Aircraft Automation ECOTRIM Manual

Aircraft Automation ECOTRIM Trim System
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ECOTRIM Trim System
Pilot’s Manual
By Aircraft Automation LLC

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Revision History:
Manual: ECOTRIM Trim System Manual
Revision:

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Index
1 The ECOTRIM Trim System operation ........................................................................................ 5
1.1 Purpose ......................................................................................................................... 5
1.2 General Description....................................................................................................... 6
1.3 ECOTRIM Control instruction ........................................................................................ 7
2 Pre-Flight procedures ............................................................................................................ 8
2.1 Pre-flight checks .......................................................................................................... 8
2.2 Before your first ECOTRIM Flight .................................................................................. 8
2.3 Normal daily operation recommended sequence ......................................................... 9
3 Emergency procedures........................................................................................................ 11
3.1 ECOTRIM Malfunction ................................................................................................. 11
3.2 Flutter .......................................................................................................................... 12
4. ECOTRIM installation. .......................................................................................................... 13
4.1 Block Diagram.............................................................................................................. 13
4.2 Harness Diagram ......................................................................................................... 14
5 REVERSING SERVO DIRECTION ............................................................................................. 17
5.1 ROLL SERVO DIRECTION .............................................................................................. 17
5.2 PITCH SERVO DIRECTION ................................................................................................ 18
5.3 YAW SERVO DIRECTION .................................................................................................. 18

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1 The ECOTRIM Trim System operation
1.1 Purpose
This Pilot’s Manual provides a general description, basic operation procedures, in-flight
operation procedures and operating parameters configuration for the Aircraft
Automation ECOTRIM Trim System.
Note:
The ECOTRIM Trim System is a tool provided to assist pilots with cockpit workload. The
ability of the ECOTRIM to provide proper assistance is directly proportional to the pilot’s
knowledge of its operating procedures. It is highly recommended that the pilot
develops a profound understanding of the autopilot its controls, its operation modes,
and operations procedures. Pilots should also be familiar with the ECOTRIM controller
operations.
Note:
THE ECOTRIM Trim System IS FOR EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT ONLY AND CAN ONLY
BE USED FOR DAY VFR FLIGHT TRIMING, PILOT SUPERVISION IS REQUIRED AT ALL
TIMES. IFR NOT APPROVED.
CONTROL WARNING: This Trim System needs very little authority to
trim your airplane. DO NOT INSTALL VERY LARGE TRIM TABS THAT
WILL UNABLE THE PILOT TO EASILY CONTROL THE AIRPLANE IN
CASE OF A SERVO RUNAWAY.

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1.2 General Description
The ECOTRIM is designed for a 3 1/8 in or a 2 1/4 in standard instrument hole. It is a very
simple control head but yet powerful. It comprises two red knobs to easily trim your aircraft.
You can trim your pitch and aileron, but if you add a third servo then YAW can also be
included. Aileron and Yaw share the same knob, just press for 3 seconds to toggle from one to
the other.
Trim position is shown on the instrument by two arrays of LEDs (automatic night diming).
Aileron and Yaw share the same array.
Take-off and landing, just click on the red knob and trims will immediately center.
The joystick (black ball) is on the top left-hand corner of the controller. If you click on it, your
airplane will now be flying using a joystick, just like a big yet fly-by-wire control. This will allow
you to fly your airplane in case of a mechanical linkage disconnect.
A prewired harness is available but you can also make your own. Add four extra wires and you
can connect your trim system to your pilot and/or copilot stick or yoke to use your hat switch
for trimming. Aileron hat switch can be shared with Yaw.
Connector is a DB15 at the rear of the unit. Pins are compatible with the SuperECO and iLevil
autopilots for easy upgrades.
An RS-232 port is provided for future interface with SuperECO and iLevil autopilots as well as
for synchronizing two ECOTRIMs.
If you want to make your own trims, you will need RC analog airplane servos. These PWM
signals are compatible with our ECOTRIM.

