View Single Post
  #1  
Old July 20th 06, 05:36 PM posted to rec.aviation.piloting
Dudley Henriques[_1_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 135
Default barrel roll in 172


"Andrey Serbinenko" wrote in message
...
Possible? Yes, but you will finish much lower than where you started.


So, basically it's just because of a low-hp engine that the maneuver
can't be properly executed?



Andrey


Horsepower has absolutely nothing to do with the ability of an aircraft to
do a barrel roll. Airspeed and energy are all that's required and this can
be supplied even in an aircraft having no engine at all such as a glider or
a sail plane.
It helps of course if you have horsepower, but horsepower simply allows for
an entry into the roll from a higher nose attitude.
Also, barrel rolls can be done using various amounts of positive g as long
as positive g is applied to the aircraft through the roll.
The problem in discussing this issue in the context of using a normal
category airplane to do it, even considering the utility envelope if
available on such an airplane, isn't whether or not the maneuver can be
done. It's whether the pilot in such an airplane can keep the execution of
the roll inside safe parameters.
I have done barrel rolls in demonstration many times, as have pilots like
Bob Hoover, Bobby Bishop, and many others; not to mention Scotty McCray
using a sail plane. The issue as I've said isn't whether or not it can be
done in non aerobatic certificated airplanes. It most certainly can be done.
The issue is that to do ANY aerobatic maneuver SAFELY in these airplanes,
the maneuver has to be perfectly. There is little room for mistake or error.
It is extremely easy due to the lack of aerobatic performance; ie roll rate
and indeed "horsepower" to get these airplanes into extremely dangerous
recovery situations if a maneuver is botched.
This is the reason why you will get the type of answers you have been
getting on this newsgroup.
No one here knows who you are or why you are asking this question, so quite
naturally, the overwhelming reaction of the group at large is to post an
answer to you that not only protects you, but as well sets others who might
happen upon what has been said here, straight on this issue.
Dudley Henriques