1/2 rolls full rolls and two rolls.

[RC Steve Sterling]

Thanks Eric-- looks like a good exercise for us Intermediates that want to
move up from the 6 and 7 scores to 8s and 9s, and to prepare for the dreaded
"slow roll" in Advanced. Just doing roll after roll, I think I am just
setting in the same bad habits.
  -----Original Message-----
  From: discussion-request at nsrca.org [mailto:discussion-request at nsrca.org]On
Behalf Of Henderson,Eric
  Sent: Wednesday, July 09, 2003 6:38 PM
  To: discussion at nsrca.org
  Subject: 1/2 rolls full rolls and two rolls.


   There was a note a few days ago about rolling that I think still needs
some attention.There was a time when I cranked the ENYA 120R up to full bore
and tore into these maneuvers and got them over with as quickly as possible.
Now I like to roll as slowly as suits the maneuver and almost never at full
bore. (WOT) What changed the most was the plane I flew.  The older designs
required more rudder correction as they went from wing lift to fuselage
lift. Often the fuselages were too small and almost always the center or
lift of the fuselage was not even close to the CG.

  Today's planes have this worked out. The new designs are not nearly as
significant in how wide or bulky they are as to how well balanced they are.
I do not want to trash anyone's personal pet plane here but some of them
literally "roar" in knife edge due to the poor "balance of wing to fuse
side-area and CG relative to C/L.

  You can still do a very respectable axial roll with most planes out there.
Where I see folks struggle is the roll rate and the reaction to what the
plane is doing. If a plane is flying level and dips its nose you immediately
correct with elevator. If the same plane was in knife edge most of us would
roll out before jamming in some rudder.

  There is a 1/2 roll exercise that will help anyone trying to do good
rolls.  Try doing a half roll only, time and time again. Apply left aileron
at such a rate that the plane is not twinkle rolling. at the same time apply
right rudder until the plane is inverted. (A good discipline is to roll back
and not through the next 1/2 roll- at least not yet! - With my system you
only get to do the full roll if you can hit dead level in the 1/2 roll on a
regular basis.) What you will actually also do is a reflex "catch" of the
plane with a little down as it hits inverted. Stop rolling right there and
see what happened. If the plane climbed you put in too much rudder or vice
versa. If the plane lost heading you were too soon or left it in too long.

  You have to work at this 1/2 roll until you can transition to inverted
with confidence,

  Then you practice doing the same thing from and inverted entry. Left
aileron is this case is followed by left rudder. A simple rule is to say if
inverted rudder roll the same way. Keep doing these half rolls until you can
come out level an upright. Don't be tempted to string the two together until
you can do both 1/2 rolls equally as well. The first ten times you pause in
the center, then gradually it becomes one roll. It might seem tedious but it
is very like learning aileron coming towards you. At first you have a
"system" and thing it becomes instinctive.

  All of the above is aimed at horizontal 1/2 roll and single roll
maneuvers.

  Now to tackle the two consecutive rolls. I use used to do them with little
bumps of elevator and then with little bumps of rudder only. What change was
the planes. I would suggest that most of what I have seen is done at too
high a speed. Too much speed gives fast changes and less time to
think/react. the 2 rolls can be done at 1/2 throttle going downwind.  A
plane like the Quest, (Forgive the repeated mentions but is really does work
well in roils), only needs a touch of elevator as it goes through inverted,
none when upright and another touch through the second inverted. My Hydeout,
Hydeaway, Focus and Temptation, needed a touch of rudder as they came to
both of the upright positions.

  If your plane needs very little input you can roll it a bit slower and
give yourself more time to hit the "bumps of control input". If it needs a
lot of "altitude-maintenance-help" then you should elect to roll it a bit
quicker. If you are rolling it so fast that you don't need any input I will
wager that you are really rolling to fast.

  So will any of this help. Well it's a bit like learning to write, You
learn your letters, then words and then sentences. Take solace in how long
that took, and then apply that experience to give you the patience to work
on the 1/2 roll drill. Once you get a good roll that you commanded you come
back for more and more...

  Regards,

  Eric.

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