Aileron only rolls are fine in aerobatic aircraft and fast jets with virtually symmetrical wing sections but for a warbird with a lifting section and substantial dihedral it’s a different matter.
I beg to differ (there’s always one!)…
All the simple aerobatic aircraft I have flown, ranging from a Tiger Moth through Harvards to Jet Provosts, will aileron roll quite nicely. As has been said, even some large transport aircraft will roll, although these tend to be barrell rolls rather than aileron rolls. Even a BN Islander will do a passable barrell roll (ahem!…) Wing section is immaterial; what is important is that the nose of the aircraft is high enough to start the manouvre, as in a true aileron roll the nose will drop as the roll continues. How much this drops is dependant on the aircraft type, speed etc. Which is why you will always see a correctly flown aileron roll started on a positive upward vector. For example, a Tiger Moth, with poor ailerons, will need a very high nose attitude to start and a very steep dive to finish, which is why Barrell Rolls are better in a Tiger Moth. Chipmunk is superb at aileron rolls (good ailerons) – pitch up to 20-30 degrees, stop the pitch input (Important-the aircraft needs to rotate only, with absolutely no pitch input at all), roll with full aileron, and keep your feet still on the rudder. Any pitch or rudder input will tend to make the aicraft finish off line. The aircraft will recover in level flight at approx 30 degrees nose down, again depending on type and speed….
Most advanced aerobatic aircraft have such powerful ailerons that a true aileron roll is over in fractions of a second. I actually find it more difficult to fly a passable slow roll or barrell roll in a Pitts Special or Extra than in a Stampe or Chipmunk!
Its all in the ailerons 😎
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