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1.3 ECOTRIM Control instruction
Fig 1: ECOTRIM CONTROL
DIMMING SENSOR: As light stops to shine into the window, the control unit will go on
to make the LEDs dimmer for night flying.
HORIZONTAL LED ARRAY: The horizontal array will show the position of the roll/yaw
trim-tab. When the trim-tab is in center position, the LED will show at the center of
travel. When activating fly-by-wire, multiple lights are shown. Click on the red knob
once to go back to normal trim mode.
HORIZONTAL TRIM KNOB: Just rotate the knob to change roll trim-tab to the desired
position. Click once on the knob to center trim tab (take-off and landing). Clicking for
three continuous seconds will activate YAW, both for the red knob and the hat switch.
Click once on the red knob to go back to AILERON mode.
VERTICAL LED ARRAY: The vertical array will show the position of the pitch trim-tab.
When the trim-tab is in center position, the LED will show at the center of travel. When
activating fly-by-wire, multiple lights are shown. Click on the red knob once to go back
to normal trim mode.
VERTICAL TRIM KNOB: Just rotate the knob to change pitch trim-tab to the desired
position. Click once on the knob to center trim tab (take off and landing)
FLY-BY-WIRE JOYSTICK: If for any reason you need to control your airplane faster
(control disconnect, etc) the joystick can be activated. Click on the joystick once, now
you can fly your airplane by moving the joystick (right,left,up,down). CLICK ON ANY OF
THE TWO RED KNOBS TO CANCEL FLY-BY-WIRE.
EXTERNAL HAT SWITCH: Wires are provided in the standard wire harness to connect
your yoke/stick hat switch. By pulsating the switch in any direction you will be able to
do small trim corrections.

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2 Pre-Flight procedures
2.1 Pre-flight checks
It is very important to include the following in your 360 pre-flight checks:
- Turn on the ECOTRIM controller and servos.
- Check each trim tab integrity and connection to servo.
- Check each trim tab servo is active by excising a small pressure on the trim tab.
It should maintain its position.
- Trim tabs should now be in the neutral position.
2.2 Before your first ECOTRIM Flight
Make sure your SERVO KILL SWITCH is installed, connected, and tested. THIS SWITCH SHOULD
ALWAYS BE ON, EVEN FOR TAKE OFF AND LANDINGS. This switch is only used for emergency
disconnect in case of servo runaway.

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2.3 Normal daily operation recommended sequence
This is an example of operation on a flight, from take-off to landing. It is a sample sequence
that will help you understand TRIM operation:
DURING ENGINE WARMUP ON GROUND
1. Push red knobs ONCE to center trim tabs.
IN FLIGHT
1. Rotate the horizontal red knob to adjust roll trim. Pulsating the hat switch right or
left will do small adjustments to roll trim.
2. Rotate the vertical red knob to adjust pitch trim. Pulsating the hat switch forward
and back will do small adjustments to pitch trim.
3. Press horizontal push knob for three consecutive seconds to activate yaw. Rotate
the horizontal red knob to adjust yaw trim. Pulsating the hat switch right or left
will do small adjustments to pitch trim. CLICK ONCE ON THE KNOB TO RETURN TO
ROLL ADJUSTMENTS.
4. Click on the Joystick once to fly your plane using the black joystick. CLICK ON ANY
RED KNOB TO GO BACK TO NORMAL TRIM OPERATIONS.
AT DESTINATION
1. Press each knob ONCE to center trim tabs. Yaw cannot be centered by clicking on
the knob.

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3 Emergency procedures
- KILL SERVO POWER THROUGH THE SERVO DISCONNECT SWITCH IF YOU OBSERVE
SERVO RUNAWAY OR OSCILLATING.
3.1 ECOTRIM Malfunction
An ECOTRIM malfunction may be recognized as an un-commanded deviation in the
airplane flight path. The primary concern in reacting to an autopilot malfunction is in
maintaining control of the airplane. Immediately grasp the flight stick or control wheel
and momentarily press both red knobs to center trim-tabs.
Finally, if the unit does not respond, then disconnect power to the servos by opening
the 5v power disconnect switch installed.

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3.2 Flutter
IF YOU OBSERVE ANY KIND OF CONTROL OSCILLATION, AIRCRAFT OSCILLATION OR
SIMILAR EVENT, REDUCE SPEED IMEDIATELY BY RAISING THE NOSE AND REMOVING
POWER.

