Inertial tensors & Center of mass?

[Gibbon]

inertial tensors & Center of mass??

Hi, I am trying my best to program a simple flight simulator (or just movement for now!) and having problems.

But whilst doing more research into it, I've come across a few things I am not doing, and can't really find a undersstandble answer too?

I need to know the "Center of Mass" of the object or plane in this case?

Now the plane is made up of 4 bodies fuselarge, main wing, horizontal & vertical stabaliser.

So how do i find the center of mass?

And also apparently i need to know the intertial tensors or moment of inertia? How do i get this?

My maths isn't great and all is a learning curve.

Thanks
Andy

 

[eljose79]

Hello Andy,

As a scientist who specializes in mechanics and motion, I can definitely help you with your questions about inertial tensors and center of mass. These are important concepts to understand when designing and programming a flight simulator or any type of movement simulation.

First, let's start with the center of mass. This is the point at which an object's entire mass can be considered to be concentrated. In other words, if you were to place the entire object on a single point, that point would be the center of mass. In your case, the center of mass for your plane would be the point where all four bodies (fuselage, main wing, horizontal stabilizer, and vertical stabilizer) intersect. This point can be calculated by finding the average position of all the individual masses of the object.

Now, let's move on to inertial tensors or moment of inertia. These terms refer to the object's resistance to rotational motion. In simpler terms, it is a measure of how difficult it is to rotate an object around a particular axis. In order to calculate this, you will need to know the mass distribution of your object. This can be done by dividing your object into smaller parts and calculating the moment of inertia for each part. Then, you can add them all together to get the total moment of inertia for your object.

I understand that this may sound a bit complicated, especially if math is not your strong suit. However, there are online calculators and resources available that can help you with these calculations. You can also consult with a physics or engineering expert for further guidance.

I hope this helps you in your project and feel free to reach out if you have any further questions. Good luck with your flight simulator!