Originally posted by Rodney
In spite of what Damantheus says, put in that right thrust unless you want the heading to change every time you change throttle settings. High wing planes and bipes seem to require more right thrust than others. I have had some midwing and low wing planes that require very little right thrust though.
It's interesting that so few people actually want to consider the physics of the matter of engine thrust direction, perhaps due to never having varied from the "norm" which has plagued us all of these years. Those bipes I have built without a hint of right thrust that have acted perfectly normal and only gain altitude with increased throttle are prime examples. But, I'm new here.
If control surface trim is "supposed" to make a plane lose track when throttle is applied, what do we "think" will happen when more throttle is applied with an off center engine that is pulling the nose to the right?
dntmn asks a great question, which means he's probably wondering about the reasoning behind the situation. I'm sure there are aircraft that benefit in some manner or another from engines that are not on the centerline, but I have yet to come across one.
It's a toss up: I choose to trim my planes differently (when it's even necessary) and keep the engine on the centerline. I am an advocate of straight and true regarding an airplane's construction and wing alignment, etc. etc.
Try building a plane with thrust along the centerline before advocating sticking to the norm. If it doesn't work, it's easy enough to add some right thrust. Just my opinion based on my experiences. That's what this board is for, right? Sharing experiences? Don't discount my opinion and experience just because I'm new here, Rodney.