On Wed, 03 Apr 2002 09:32:12 -0800

>> Something is overwriting the xyz offsets in the c172-3d-set.xml or
>> maybe it isn't reading that file?  Those are defaults from 
>> somewhere...probably from c172-set.xml.

  Andy Ross <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> replied:

>YASim _sets_ those offsets based on its own configuration.  I think
>this is a problem of data ownership -- who "owns" the location of the
>cockpit?  I argue that it's the FDM, since it's the code responsible
>for other issues of aircraft geometry.  But then the model wants it
>too.

I agree. The published geometric and physical properties 
of the aircraft - necessary for the creation of an 
aircraft flight model - often includes if not the exact 
eyepoint of the pilot at least a diagram that allows the 
flight modeler to deduce it. The flight modeler may also 
want to place a point mass weight where the pilot "sits", 
too, so the information is very much critical to the 
aircraft flight modeler. JSBSim will include the eyepoint 
of the pilot - as well as ballast to represent the pilot - 
regardless of whether or not the modeler uses it. I 
suggest that the FDM be looked to for supplying such a 
value - at least as a recommendation.

Also, be it known that the day is coming when a standard 
method of describing aircraft via some form of XML 
specification file is present. It is likely that the 
coordinate system used for such a standard specification 
will be one that is already a standard. That is, the 
aircraft structural frame: X axis increasing out the tail, 
Y axis increasing out the right side of the aircraft (when 
looking forward), and the Z axis of course positive 
upwards to complete the right-handed coordinate frame. The 
origin would typically be somewhere at the nose or just 
ahead of the nose of the aircraft, with the X axis either 
coincident with the centerline or parallel to it but below 
it (in order that all the Z coordinates would be positive 
numbers).

It would be nice if there was some coherent and stable 
method of describing aircraft models and how they relate 
to the aircraft structural frame, if not coincident.

Jon

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