LECTURE 3

Coordinate systems used in flight dynamics

For the characteristic of coordinate system it is necessary to set coordinate origin

position some basic direction and the basic plane. All coordinate systems used in a flight
dynamics are right handed one.
For setting equations of motion in projections the moving coordinate systems are
used, origin of which is located in the centre of weights of an aircraft.
Normal, body-axes, wind and trajectory coordinate systems are relative to such
moving coordinate systems.
1. Normal coordinate system ox g y g z g (Fig. 3.1).

Fig. 3.1
The vertical axis oy g is directed along the prolongation of radius-vector o1o , which
is connecting the centre of the Earth with the aircraft weights centre. The basic

plane

ox g z g coincides with local horizontal one, i.e. plane passing through the point o and

perpendicular to axis oy g . The axis ox g is directed to the north parallel to tangent to the
geographical meridian, the axis oz g is located parallel to tangent to a geographical parallel
in a direction from west to east.

2. Body-axes coordinate system ox y z

The basic plane o x y (Fig. 3.2) is a plane of symmetry of an aircraft. The axes of a
body-axes coordinate system coincide with the longitudinal ox , the normal oy and the
transversal

oz axes of an aircraft. The direction of longitudinal axes can be chosen

according to the basic axes

of the aircraft or according to the projection of a mean

aerodynamic chord to a plane of symmetry of a aircraft, or along the main longitudinal axis
of inertia of an aircraft. The position of the longitudinal axis should specially be stipulated.
The connected system is rigidly fixed with respect to the aircraft and its position with
respect to normal system determines attitude of an aircraft. It is characterized by Euler yaw,
pitch and roll angles.

Fig. 3.2
The yaw angle is the angle between axis

ox g of normal coordinate system and

projection of longitudinal axis ox on a local horizontal plane ox g z g of normal coordinate

system. Yaw angle is positive, when axis

ox g is combined with the projection of a

longitudinal axis to horizontal plane by rotation around the axis oy g counter-clockwise if to

look from the end of this axis.
Pitch angle is the angle

between a longitudinal axis of an aircraft ox and local

horizontal plane. It is positive, when the longitudinal axis is above the horizontal plane.
Roll angle is the angle between a transversal

axis oz and oz g axis of normal

coordinate system removed in the horizontal plane in position appropriates to zero yaw
angle, or between a normal axis oy and local vertical plane containing a longitudinal axis
ox . Roll angle is positive, when the removed axis oz g is combined with transversal axis by
a rotation round a longitudinal axis counter-clockwise if to look from the end of this axis. as
a rule, the connected system, is used at the analysis of the aircraft attitude. The aerodynamic
forces (longitudinal, normal, transversal) and moments (roll, yaw, pitch) which acts on
aircraft in flight of this system can be set in projections on these axes.
3. Wind coordinate system oxa ya za (Fig. 3.3).
This system is applied basically for determination of aerodynamic forces which are
acted on the aircraft. Therefore the basic direction in this system - direction of air speed of
an aircraft V , i.e. the speed of an aircraft relative to air environment. If the air is motionless,

the air speed coincides with the Earth. At presence of wind, having speed W relative to the
Earth:

Vk V W .

The wind axis oxa (Fig. 3.3) is directed along air speed V of an aircraft, the axis of

Fig. 3.3

lift oya lies in a plane of symmetry of an aircraft and is directed to a top of an aircraft, the
lateral axis oza forms the right of coordinate system with axes oxa and oya .
The position of an aircraft relative to air flow determining quantity of aerodynamic
forces , is set by two angles, and , which describe relative attitude of the connected and
wind coordinate systems. The angle of attack is the angle between a longitudinal axis ox

of an aircraft and projection of air speed V on an aircraft symmetry plane.

The yaw angle - is the angle between vector of air speed and an aircraft symmetry
plane.
Usually when determining angles of attack and sliding, the body-axes coordinate
system is used, the axis ox is oriented along a projection of wing mean aerodynamic chord
(MAC). In relation to normal coordinate system the wind coordinate system is rotated on
angles a , a and a : the wind yaw angles, pitch angles and roll angles have the same
definitions as the Euler angles , and in the connected system (fig. 3.4).

Fig. 3.4

4. Trajectory coordinate system

Analysing an aircraft motion reflective to the Earth it is convenient to build a system

of coordinates on the basis of the earth rate instead of air speed .
The appropriate coordinate system is called the trajectory coordinate system.
The trajectory coordinate system ox k yk z k is shown in (Fig. 3.5).

Fig. 4.1

Axis oxk coincides with flight vehicle earth speed direction Vk . Axis oyk lies in a

local vertical plane which goes through axis ox k and is directed upwards from the Earth
surface. The axis oz k forms the right system of coordinates. Compared to normal system
the trajectory coordinate system is moved at angles and .