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4. ECOTRIM installation.
4.1 Block Diagram

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4.2 Harness Diagram

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Harness diagram made easy:
To easily understand the harness, we will explain all components and wire colors
together with their function:
CON20. This DB15 connector is Female on the instrument and Male in the wiring
Harness. The pin numbers are shown looking at the connector from the rear of the
instrument:
Pin 1: This is 5-volt power supplied from the instrument to the model radio control
servos. The current that can be drawn from the instrument is enough to drive both
standard supplied servos. Should you install more powerful servos or more than one
for each function (pitch or roll) then a separate power supply should be provided. This
is done by disconnecting the White/Red cable form pin 1 and reconnecting it to the
provided power supply.
The 5-volt supplied to the servos should have a safety disconnect switch so that power
can be removed from the Yellow wire in case of a servo runaway. This is only for
emergency disconnect. The Yellow wire splices to the White/Orange wire inside each
servo connector where 5-volts is supplied. The splice is done inside the DB15
connector shell.
Pin 6: This is a Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) output provided by the instrument to
drive the pitch servo. A White/Blue wire inside a coaxial mesh is connected to this pin.
The other end of this wire ends up in the pitch servo connector.
Pin 14: This is a Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) output provided by the instrument to
drive the roll servo. A White/Blue wire inside a coaxial mesh is connected to this pin.
The other end of this wire ends up in the roll servo connector.
Pin 11: This is a Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) output provided by the instrument to
drive the yaw servo. A White/Blue wire inside a coaxial mesh is connected to this pin.
The other end of this wire ends up in the yaw servo connector.
Pin 8: This Black wire should be connected to ground. It is the zero-volt reference for
the instrument power supply, servos and serial port signals. Each servo connector has
one ground pin connected to this wire.
Pin 9: An optional momentary push button can be connected. Pulsing this push button
(hat switch) will trim roll to the right (or yaw right).
Pin 4: An optional momentary push button can be connected. Pulsing this push button
(hat switch) will trim roll to the left (or yaw left).
Pin 12: An optional momentary push button can be connected. Pulsing this push
button (hat switch) will trim pitch up.
Pin 5: An optional momentary push button can be connected. Pulsing this push button
(hat switch) will trim pitch up.

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Pin 15: Fused (or breaker) power should be connected to this Red wire. The instrument
will run from 9 to 32 Volts DC and should be protected with a 3-amp fuse or breaker.
Connection to Servos:
Each servo (pitch and roll) is connected through a 3-pin standard Model Radio Control
connector:
- Pin 1 (black wire/black shrink tube): ground
- Pin 2 (White/Orange wire): 5-vdc servo supply
- Pin 3 (Blue/Orange wire): Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) servo command.
Connect each servo or extension so that the black wire is aligned with black wire/black
shrink tube. Reverse connection of these cables will prevent the servos from working
normally but will not produce any permanent damage.
NOTE: for trim tab installation please refer to the separate Trim Tab installation manual
or videos at:
https://aircraftautomation.com/support/

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5 REVERSING SERVO DIRECTION
5.1 ROLL SERVO DIRECTION
The only setting that can be done in the ECOTRIM is reversing the servo direction.
Find a ½ in plastic plug at the rear of the controller. Remove the plug and you will see
two very small dip switches:
Rotate the knob to trim the airplane to the right, Check the following
- If the trim tab is installed on the left-wing aileron: Trim should be moving UP for
- If the trim tab is installed on the right-wing aileron: Trim should be moving DOWN
If the above is inverted, then flick dip switch number 1 as shown in the figure.
Direction can also be inverted by installing a PWM servo signal reverser cable in series
with the servo extension.

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5.2 PITCH SERVO DIRECTION
Select the correct pitch servo direction:
Rotate the knob to trim the airplane UP. Note the direction:
- The Trim Tab should be moving DOWN (moving up in a CANARD airplane)
If the above is inverted, then flick dip switch number 2 as shown in the figure.
Direction can also be inverted by installing a PWM servo signal reverser cable in series
with the servo extension.
5.3 YAW SERVO DIRECTION
Rotate the knob to trim the airplane to the right, Check the following
- YAW Trim should be moving LEFT
Direction can also be inverted by installing a PWM servo signal reverser cable in series
with the servo extension.