Aero.dat - Revision history

Ola at 10:33, 6 March 2007

2007-03-06T10:33:20Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:33, 6 March 2007
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	}		}

	A wing can be defined with one or several panels. For elevator and rudder surfaces, one panel is mostly sufficient. A main wing should have at least 4 panels in total (two left, two right).		A wing can be defined with one or several panels. For elevator and rudder surfaces, one panel is mostly sufficient. A main wing should have at least 4 panels in total (two left, two right). When not defined, variables default to zero. That means, if certain things are not to be used on the wing panel (such as a spoiler), the variables do not have to be set.

	When not defined, variables default to zero. That means, if certain things are not to be used on the wing panel (such as a spoiler), the variables do not have to be set.

	Please see the example illustration of the Ventus aero model to get a picture of how the panels are defined.		Please see the example illustration of the Ventus aero model to get a picture of how the panels are defined.

	~~Variable descriptions:~~		'''General data:'''

	General data:

	name = <text string>		name = <text string>

Ola at 10:30, 6 March 2007

2007-03-06T10:30:03Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:30, 6 March 2007
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	If the panel is positioned behind a propeller, you can set this value higher than 0.0 to have a propwash effect on the panel. This will for example allow for rudder and elevator authority when standing still on the Antares model.		If the panel is positioned behind a propeller, you can set this value higher than 0.0 to have a propwash effect on the panel. This will for example allow for rudder and elevator authority when standing still on the Antares model.

	'''Control surface variables:''' ~~(can be left out if the panel has no controls)~~		'''Control surface variables:'''

	The control system of Silent Wings is quite flexible, and can handle more exotic designs like canards, v-tails and flying wings. You can add all the controllers to have an effect on every panel in different ways.		The control system of Silent Wings is quite flexible, and can handle more exotic designs like canards, v-tails and flying wings. You can add all the controllers to have an effect on every panel in different ways. If the panel has no controls, these entries need not be defined.

	delta_max = <float>		delta_max = <float>
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	The amount of throttle control that is to be applied to the flap (this is rather uncommon, so it will mostly be left out. It can be used to compensate or emulate some throttle effects)		The amount of throttle control that is to be applied to the flap (this is rather uncommon, so it will mostly be left out. It can be used to compensate or emulate some throttle effects)

	Spoiler/airbrake variables: ~~(can be left out if~~ the panel has no ~~airbrake or spoiler)~~		'''Spoiler/airbrake variables:'''

			If the panel has no controls, these entries need not be defined.

	brake_on = 0 or 1		brake_on = 0 or 1

Ola at 10:28, 6 March 2007

2007-03-06T10:28:36Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:28, 6 March 2007
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	If the panel is positioned behind a propeller, you can set this value higher than 0.0 to have a propwash effect on the panel. This will for example allow for rudder and elevator authority when standing still on the Antares model.		If the panel is positioned behind a propeller, you can set this value higher than 0.0 to have a propwash effect on the panel. This will for example allow for rudder and elevator authority when standing still on the Antares model.

	Control surface variables: (can be left out if the panel has ~~non~~ controls)		'''Control surface variables:''' (can be left out if the panel has no controls)

	The control system of Silent Wings is quite flexible, and can handle more exotic designs like canards, v-tails and flying wings. You can add all the controllers to have an effect on every panel in different ways.		The control system of Silent Wings is quite flexible, and can handle more exotic designs like canards, v-tails and flying wings. You can add all the controllers to have an effect on every panel in different ways.

Ola at 10:27, 6 March 2007

2007-03-06T10:27:35Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:27, 6 March 2007
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	name = rudder		name = rudder
	profile = naca0012f60		profile = naca0012f60
	k = 1.2		k = 1.2
	aspectratio = 1.1		aspectratio = 1.1
	meanchord = 1.2		meanchord = 1.2
	cd_adjust = 0.0		cd_adjust = 0.0
	}		}

Ola at 10:26, 6 March 2007

2007-03-06T10:26:28Z

Show changes

Ola at 10:21, 6 March 2007

2007-03-06T10:21:03Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:21, 6 March 2007
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	The aero.dat configuration file describes the aerodynamic properties of the flight model. Currently, Silent Wings has two different aerodynamic models to choose from: The "panel model" and the "linear" model. For all player-controlled aircraft the panel model is recommended. This way of modelling has become quite popular in flight simulators, and is also sometimes called "~~blade element theory~~" ~~as this~~ is a method commonly used to simulate propellers. Silent Wings uses an extended Blade Element Theory on the propeller model, whereas the Panel Model is modified even more to be suited for a fixed-wing aircraft, even with low aspect ratio wings.		The aero.dat configuration file describes the aerodynamic properties of the flight model. Currently, Silent Wings has two different aerodynamic models to choose from: The "panel model" and the "linear" model.

