Trimming your Sailplane

A good pilot may often extract respectable results from a poorly trimmed sailplane, but much better results will be obtained by all pilots if their sailplanes are trimmed in a way that suits their skill level AND the purpose for which their sailplanes will be used. A sailplane that is not trimmed to fly efficiently will be difficult to score highly with in todays demanding thermal competitions. For TD contests it is extremely important to have your glider setup to fly as efficiently as possible while at the same time remaining predictable and controllable in all situations including launch, various thermal conditions, returning from downwind and in the landing zone. Often different setup options can be done at home on the bench with details from many online sources such as RCGroups etc. This is perfect as a starting point before you go out and “maiden” a new model but there is much more to do at the field if you are to optimize the ability of your new sailplane to launch, thermal and land well. This series of articles by various expert pilots helps us to understand the intricacies of trim, CG and setup to accomplish this goal. You can also enlist the assistance of experienced members at the field if you need more help in trimming your sailplane.
Gordon Buckland