If the elevator is kept neutral, your nose will drop throughout the roll -
no stall. You'll probably be over redline by the finish.

What actually happens as many acro students will attest to (and many dum dum
wanna bes who scare the living bejezus out of themselves) is that upon
approaching inverted and while noting the sudden nose drop, ones natural
response is to pullllllll. That's an inadvertant split S. Very easy and
natural to do. Almost unavoidable for the untrained. Good way to take the
wings off.

That's why instruction is so valuable. Learning to start nose up and push a
bit when you otherwise will want to pull will result in a passable roll of
sorts. A little acro skill may give you what you need to push and roll if
you ever find yourself upside down due to wake turb or something.

It's stupid to do in a 172 though. Same for a snap. My Maule will never
see one while I'm in the seat.

And a hex on CFIs that like to flip it to 'impress' their impressionable
students.

"Scott Lowrey" wrote in message
om...
If I'm crusing along at 100 KIAS in a 172 in clear air and I roll left
while maintaining neutral rudder, what will happen if I don't
neutralize the ailerons?

I'm picturing the plane rolling on to its back while losing altitude
and either completing the roll (doubtful) or stalling into a dive and
recovering in the other direction , right side up. (BTW, that's a
split-S, isn't it?)

I wouldn't anticipate a spin unless some serious rudder was cranked in
the direction of the roll.

-Scott "I feel like REALLY flying today" Lowrey