Gyro set, Engaging the autopilot, Setting pitch trim – TruTrak Sorcerer – Outdated User Manual
Page 13
12
procedure is to select the desired
altitude and then press enter.
NOTE: The Barometer
must be set prior to
attempting to enter the
altitude select screen.
The display will show the
selected altitude even though the
autopilot is still off. This will
serve as a reminder that the
autopilot will climb to the
selected altitude when engaged.
It will not climb at a selected
airspeed, but will default to a
vertical speed of 500 fpm. This
can be adjusted with the vertical
speed rocker as usual.
Gyro Set
When the initializing has
been done correctly, the gyros
should already be centered at the
time of take off. If confirmation
of this is desired, with the aircraft
stationary on the runway,
pressing and holding the encoder
knob will put the gyros in the fast
centering mode. The knob
should be depressed for
approximately 10 seconds during
which time the words
GYRO
SET
will be displayed.
Engaging the
Autopilot
Since the autopilot
synchronizes to
vertical speed,
the vertical speed at the time of
engaging should be a value that
can be sustained. Otherwise
airspeed will diminish as the
aircraft attempts to sustain
vertical speed. As
airspeed then
diminishes to the pre-set
minimum it will hold this value
and thus prevent a stall.
When aircraft vertical speed
is less than approximately 450
feet per minute, the autopilot will
initially select zero vertical speed.
The vertical speed rocker can be
used to change the initial value if
desired.
Setting Pitch Trim
The pitch servo contains a
torque sensor that sends a signal
to the computer when the up or
down force greater than a
threshold value is required to fly
a selected flight condition. When
this signal indicates an out-of-
trim condition that persists in one
direction for more than a few
seconds, the three moving
horizontal bars will come into
view and move according to the
direction in which trim is
required. The pilot is then
required to operate the trim
control (electric or manual) so as
to bring the system to neutral
trim. With mechanical trim this
is easily done, but with electric
systems it may be necessary to
develop a technique. If the trim
is slow enough, the pilot has
plenty of time to react when the
bars disappear before the trim
condition is reversed. With a fast
trim it will be necessary to tap or
pulse the trim button so that it
will be slow enough to turn it off
before going too far. When a
reversal takes place, a slight tap
in the reverse direction may be
required to get the bars to stay