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The plans indicate mounting the trim control on the panel. My first thought is “no”. My goal is to make panel easily removable. Has anyone placed the trim control elsewhere? without issue?

Steve

My trim control is mounted as shown in the plans and my panel is removable. If i ever have to drop the panel to pull the tank removing the trim will be easiest step. There is so little real estate available I couldn't imagine putting it anywhere else. If I need to get to the back of my panel to look at a wiring or tubing issue I can remove the fasteners and pull it forward about 6 inches or so to work on.

pfhoeycfi wrote:My trim control is mounted as shown in the plans and my panel is removable. If i ever have to drop the panel to pull the tank removing the trim will be easiest step. There is so little real estate available I couldn't imagine putting it anywhere else. If I need to get to the back of my panel to look at a wiring or tubing issue I can remove the fasteners and pull it forward about 6 inches or so to work on.

I did see someones panel picture who had placed it in same location but right beneath the panel. Not sure how that worked or impacted leg room…?

Here's mine. Note you may need to open the image in a separate tab to see the whole thing including the trim.


One set screw for the wheel, two screws to mount it to the panel. Then you can pop it out and let it hang with the cables attached. Easy.

I was thinking of mounting it on the spar tunnel between the pilot's legs at a right angle to the "normal" position, on a little stand-off. It would be out of the way, easily accessible, and would make the ergonomics more like that of a conventional trim wheel (rotate forward, trim down; rotate back, trim up).

I went down the same road as Bryan. I put it under the panel as far over to the right as I could. It's an easy reach and not in the way of a passenger.
There's too much already happening on the left side. Throttle, flaps, brake, mixture.

Be careful attaching anything to the spar tunnel. The rivet tails might interfere with the insertion of the spars if in the wrong place.

I am using a Sonex Legacy trim tab attached to a Ray Allen servo mounted in the rear of the aircraft. Trim is actuated using a pan button on the grip. The dial-a-trim was way too bulky and took up too much panel space.

On the B-model the center stick is the only (stock) option, so you probably wouldn't want to move it to the right since your right hand will be on the stick. I put mine in the specified place and it seems ok, BUT it doesn't leave much room for a row of switches below the trim knob. I'll probably eventually move it a little higher if I don't swap it out for some kind of electrical trim.