gyro
GSN Contributor
Description of the maneuver
The Rolling Harrier is a stalled 3D maneuver where the aircraft is tracing a horizontal flight path, while continuously rolling, with the axis of the fuselage angled up at 30-60 degrees, usually 45 degrees. The pilot inputs up elevator, rudder, down elevator, rudder, and up elevator again repeatedly as the aircraft rolls to maintain attitude and to steer the path of the aircraft. Throttle setting is medium to low, requiring less thrust than a hover or torque roll but more than a standard harrier. The maneuver first gained widespread recognition at the 1999 TOC, where it was performed by Sebastiano Silvestri.
Level of difficulty
This is the most advanced standard stalled 3D maneuver. A pilot should be proficient with the harrier, inverted harrier, knife-edge, and hover before attempting this maneuver.
Performing the Maneuver
Start by practicing continuous slow or medium speed rolls with rudder and elevator correction. Use low rates to practice this. As the plane rolls to knife edge, feed in rudder in the opposite direction as you are rolling. Feed in some down elevator as it goes inverted. Feed in rudder in the same direction as you are rolling as it passes through the second knife-edge position, then as it comes around through upright feed in some up elevator.
When you are comfortable with these stick movements, you can attempt to do them stalled and do a real rolling harrier.
Image courtesy of Arron Bates
Slow the aircraft to a low airspeed, about the same as required for a standard landing. Pull the nose up to about 45 degrees then command full aileron. As the aircraft starts to roll, feed in top rudder, then down elevator, then top rudder, then up elevator again as it comes around to upright. You should be starting to take out the elevator input as you are starting to give the rudder input, so that as the aircraft passes through 45 degrees, you have approximately as much elevator input as rudder input. The amount of input required will depend on the aircraft. Some with large control surfaces and lots of side area require about 1/4 of the stick movement, others will need full stick movements to keep the prop attitude. However, full aileron should always be commanded through this maneuver. Adjust the throttle to keep the aircraft at the proper sink or climb rate...increasing throttle will bring the nose up and cause a climb, decreasing throttle will cause the nose to come down and the aircraft to sink.
The aircraft should be set up on high rates for rudder and elevator (typically 45 degrees). The exponential settings should be set so that the pilot feels comfortable with flying and recovering the aircraft but can still attain full throw. Ailerons should be set to at least 25 degrees. Higher aileron throw/roll rates will make the aircraft more stable during the maneuver, but will make it more difficult to keep up with the constant rudder and elevator corrections.
Entering from a harrier
Let off the elevator a little bit, then command full aileron and start the maneuver. Because all aircraft will harrier at a slower airspeed than they will do a rolling harrier, be prepared for the first few rotations to be slow. If the aileron rates are low, the aircraft may be reluctant to enter the maneuver from a harrier.
Entering from knife edge
Simply start the maneuver from a slow, high-alpha knife edge, commanding full aileron and inputting elevator while letting off of the rudder. Because all aircraft will knife-edge at a higher airspeed than harrier or rolling harrier, be prepared for the first few rotations to be much faster than normal. Only attempt this when you are very proficient with both maneuvers.
Steering
Change the timing of the inputs. Giving the inputs earlier will cause the aircraft to turn in the opposite direction of the roll, while giving them later will cause the aircraft to turn in the same direction as the roll.
Exiting
Release ailerons and add power when you are comfortable with your attitude. The plane should almost immediately come out of the stall. Adding plenty of power will get you out quicker.
Common mistakes
Rolling too slowly will make the plane wobble and not track properly through the maneuver. A proper roll rate must be maintained or the aircraft will become unstable.
Not using the rudder and simply correcting with the elevator makes the maneuver much easier but significantly reduces the pilots control over the aircraft and is a bad habit to get into. With some aircraft this will result in an acceptable looking maneuver, with others it will look sloppy.
Tips
Practice, practice, practice. There are no secrets to this maneuver!