			For all player-controlled aircraft the panel model is recommended. This way of modelling has become quite popular in flight simulators, and is also sometimes called "Blade Element Theory" which is a method commonly used to simulate propellers. Silent Wings uses an extended Blade Element Theory on the propeller model, whereas the Panel Model is modified even more to be suited for a fixed-wing aircraft, even with low aspect ratio wings.

	The linear model is implemented for use on autopilot controlled aircraft such as the towplane, and will only behave realistic at a small speed range. See the end of this article for a brief description of the linear model file format.		The linear model is implemented for use on autopilot controlled aircraft such as the towplane, and will only behave realistic at a small speed range. See the end of this article for a brief description of the linear model file format.

Ola at 10:18, 6 March 2007

2007-03-06T10:18:07Z

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-The aero.dat configuration file describes the aerodynamic properties of the flight model.
+The aero.dat configuration file describes the aerodynamic properties of the flight model. Currently, Silent Wings has two different aerodynamic models to choose from: The "panel model" and the "linear" model. For all player-controlled aircraft the panel model is recommended. This way of modelling has become quite popular in flight simulators, and is also sometimes called "blade element theory" as this is a method commonly used to simulate propellers. Silent Wings uses an extended Blade Element Theory on the propeller model, whereas the Panel Model is modified even more to be suited for a fixed-wing aircraft, even with low aspect ratio wings.
-The Silent Wings aerodynamic model works with a "panel model" that describes the geometrical design of the aircraft that is to be simulated. By manually dividing an aircraft into segments, or "panels", the flight dynamics code can calculate the forces that act on the aircraft and let it fly.
+The linear model is implemented for use on autopilot controlled aircraft such as the towplane, and will only behave realistic at a small speed range. See the end of this article for a brief description of the linear model file format.
-The panel model works with two different panels: wingpanels and fuselage panels. The Wing panels are used to describe the wings and fins on the aircraft. Every wing panel needs an airfoil to do the aerodynamic definition, so these airfoils need to be defined as well.
+The Silent Wings panel model describes the geometrical design of the aircraft that is to be simulated. By manually dividing an aircraft into segments, or "panels", the flight dynamics code can calculate the forces that act on the aircraft and let it fly. The panel model works with two different panels: wingpanels and fuselage panels. The Wing panels are used to describe the wings and fins on the aircraft. Every wing panel needs an airfoil to do the aerodynamic definition, so these airfoils need to be defined as well.
 The airfoils can be shared between panels of the same wing, and are therefor defined before the wing panels. You must define one airfoil for each wing (or fin), also when they all would use the same airfoil, because the airfoil is defined with 3-dimensional properties (aspect ratio of wing, etc).
@@ Line 239: / Line 239: @@
 The drag of an extended landing gear.
 [[Category:Aircraft Physics]]

Ola at 23:04, 5 March 2007

2007-03-05T23:04:36Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:04, 5 March 2007
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	The drag of an extended landing gear.		The drag of an extended landing gear.

	[[~~:category~~:Aircraft Physics]]		[[Category:Aircraft Physics]]

Ola at 23:03, 5 March 2007

2007-03-05T23:03:41Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:03, 5 March 2007
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	The drag of an extended landing gear.		The drag of an extended landing gear.

			[[:category:Aircraft Physics]]

Ola at 22:49, 5 March 2007

2007-03-05T22:49:48Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:49, 5 March 2007
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	profile = <name>		profile = <name>

	There are two airfoil file formats available. The ~~first and oldest format is a fileset of 3 files, defining lift~~ (~~name~~.cl~~), drag (name~~.cd~~) and pitch moment (name~~.cm). ~~(TODO: write docs)~~		There are [[Polar file formats \| two airfoil file formats]] available. The <name> specifies the file name '''without''' the extension (.polar or .cl/.cd/.cm). The polar files are to be put in the Silent Wings/data/airfoils directory.

	The second file format defines the complete polar in a single file (name.polar). It can easily be generated from polars calculated with the free 2d airfoil program xfoil, using a simple perl script called xf2sw.

	The ~~airfoil~~ polar ~~fileset to use. These~~ files are ~~found~~ in the airfoils directory~~. There are 3 files for one airfoil, defining lift (.cl), drag (.cd) and pitch moment (.cm), that all have the same name~~.

	k = <float>		k = <float>