I don't want to start a pissing match, but I must beg to differ. Maybe I wasn't doing it right, but I do seem to remember hanging from the harness at some points during my aileron and slow rolls. I think the barrel roll was intended to be a positive G (not 1 G) maneuver, but I couldn't seem to get the hang of that particular one without ending up in some kind of weird nose-low attitude. If the goal is to roll 360 degrees about the long axis with the nose not moving more than a few degrees up or down, I just don't see how it can be a positive G maneuver, let alone a 1 G maneuver without excessive pitching at the same time (which is contrary to what I understand a simple aileron roll to be). But I'd love to discuss and be schooled a little.
I do agree 100% with all the rest though
You'll hang from the harnesses on a slow roll, but not an aileron roll.
THE FOLLOWING IS NOT AEROBATIC INSTRUCTION - BUT PERSPECTIVE FROM AN AEROBATIC PILOT!
From the pilot's perspective during the slow roll - you pick a reference point on the horizon, and roll the airplane, about the longitudinal axis,
on that point. It is a difficult and complex maneuver to master, and with a stick, follows a 'stir the chile bowl' pattern - ie move the stick to the right, then curve it around to top, and back in the same manner. The use of rudder is complicated! It's difficult because it is easy to get hung up half way through the maneuver, and with a loss of airspeed it can lead to stall, or generally falling out of the maneuver.
From the pilot's perspective during an aileron roll - you'll pitch the airplane up (depending on the airplane) to at least a 15º nose up attitude, then roll
about a reference point, using aileron and rudder in the direction of the roll. When inverted, the airplane is about a level (0º attitude), and when upright again, the airplane should be pitching down the same angle you started the maneuver, pitching up...in this example - 15º nose down. Level the wings, and pull up to level flight. Hence the term - ballistic profile.
The airplane's nose, again from the perspective of the pilot, should track a letter C with the reference point (and horizon) slicing the middle of the letter, and the ends are met by pitching up at the beginning of the maneuver from level, and pitching up at the end of the maneuver back to the horizon.
If you start the aileron roll from level attitude and just roll it - well read pilotyip's post!
Have fun guys, and get some aerobatic instruction.
BTW...a 400 series Cessna is not a good airplane to roll in any sense of the word...any idea why Bob Hoover liked the Aero Commander so much????
