June 17, 2004

Trim and Shipshape

05D's just come back from its annual, and I'm the first to fly it. From the moment we lift off from 33 at Oakland, I notice it needs much more right rudder than I remember -- even in cruise, which is highly unusual. But I've also noticed that every time I return to flying a 172 after flying Lou's Arrow, I always think there's something wrong with the rudder trim, so I only mutter a few half-hearted complaints while I struggle to get to Napa under the hood. It seems really wrong, but not unsafe, so I don't press the issue. And then John takes the plane for the third time around the approach... by the time we're on the ground 30 minutes later at Oakland, I've heard an earful about the guys at XYZ corp (our unnamed maintenance shop) and the total mess they've made of the damn rudder trim. Thank Christ it wasn't just me...

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