User Guide

Flight Simulator
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Microsoft
Time for a Trim?
Having fun roaming around Rome? Have you chased everyone out of the city
yet? I’m glad you’re practicing. Let’s try another experiment.
1. Press P to reactivate the simulation.
2. Press Z to disengage the autopilot (if it was on), and manually fly straight
and level.
It’s possible that you may need a little forward pressure or back pressure
on the joystick to keep the airplane in level flight. This means you need a
little trim. No, I’m not referring to your flowing locks.
3. Press P to pause the simulation before continuing.
Airplanes are subject to an assortment of aerodynamic forces. Some try to pitch
the nose up, others try to pitch it down. Engine power, weight placement, and lift
are just a few of these forces. What does this mean to you? Well, if the airplane
wants to pitch forward, you can’t sit there pulling back on the joystick for the
entire flight. You’ll get tired fast. So let’s use the trim control to keep the airplane
in the desired attitude.
Here’s how it works:
1. Press P to reactivate the simulation.
2. Ease up the pressure you’re applying to the joystick to maintain level flight.
3. Watch the needle in the VSI. If it begins to show a climb (rotates upward),
then apply a little forward pressure on the joystick to return to level flight
just as you did in the previous exercise.
4. Press the 7 key on the numeric keypad once for a little nose-down trim.
(Make sure the NUM LOCK on your keyboard is off). Release the pressure
on the joystick and see what happens.
The more you push the trim button, the more trim you apply. Be patient; you
may have to repeat this same process several times until the VSI’s needle
remains relatively horizontal, near the zero climb rate value.
5. If the VSI’s needle shows a descent (rotates downward), apply a little back
pressure on the joystick to return the airplane to level flight.
6. Press the 1 key on the numeric keypad a few times for nose-up trim.
Release the joystick pressure and watch the VSI’s needle response.
7. Repeat the process as necessary until the airplane neither climbs nor
descends.
Think of trim as anThink of trim as an
Think of trim as anThink of trim as an
Think of trim as an
imaginary hand thatimaginary hand that
imaginary hand thatimaginary hand that
imaginary hand that
holds the airplane inholds the airplane in
holds the airplane inholds the airplane in
holds the airplane in
the desired attitudethe desired attitude
the desired attitudethe desired attitude
the desired attitude
while eliminating thewhile eliminating the
while eliminating thewhile eliminating the
while eliminating the
pressure you apply topressure you apply to
pressure you apply topressure you apply to
pressure you apply to
the joystick.the joystick.
the joystick.the joystick.
the joystick.
Use two keys on theUse two keys on the
Use two keys on theUse two keys on the
Use two keys on the
numeric keypadnumeric keypad
numeric keypadnumeric keypad
numeric keypad
to trim to trim
to trim to trim
to trim
the airplane for thethe airplane for the
the airplane for thethe airplane for the
the airplane for the
proper pitch attitude.proper pitch attitude.
proper pitch attitude.proper pitch attitude.
proper pitch attitude.
Key number Key number
Key number Key number
Key number 1
provides provides
provides provides
provides
nose-up trimnose-up trim
nose-up trimnose-up trim
nose-up trim
and key and key
and key and key
and key
number number
number number
number 7
provides provides
provides provides
provides
nose-down trim.nose-down trim.
nose-down trim.nose-down trim.
nose-down trim.