Angle of the path is the angle between projection Vk on local horizontal plane (travelling

speed V ) and axis ox g .

n
.

Flight pass angle is formed by earth speed direction V (axis oxk ) and local horizontal
k
.
plane ox g z g
.

If the wind is absent axis oxa also coincides with axis oxk and the angle of the path
coincides with the speed angle a , the flight pass angle is equal pitch angle a .In the
case of the straight-line flight, without rolling and sliding and at the absence of wind
between angles and the following simple ratio (fig. 3.6) is obtained.

(3.1)

Fig. 3.6

As we have already marked, for derivation of equations of motion of an aircraft it is

often necessary to recalculate the projections of vectors (speeds, forces etc.), given in one
coordinate system, to the projections of the same vectors in other coordinate system. The
most convenient way to do this transition is to use tables of direction cosines.
Let's look at the direction cosines for transition from normal, connected and wing coordinate
systems to trajectory coordinate system.
Normal coordinate system

ox g

oy g

oz g

oxk
oyk

sin
sin cos
cos
sin sin
cos
0
Body - axes coordinate system
ox
oy
oz
cos cos
sin cos
sin
cos sin a
sin cos a
cos cos a

oz k

cos sin sin a

sin sin a

oxk
oyk
oz k

cos sin sin a

sin sin cos a
Wind - axes coordinate system
oxa
oya
1
0
0
cos a
0
sin a

oxk
oyk
oz k

cos cos
cos sin
sin

sin sin sin a

cos sin a

cos sin a

oza
0
sin a
cos a

Motion equations of an aircraft as a material point generally.

As we have already mentioned the following external forces act on an aircraft during its
flight, in general case: They are: mass forces directed

vertically

along

axis oy g
,

aerodynamic force, which can be presented by three terms wind - axes coordinate system
axis, lift force Ya , drag force X a and lateral force Z a .
And at last it is the engine thrust force P , which is assumed to be directed along engine
axis generally inclined to wing chord at angle .
Let's make up aircraft motion equation in the projection on trajectory coordinate
system axis. For this purpose it is necessary to find projections of all external forces to the
appropriate axes. It is known that force is the product of weight on acceleration. Now it is
necessary to find formula for acceleration on tangent along axis trajectory oxk , on normal to
trajectory (along axis oyk ) and on axis oz k .
The acceleration of motion on tangent to flight trajectory (tangential acceleration) is

equal to derivative dVk dt Vk .

The force which is directed along axis oxk

(flight speed) will be represented by

projections sum of all external forces on tangent to flight trajectory (on axis oxk ). Taking
into account, that at wind absence axis oxk and oxa , coincide, Vk V a , and using
tables of direction cosines, we shall obtain:
m

dV
P cos( ) cos X a G sin .
dt

(3.2)

The motion acceleration on normal to trajectory (on axis oyk ) is centripetal acceleration.
We know from mechanics that it is determined by the expression:
V2 ,
jn
R

(3.3)

Where V is the speed of flight, R is the radius of trajectory curvature .

Analysing an aircraft motion it is convenient to express centripetal acceleration through
angular velocity of trajectory rotation d dt . It is easy to make sure that at any moment of
time the equality takes place:
VR

d
.
dt

(3.4)

That is why the centripetal acceleration may be represented as:

jn V

d
.
dt

Quantity and sign of centripetal acceleration will be determined by quantity and sign
of all forces projections operating the flight vehicle on flight trajectory normal axis oyk .
Projecting forces on axis oyk

we shall obtain the second equation of the longitudinal

motion.
mV

d
P sin( ) cos a cos( ) sin sin a
dt

Ya cos a Z a sin a G cos .

(3.5)

The third equation is obtained in the similar way.

mV cos P sin( ) sin a cos( ) sin sin a
Ya sin a Z a cos a .

(3.6)

These motion equations are set up without taking into account diurnal rotation of the
Earth and its surface curvature, because the items which take into account these factors at
actual values of flight speeds appear negligible ( especially in planes).
To the above-stated equations it is necessary to add kinematic relations. The basic kinematic
relations dealing with high, speed and flight pass angle is obvious and looks like this:
dH
H V sin .
dt

(3.7)

These equations are set up for the most common cases of the aircraft flight along
spatial trajectory when the angle of roll and sliding angle are available. The research of such
spatial motion by means of these equations presents a difficult problem, because these
equations are non-linear differential equations and the integration generally can be produced
only by means of numerical integration methods.
The research of simple kinds of motion is of significant interest. It occurs when the
airplane goes along the trajectory lying in one plane, for example, in a horizontal or vertical
plane. For such flat motions the equation of motion becomes simple.