TriPage1 » Page 13 of 25

by Jeff Aranyos

Well hello there. September is history and with it the better part of the flying season. So try to get out there and fly as much as you can. You'll be thankful you did when it's twenty below out. I've joined the crowded ranks of those who have landed inverted. It happened with my Extra. I came across low and slow, and I got lower and lower until I was about a foot off the ground. Everything was cool until I ran out of elevator. It stalled, I had no time to gun the engine. The rudder shot off the fin and it scraped to a stop. A little CA glue and we're back in business. No biggie. Sorry about not having an article last month, but school started and I haven't had time to write. This article is being composed on stolen time as it is. I don't know if I will continue through the winter, as it is not a time when people are out trying new maneuvers.

The acrobatic topic for the month is somewhat of a change from past months. Torque rolls are extremely difficult to do, especially in the wind. But a perfect torque roll is a sight to behold. Before I get into the details of how to do the maneuver, I want to mention a few set-up tips for your plane. It is crucial that you have an extremely reliable engine with predictable transition. I wouldn't attempt a torque roll in a trainer because it is not only next to impossible, but most trainers don't have enough power to "hang on the prop". I would recommend the CG in the aft portion of the range specified by the designer of the plane. Lastly, a high pitch prop (I have a 13-8 on the OS .91 two stroke in my Extra, and it works fine) could help, but it is not required.

The most important part of the torque roll is the start. You must fly across the field at about quarter throttle into the wind. When you feel you're ready, pull to vertical. It is essential that you get absolutely vertical, or the maneuver will never occur. Once you're sure that you are totally vertical, cut the power. Let the airplane coast to a stop. Then you have to be quick. Once the plane stops, gun it to full. This whole time, you have to keep the plane straight with the controls. This is difficult to do at low speeds, but once you get the propwash over the tail, it helps greatly with control effectiveness. Here is where this maneuver is made or broken.

If you've managed to keep it vertical through the transition to full, the plane will begin to hang on the prop. Leave the ailerons alone, but keep the plane vertical with the rudder and elevator (Sometimes aileron orrection is necessary to keep it vertical). After a while in this attitude, the torque of the engine will start to make the plane roll left. Don't cheat by adding left aileron, let the prop do the work. If you've managed to make it this far, congratulations. You're well on your way. Now, as the plane rolls around, you are no longer into the wind. So correction is required as the plane exposes different parts of itself to the wind. It is impossible to explain exactly what corrections are needed, as each time is purely situational.

Also (even though I have never seen this), if your plane's power to weight ratio doesn't exceed 1:1, it may slide backwards in a vertical trackwhile still rolling from the torque of the engine. This is by far the coolest variation of the maneuver. I suppose you could make your plane do that by not giving it full power after it stops, but the torque at this lower RPM might not be enough to make it roll on axis. Try it and lemmie hear about what happened.

Now that the plane has completed one rotation, you're probably about three seconds away from cardiac arrest, so end your performance with a stall (hammerhead) turn and maybe spin on the way down. There are ways that you can look professional even if you mess up the maneuver. If it falls off one way sometime during the maneuver, simply give it full rudder in the direction of the fall. This will result in a stall turn. Wait until the nose points down, then cut the power and do some snaps or spins or rolls or something on the way down, with an inverted push to level rather than a standard pull out. These additional stunts will "redeem" you if you blow the actual torque roll. As you gain confidence, try to do them lower. Come across the field level at idle before pulling up. This gives you less of a vertical line before it stops, and results in a lower maneuver. This also gives you less time to get it perfectly vertical before gunning it. Guys at TOC (Tournament of Champions) take off, get vertical, start a torque roll and then slide backwards to altitudes where THERE IS NO HOPE OF RECOVERY SHOULD IT FALL OFF!!! Plus these guys do this with third scale Extras and Ultimates that cost thousands. While you and me probably won't be as spectacular as that, we can still put on a show. I hope you found this change of pace article interesting and educating. Till next time, see ya at the field.