A barrel roll is NOT an aerobatic thing.....
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I think the original post (which refers to an aileron roll - not barrel roll) - perhaps the whole thread should be removed just in case some idiot (or unsuspecting, unquestioning novice) believes it.
Please, just because you've seen a master like Bob Hoover do it with such panache and apparent ease, don't assume that it is easy. There are many factors to be considered. To mention just two:
- A barrel roll is most definitely an aerobatic manoeuvre whether defined by Aresti or not.
- It can be flown in virtually any aircraft by a competent, properly trained pilot without stressing the aircraft.
- If not flown properly it is the biggest potential height loser of all aerobatic manoeuvres.
- If not flown properly (by even a small margin of error) it will result in high stresses that most non-aerobatic aircraft will not survive unscathed.
Please, just because you've seen a master like Bob Hoover do it with such panache and apparent ease, don't assume that it is easy. There are many factors to be considered. To mention just two:
- If the nose isn't high enough in the inverted, there will always be considerable height loss if the manoeuvre is continued.
- Control inputs and stick/(rudder) forces vary throughout the manoeuvre (unlike the steady aileron input of the aileron roll) - the whys and wherefores need to be fully understood before embarking on the exercise.
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There was a Yak fatality at Bournemouth some years ago. Apparently on the last fly past the pilot decided to do a barrel roll over the airfield (close to the ground).....uh oh, guess what happened. Trouble is it is not just the pilot....
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And to add, a barrel roll is not a +1G manoeuvre, it is a positive G manoeuvre. You have to have more than 1 G in the initial pull up and you have to have more than 1G during the pull out at the bottom. How much depends on exactly what others are speaking about here.
Yes it can be done in almost any aircraft, but if you do it in one that is not an aerobatic aircraft then you are a test pilot and I hope you have test pilot skills in order to ensure you do not stress the aircraft.
I reckon the barrel roll has to be one of, if not the most, misunderstood aerobatic manoeuvre out there. People who say it is only +1G have never flown one.
To do one at constant pitch and roll rates requires real skill. You will notice in the videos that Mr Hoover doesn't do a textbook barrel roll (and neither is his loops) they are modified to achieve the desired wow factor, whilst maintaining an acceptable degree of safety close to the ground (this by the way is what made Mr Hoover such a good air show and display pilot - he knew how to achieve the wow factor whilst still maintaining his own level of safety). Notice how he pulls up to between 45 and 60 degrees nose up before he begins his rolls, this means he will have a nice high nose attitude before he begins the rolls (feet on the horizon at least) but more importantly it means he will have very little if any height loss and it gives him plenty of room to adjust his pitch rate coming out of the manoeuvre to ensure he doesn't overstress the airframe but also have the pull up completed close to the ground for the extra wow factor. The same applies to the loops (most air show pilots do it), the loops aren't round, they are elliptical with the top of the loop abbreviated ie the pitch rate is increased so that during the pullout again you do not have to load the aircraft up to ensure you lose no height and can then adjust your rate of pitch to have the loop finishing close to the ground for the wow factor.
Anyway back to the barrel roll and topic at hand, it is most definitely an aerobatic manoeuvre, I believe the author was simply trying to state that it can be used to get out of an unusual attitude and was trying to get his audience to be less nervous about it by saying it is not an aerobatic manoeuvre. The latter is obviously wrong.
Cheers
CB
Yes it can be done in almost any aircraft, but if you do it in one that is not an aerobatic aircraft then you are a test pilot and I hope you have test pilot skills in order to ensure you do not stress the aircraft.
I reckon the barrel roll has to be one of, if not the most, misunderstood aerobatic manoeuvre out there. People who say it is only +1G have never flown one.
To do one at constant pitch and roll rates requires real skill. You will notice in the videos that Mr Hoover doesn't do a textbook barrel roll (and neither is his loops) they are modified to achieve the desired wow factor, whilst maintaining an acceptable degree of safety close to the ground (this by the way is what made Mr Hoover such a good air show and display pilot - he knew how to achieve the wow factor whilst still maintaining his own level of safety). Notice how he pulls up to between 45 and 60 degrees nose up before he begins his rolls, this means he will have a nice high nose attitude before he begins the rolls (feet on the horizon at least) but more importantly it means he will have very little if any height loss and it gives him plenty of room to adjust his pitch rate coming out of the manoeuvre to ensure he doesn't overstress the airframe but also have the pull up completed close to the ground for the extra wow factor. The same applies to the loops (most air show pilots do it), the loops aren't round, they are elliptical with the top of the loop abbreviated ie the pitch rate is increased so that during the pullout again you do not have to load the aircraft up to ensure you lose no height and can then adjust your rate of pitch to have the loop finishing close to the ground for the wow factor.
Anyway back to the barrel roll and topic at hand, it is most definitely an aerobatic manoeuvre, I believe the author was simply trying to state that it can be used to get out of an unusual attitude and was trying to get his audience to be less nervous about it by saying it is not an aerobatic manoeuvre. The latter is obviously wrong.
Cheers
CB
