Trim

[sonic]

I was trying the instrument rating checkride But for some reason couldnt maintain any type of trim at all I trim up and it zoomed up like 200 feet per minute from level. Same thing down one click of the trim sent me way to much what am I doing wrong. I hadnt really had this problem before.

[Pegase]

I can't either get a constant altitude just with the trim. I think, only the autopilot can do this.

The trim is just a control surface which helps to keep the wiched pitch attitude without having to push or pull your yoke to hard.

So by fact , asthe Cessna is a very stable plane, when you have your speed set for horizontal flight, your AVERAGE altitude will remain steady but yo cannot be sure that the peaks will stay within the altitude tolerance.

By the way, this tolerance is one ammong all the traps in this chackride:
It is told that you must keep +/- 100 feets, it is USUALLY right  but in approach, it is 50 feets lower 100 feets higher.

So, as you will have to combine horizontals, descents and climbs, the trim will just be an help but not a wizzard, you will have to play with the yoke.

Personnaly, I prefere to trim a bit negative. that way I have to adjust a light pulling effort rather than push or pull alternatively.

Success for your IFR checkride !!!
It took me two weeks during which I yelled awfull words to this poor examinator to finally get it (may be it was just because she simply did not want to hear about me anymore?... )

If anyway you finf hard to guess what the lady waits from you or don't understand why she told you that you where under a given altitude while you where sure you where rather above....This tutorial file will help you

ftp://63.217.28.218/1misc/InsideFS2004InstCheckride.zip