Lecture 7 : Flight Equations of Motion

Or the differential equations for a 6 DOF model

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1.0 Recap - 6 DOF Dynamics Model

• For flight dynamics & control, the reference frame is located

at the cg, aligned with the aircraft and moves with it.

Xb

Yb

Zb

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The 6 DOFs correspond to :

• translation along the X,Y,Z directions

– velocity vector in body axes V = {u,v,w}

• rotation about the X,Y, Z axes

– angular velocity vector in body axes  = {p,q,r}

Now we need to relate forces and moments to these 6 DOFs

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• Denote the forces acting on the aircraft by F = {X,Y,Z}
– These forces act at the origin (c.g) of the reference frame

• Similarly denote the moments by Mcg = {l, m, n}

– These are the roll, pitch and yaw moments taken wrt the c.g.

Question: So how do we relate the force to the 3 translational

DOF’s ?

Answer : F = d(mV)/dt = m {u’, v’, w’} ?

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2.0 Coriolis theorem

Coriolis Theorem states that the absolute or actual time rate of

change of a vector r = xi + yj + zk where the reference frame ijk
rotates with absolute angular velocity  = pi + q j + rk
is :

dr/dt = ( dx/dt i + dy/dt j + dz/dt k ) +  x r

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2.1 Translational equations of motion

The translational motion is governed

by :

(mV)/t+  x = F
(mV)

Assuming the mass m is constant over the time interval of

interest, this works out as ...

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Translational equations of motion

u' + qw – rv = X/m

v' + ru – pw = Y/m

w' + pv – qu = Z/m

Note the nonlinear terms arising from the correction  x

(mV)
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Notes:

We can decompose

F = + T + W
Faero

i.e.

aero forces Faero =

{Xaero, Yaero, Zaero}
thrust T =
{Tx, TY, TZ }
weight W = cos
Mg {-sin cos cos }
sin

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3.0 Angular momentum and moments

The moments acting on the aircraft may be related to the 3

rotational DOFs by

dH/dt = M

where M is the moment of the forces acting on the aircraft

H is the angular momentum of the aircraft

Question : Where’s the catch ?

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The relation holds only if both M and H are taken wrt
(a)

or

(b)

The second case holds for our reference frame.

So what’s Hcg for an aircraft ?

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3.1 Computing the angular momentum Hcg of an aircraft

Consider a small piece of the aircraft of mass dm located

at r = {x,y,z} wrt the body axes.

Yb

dm
Zb

Xb

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The linear momentum of this small mass relative to the cg is

dLcg = ( x r) dm
= {p, q, r} x { x, y, z} dm

= {qz - ry, rx - pz, py - qx}

dm

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The angular momentum wrt the cg of this small mass is

dHcg = r x dLcg

= r x ( x r) dm

= { x, y, z} x {qz - ry, rx - pz, py - qx} dm

Finally we sum over the whole aircraft

=  { x, y, z} x {qz - ry, rx - pz, py

Hcg
- qx} dm

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Simplifying the rhs, the aircraft angular momentum is Hcg = 
Icg
Where

 (y2 + - xy - zx

z2)dm dm dm
= -  xy  (z2 + -  yz
Icg
dm x2)dm dm
-  zx -  (x2 +
dm yz y2)dm

is the moment of inertia matrix.

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The principal moments of inertia are:

Ixx=  (y2 + Iyy=  (z2 + Izz=  (x2 +

z2)dm x2)dm y2)dm

The crossed moments of inertia are:

Ixy=  xy Iyz=  yz Izx=  zx

dm dm dm

What’s the difference with planar motion of rigid bodies ?

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 Ex : Simplifications for symmetric aircraft

Question : Which is the plane of symmetry ?

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 Consider Ixy =  xy
dm

For each section along the X axis,

Y the contribution from the left
side cancels the contribution
from the right.

 Ixy = 0 Is that all ?

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 Similarly for Iyz=  yz
Y dm

For each section along the Z axis,

the contribution from the left
side cancels the contribution
Z from the right.

 Iyz = 0

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 Ixx 0 -Ixz
Hence the moment of inertia
= 0 Iyy 0
matrix simplifies to: Icg
-Ixz 0 Izz

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3.2 Rotational equations of motion

Now apply Coriolis theorem to dHcg/dt = Mcg

where Hcg =  Icg the rotational equations of motion

are:

( +  x ( Icg) =
Mcg
Icg )/t

Which simplifies ( Ixy = Iyz = 0 ) to

:
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 Ixx p’ + ( Izz - Iyy ) qr - Ixz ( r’ + pq ) = l

Iyy q’ + ( Ixx - Izz ) pr - Ixz ( r2 – p2 ) = m

Izz r’ + ( Iyy - Ixx ) pq - Ixz ( p’ - qr ) = n

Assuming the XZ plane is a plane of symmetry

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 Summary : The basic 6 DOF model for symmetric aircraft

u' + q w – r v = (Xaero+Tx)/m - g sin

v' + r u – p w = (Yaero+Ty)/m + g cos sin
w' + p v – q u = (Zaero+Tz)/m + g cos cos

Ixx p’ + ( Izz - Iyy ) qr - Ixz ( r’ + pq ) = l

Iyy q’ + ( Ixx - Izz ) pr - Ixz ( r2 – p2 ) = m
Izz r’ + ( Iyy - Ixx) pq - Ixz ( p’ - qr ) n
=

' = p + (q sin + r cos )

tan
' = q cos - r sin
' = (q sin + r cos ) sec
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Homework thrust
x
Assume the thrust vector lies in the
plane of symmetry, act at the c.g. 
with an orientation angle  from
the X axis as shown.

Using the relations:

u = VT cos  y
cos v = VT

sin z
w = Vexpressions
Derive T cos for ’, ’and
Vsin
T’
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Answer : These are the translational EOM in flight path axes

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