could be off a little. I have seen other airplanes that needed a little adjustment in this area. Ideally you need the trim tab in the neutral position at cruise for the least drag. I am talking about the actual tab, and not the indicator.