The inverted elevator is one of the easiest 3D maneuvers to perform once you grasp a couple of basic techniques. An inverted elevator is when the plane is inverted and descending almost vertically with very little forward gain as the plane floats towards the ground like a leaf. For this maneuver you need full down elevator on 3D rates. It also helps to have 3D rates on ailerons as well to increase roll response due to the inverted elevator being a stalled maneuver. Ailerons will be used to keep the wings level as the plane falls towards the ground. There is no or very little throttle used on this maneuver except for when it's time to pull out of the maneuver.

The rudder which is probably the most important control input used during the maneuver, and the hardest to master, is used to steer the plane and keep it on course.

Typically most planes perform an inverted elevator better than an upright elevator, meaning that the inverted elevator is usually more stable and has less or no wing rock compared to the right side up elevator.

OK so here are the basic steps that I use in performing the inverted elevator.

- To get into position, come across the far side of the runway from left to right or right to left. At center of runway and when the plane is directly in front of you, go vertical, climbing straight up. On the way up execute a 1/4 roll so you are looking at the top of the plane. Go fairly high for your first few tries. 

- So now the plane should be centered directly in front of you and still climbing with the nose of the plane pointing straight up and you looking at the top of the plane.

- Once you reach a comfortable altitude, chop the throttle and as your vertical speed bleeds off put in full down elevator (on 3D rates) right before the plane stalls.

- The plane will do a ¾ outside flip and then just start descending in an inverted attitude.

- Keep holding in full down elevator till you are ready to exit the maneuver.

- Now the plane should be inverted and falling towards the ground with the nose of the plane pointing directly towards you.

- The only thing you have to do now is let gravity do its job while you keep the wings level and the nose of the plane pointing directly towards you at all times by using slight rudder inputs for correction.

- The key to learning this maneuver is keeping the nose of the plane pointing at you at all times as the plane floats down.

- I used a visual at first till it became natural. You basically fly the nose of the plane. The nose of the plane is what I am looking at the most during this maneuver, and also that the wings remain level.

Make yourself use this visual: push the rudder stick in the direction you want the nose of the plane to go. This visual really helps but you have to practice making yourself use this visual which can be half of the battle. Once you can grasp this technique you are 95% there. Eventually you won’t even think about it and it will become natural. If the nose of the plane starts to go left, push the rudder stick to the right because that is the direction you want the nose of the plane to go. Then you just let off of the rudder input when you get the nose of the plane pointing back directly in front of you. If the nose of the plane starts to go right, push the rudder stick to the left because that is the direction you want the nose of the plane to go. Then once again you just let off of the rudder input when you get the nose of the plane pointing back directly in front of you. You have to stay on top of the rudder corrections though to keep the plane pointing towards you at all times. It will require more rudder correction in windy conditions. It's not really hard once you get the hang of it. If the nose of the plane gets turned more than 45 degrees from you it's time to roll out and try it again from up high. After a lot of practice you can just steer the plane all over the place without worrying about which way it is pointed.

Also, don't let the plane get too low. You can get trapped below a certain point and the only way out is to rotate from inverted to vertical which is not the most comforting thing to do at first. If you get too low there is no time to roll out so your only out is to add throttle while still holding full down elevator and as the plane rotates to vertical let off down elevator and punch out vertically.

One thing that I have found when performing this maneuver, some planes will perform this maneuver with no throttle at all but some planes such as my Sukhoi require a few clicks of throttle to get it locked in solid into the inverted elevator. Otherwise I just get really bad wing rock on the Sukhoi. A few clicks of throttle and the wing rock is completely gone. My CAP 580 on the other hand is very solid with no throttle.

Once you get all of the above steps mastered you can do other maneuvers such as the inverted elevator spin just by adding full left or right rudder and a little opposite aileron.

The ultimate inverted elevator experience is when you can bring the plane down right in front of you to almost touching the rudder on the ground, slowly rotating into a hover by adding a little power right before the rudder touches the ground and then going into a torque roll. If you rotate slowly enough you can keep the plane right on the deck. If you don't want to keep it low just slowly rotate by adding throttle, let off of down elevator as the plane rotates and reaches vertical and then just punch out vertically. When you are this low be careful not to over rotate or your plane will be in the ground.

If you punch the throttle with full down elevator you better be quick and anticipate letting off of the elevator just prior to the plane reaching vertical. I have over rotated before but was not so low that it affected me. Since then I have learned to apply throttle slowly during the rotation from inverted elevator to vertical. Applying throttle slowly during the rotation is a must if you want to keep the plane from over rotating and also keep it at the same altitude as it rotates to vertical.

If you have a simulator try to find a plane that will do a solid inverted elevator and practice on the simulator first. A 3D foamy is great for practicing this maneuver too.

I learned this maneuver on a simulator and a 3D foamy first and they really helped a lot. I already knew how to steer the plane around from the simulator and foamy practice before I ever tried it with my 1/3 scale planes. Then when I did try it with my 1/3 scale planes, it was so easy and less risky.