At the minimum, you will need to trim the elevators very frequently as speed and power
settings are changed. The easiest way to trim is to assign the function to a physical controller
button, ideally a rocker type button. When we say “trim constantly,” we mean just that!
Airplanes like this don’t fly automatically. They require constant loving attention from the pilot
and trim is essential to make the it friendly. The best description is that you force the yoke in
the position required to achieve the flight condition you desire, and then you trim out the
control forces your muscles are exerting. This is where pilots learn to become pilots and once
you learn, you learn to love doing it!
To climb, you set what is called “25 squared.” This means you set 25 inches of manifold
pressure (or full throttle when the air gets too thin above 5,000 feet MSL to no longer allow 25
inches of MP), and 2500 RPM’s. Additionally, you have to lean the engine’s fuel flows as you
climb into the thinner air. To do this, you use the two mixture controls on the right side of the
throttle quadrant. You have a fuel flow gauge to the immediate right of the Manifold Gauge to
help this leaning function. Where the bottom of the green arc is located, you see something
labeled 75% power. Lean back until the two needles (for left and right engines) mark this
position.
At this point, you have leaned out to optimal fuel/air ratio and are producing the maximum
amount of power you can at your current manifold and RPM settings (figure 9). Properly
controlling aircraft power in the myriad of flight conditions associated with climb, cruise, and
descent is complicated and once again can only be fully understood with a complete reading of
the POH!
