page_title: Radio-controlled aerobatics
section_title: Slow roll
hierarchical_section_title: Radio-controlled aerobatics / Intermediate RC maneuvers / Slow roll
caption_attribution_description: English: Hobbyist demonstrating the knife edge with an Extreme Flight 74" Slick, a radio-controlled airplane, at the HHAMS Aerodrome.
context_page_description: Radio-controlled aerobatics is the practice of flying radio-controlled aircraft in maneuvers involving aircraft attitudes that are not used in normal flight.
context_section_description: The slow roll is just what the name implies.  It is accomplished by inputting either right or left aileron.  However, unlike most axial rolls, the slow roll is performed using less than full deflection in the ailerons.  The result is a graceful maneuver, but because the aircraft is knife-edge or inverted for a long duration of time, rudder and elevator have to be used to maintain a straight flight path.
  When the left wing is down, right rudder is needed to hold level flight. Rolling slowly left will require moving the rudder slowly to the right, then back to center as the wings become level in inverted flight (where of course some elevator is needed), and then to the left as the roll continues and puts the right wing down, and finally back to center and the aircraft returns to straight and level flight.
  A slow roll performed on a straight line like an imaginary taut string is a deceptively difficult maneuver that will take considerable practice.  Its accomplishment may only be recognized by the best pilots but will lead the student to advanced maneuvers.
caption: Hobbyist demonstrating knife edge flying
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