Talk:Slow roll (aeronautics)

Are "slow roll" and "aileron roll" synonyms?

This page and the page called Aileron roll appear to be describing the same phenomenon, and various sources treat the two terms as synonyms: see for example the entry for "slow roll" in the Multilingual Aeronautical Dictionary published by NATO's Advisory Group for Aerospace Research and Development (AGARD) in 1980, which defines "slow roll" as "a roll performed largely by movement of the ailerons, the rudder and elevators being used for trimming purposes, and the flight path remaining substantially straight throughout" and adds "Also called an aileron roll". Timothy Cooper (talk) 10:03, 30 July 2015 (UTC)

The short answer is: no. The two maneuvers look almost identical from outside the cockpit, but from inside it is clear that there is a very distinct difference. In an aileron roll, you pull up on the stick and then push it forward again (going back to a neutral position), and then roll with the ailerons using no elevator. It's the aerial version of "popping a wheelie."

In a slow roll, you may be rolling as fast as possible or you may take a full ten minutes to roll the plane. In this case, you have to use both rudder and elevator during the roll to keep on course, or else you'll find yourself in a nose dive towards the ground. An aileron roll is fairly easy for a beginner, but a slow roll takes a great amount of practice even for an expert. An aileron roll is clumsy and uncoordinated, but extremely fun, while a slow roll is precise and difficult. An aileron roll will also keep the g-force positive, while a slow roll turns you all around like clothes in a dryer. Zaereth (talk) 10:45, 30 July 2015 (UTC)

I might also add that, in combat, both can have very different advantages and disadvantages. For example, an attacker trying to keep the nose aligned with an opponent will be likely to use a slow roll when necessary, whereas a defender desperately trying to avoid a shot would be more apt to use an aileron roll to initiate evasive action. Zaereth (talk) 00:47, 31 July 2015 (UTC)