FPV - Trim Ball - Head Tracker

[Caldera]

Thanks for the replies!

Admittedly, I am a rock head and slow to get it... 

But I am an (ex) controls guy and I do struggle with concept of an "Aerodynamic Trim" sensor.  To my knowledge, there is no "Weather Vane Rooster" mounted any where on the AH-64D so the actual trimmed or not trimmed values and the Trim Ball indication are derived from another source.  I am just trying to get my head around that concept.

Frankly, the thing reacts more like the ball in the turn bank indicator of for example the P-47D than the gyroscopically driven instrument of a modern digital aircraft.

Caldera

Edited April 17, 2022 by Caldera

[Flamin_Squirrel]

27 minutes ago, Caldera said:

Frankly, the thing reacts more like the ball in the turn bank indicator of for example the P-47D than the gyroscopically driven instrument of a modern digital aircraft.

Caldera

 

That's because it basically is the same as from a P-47!

[Wrcknbckr]

Think of the trim ball as a lateral accelerometer. In (aerodynamic) trim in a straight flight all accelerations are zero, so trim ball stationary. Any trim ball deflection still showing is due to the gravity component. A left deflection if you are banked to the left, right if banked to the right (still trimmed). You might as will be trimmed in a sideward flight with FPV pointing sideways as long as it's stationary.

[shagrat]

vor einer Stunde schrieb Caldera:

Thanks for the replies!

Admittedly, I am a rock head and slow to get it... 

But I am an (ex) controls guy and I do struggle with concept of an "Aerodynamic Trim" sensor.  To my knowledge, there is no "Weather Vane Rooster" mounted any where on the AH-64D so the actual trimmed or not trimmed values and the Trim Ball indication are derived from another source.  I am just trying to get my head around that concept.

Frankly, the thing reacts more like the ball in the turn bank indicator of for example the P-47D than the gyroscopically driven instrument of a modern digital aircraft.

Caldera

 

If the digital ball irritates you, you may want to look at the "classic" oil dampened ball on the right, where the auxiliary instruments are?

Maybe it helps to think about the way a helicopter moves into a direction. You tilt the rotor disc in any direction you want. You could tilt the disc aft left the FPV would "point" to the aft left and the ball to the right... and that is definitely not "straight".

The amount it does not match the actual flight path is determined, by the amount of thrust from the tail rotor and/or torque turning the helicopter clockwise...

[Caldera]

Thanks to all!

It was really this experiment that in a side ways sort of way turned the light bulb on for me.  Simply watching what the Trim Ball did, as I rocked the aircraft back and forth.

Caldera

Edited April 17, 2022 by Caldera