Here are a couple of video tutorials by BoneDoc:
And one by Nathan LeBaron
The Rolling Harrier is a stalled 3D maneuver where the aircraft is tracing a horizontal flight path, while continuously rolling, with the axis of the fuselage angled up at 30-60 degrees, usually 45 degrees. The pilot inputs up elevator, rudder, down elevator, rudder, and up elevator again repeatedly as the aircraft rolls to maintain attitude and to steer the path of the aircraft. Throttle setting is medium to low, requiring less thrust than a hover or torque roll but more than a standard harrier. The maneuver first gained widespread recognition at the 1999 TOC, where it was performed by Sebastiano Silvestri.
Level of difficulty
This is the most advanced standard stalled 3D maneuver. A pilot should be proficient with the harrier, inverted harrier, knife-edge, and hover before attempting this maneuver.
Performing the Maneuver
Start by practicing continuous slow or medium speed rolls with rudder and elevator correction. Use low rates to practice this. As the plane rolls to knife edge, feed in rudder in the opposite direction as you are rolling. Feed in some down elevator as it goes inverted. Feed in rudder in the same direction as you are rolling as it passes through the second knife-edge position, then as it comes around through upright feed in some up elevator.
When you are comfortable with these stick movements, you can attempt to do them stalled and do a real rolling harrier.
Image courtesy of Arron Bates
Slow the aircraft to a low airspeed, about the same as required for a standard landing. Pull the nose up to about 45 degrees then command full aileron. As the aircraft starts to roll, feed in top rudder, then down elevator, then top rudder, then up elevator again as it comes around to upright. You should be starting to take out the elevator input as you are starting to give the rudder input, so that as the aircraft passes through 45 degrees, you have approximately as much elevator input as rudder input. The amount of input required will depend on the aircraft. Some with large control surfaces and lots of side area require about 1/4 of the stick movement, others will need full stick movements to keep the prop attitude. However, full aileron should always be commanded through this maneuver. Adjust the throttle to keep the aircraft at the proper sink or climb rate...increasing throttle will bring the nose up and cause a climb, decreasing throttle will cause the nose to come down and the aircraft to sink.
The aircraft should be set up on high rates for rudder and elevator (typically 45 degrees). The exponential settings should be set so that the pilot feels comfortable with flying and recovering the aircraft but can still attain full throw. Ailerons should be set to at least 25 degrees. Higher aileron throw/roll rates will make the aircraft more stable during the maneuver, but will make it more difficult to keep up with the constant rudder and elevator corrections.
Entering from a harrier
Let off the elevator a little bit, then command full aileron and start the maneuver. Because all aircraft will harrier at a slower airspeed than they will do a rolling harrier, be prepared for the first few rotations to be slow. If the aileron rates are low, the aircraft may be reluctant to enter the maneuver from a harrier.
Entering from knife edge
Simply start the maneuver from a slow, high-alpha knife edge, commanding full aileron and inputting elevator while letting off of the rudder. Because all aircraft will knife-edge at a higher airspeed than harrier or rolling harrier, be prepared for the first few rotations to be much faster than normal. Only attempt this when you are very proficient with both maneuvers.
Steering
Change the timing of the inputs. Giving the inputs earlier will cause the aircraft to turn in the opposite direction of the roll, while giving them later will cause the aircraft to turn in the same direction as the roll.
Exiting
Release ailerons and add power when you are comfortable with your attitude. The plane should almost immediately come out of the stall. Adding plenty of power will get you out quicker.
Common mistakes
Rolling too slowly will make the plane wobble and not track properly through the maneuver. A proper roll rate must be maintained or the aircraft will become unstable.
Not using the rudder and simply correcting with the elevator makes the maneuver much easier but significantly reduces the pilots control over the aircraft and is a bad habit to get into. With some aircraft this will result in an acceptable looking maneuver, with others it will look sloppy.
Tips
Practice, practice, practice. There are no secrets to this maneuver!
Here are a couple of video tutorials by BoneDoc:
And one by Nathan LeBaron
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