Originally Posted by curvedsky
Back to the whiteboard people, focus now:
Talk me through your recovery from this assumed 100kt/2600' agl/Inverted 'unusual position'.
Nobody seems willing to pick up this gauntlet, perhaps because it has been stated on some forums that former Hawker Hunter pilots are not really qualified to give an opinion on contemporary Hunter flying. I disagree, the machine hasn't changed and neither have the laws of physics. And this not a personal gripe; I am a current-ish Hunter pilot (I last flew one two months ago). Anyway, back to the gauntlet.
In this hypothetical situation with such a low speed at the apex, my actions would be to immediately apply full thrust and one notch of flap. Perhaps it is possible to roll off the top unweighted at 100kts, but I certainly wouldn't try and it is unnecessary, especially with 2600 ft to work with.
I would gently coax and allow the aircraft to follow its trajectory. Once the nose passes through the horizon inverted, the acceleration will be building quickly and, as
sometimehunterpilot suggests, I would roll out at a safe speed and angle and fly away.
My instructor often surprised me with a 'knock it off' call in mid-manoeuvre, so an unambiguous and well thought through escape plan for each critical stage of the routine was essential.