I'm looking for suggestions on how to improve my vertical rolls. I fly a 250 h.p. Skybolt. I know it is capable of performing one full vertical roll, but every time I try I end up left wing low and slightly on my back and just shy of completing a full roll. Should I be pulling less aggressively to vertical? More aggressively? Do I need stick and/or rudder input as the aircraft decelerates on the upline? How quickly should I move ailerons to input the roll ??
Thanks!
Cary Rodin
Victoria, B.C.

• RE: Vertical Rolls,djpacro, 11:22z, 05-18-03
• RE: Vertical Rolls,Patty_Wagstaff, 22:23z, 05-18-03

This can be a very big subject - like another I mentioned previously - best dealt with at our Asses Ears training camps over a bottle of red wine then, much later the next day:
There's an optimum load factor to pull up at to maximise airspeed in the vertical. The higher the entry speed, the higher that g value. Lower g for biplanes as they have higher induced drag. Sorry, I cant quantify it offhand. Your're going to do a lot of work to get the verticals right so start with this exercise.
Try pulling up at different g levels and note how high you go (note altitude as you go around in the hammerhead). The you need to work on the vertical line, without rolling. Helps to have some-one on the ground to critique, plus a sighting device on the I strut. Your critiquer should be able to tell you where you're going wrong.
Then do partial rolls. Many pilots look in the opposite direction to the roll - helps to pick up reference point for stopping the roll - otherwise it suddenly appears from behind the wing. Get your critiquer to correct your control inputs in doing a 1/4 roll then a 1/2 roll.
Once you've achieved a good vertical give it full aileron. Plus a dash of elevator and a tad of rudder as determined from these exercises. You need to get the verticals right before doing the roll exercises. The partial rolls help to identify errors due to your control input. An error in pitch input results in being offline in yaw by the time you've rolled around 90 deg.
Correcting deviations results in larger control deflections, extra drag so less vertical penetration.

Regards,
Dave Pilkington
http://www.ozaeros.com/clubaeros/assesear.htm

Hi Cary

Dave P. had some really excellent suggestions for you. Also, in Mike Goulian's book - I believe Advanced Aerobatics - I wrote about vertical rolls, as did he, so I suggest you get that

Whatever you are flying it takes loads of fuel and practice to get vertical rolls just right. It's easy to let the airplane go on its back as it gets slow and easy to let a wing drop - specifically the left one. As you pull into the vertical, look straight ahead and keep the airplane tracking straight. Keep the ailerons straight (it's easy to add a bit inadvertently), add a touch of right rudder for P factor and to keep the right wing down and just practice getting to vertical. Take it all one step at a time, get critiquing from someone qualified on the road and you'll get there.

Patty