Simviation Forum - Aligning the pivot point on angled control surface

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Aligning the pivot point on angled control surface (Read 204 times)

Aug 15^th, 2004 at 5:33pm

Gnome Offline
Colonel
I love YaBB 1G - SP1!

Posts: 244

Is there an easy way to align the pivot point for a control surface that is angled but you don't know what the angle is coz you've only just cut the surface out... er, YKWIM.

Can I align to a particular face or edge?

GMAX 1.1 BTW.

Thanks

Kev

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Reply #1 - Aug 15^th, 2004 at 9:57pm

FSEdge Offline
Colonel
Texas

Posts: 203

Unfortunately there's not really an easy way to do this. You'll just need to line up the pivot as best you can. Using at a minimum of two viewports to do it and with practice it will become easier.
I've been kicking around on the idea of writing a script to help somewhat automate this task. Unfortunately there are too many ways to build a control surface and I am not quite sure how to cover all the variables to get it done just yet.

FSEdge

FSAlpha

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Reply #2 - Aug 15^th, 2004 at 10:06pm

Milton Offline
Colonel
Props forever!

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Posts: 301

Man, I can't tell you how many frustrating hours I have spent on this issue. If you turn on brackets, you'll better understand the issue of curved and angled object's control pivots.

I believe I saw a suggestion from Gerald on this. He recommended building a second object (simple or primitive), align it perfectly with the control surface edge, then set its local coordinate pivot where you want the control surface pivot to be. Link the control surface to it, or attach to it.

Hope this helps.

Milton&&Dash 7, Aero Commanders, Howard 500, D18S, Spartan, XP47J, Beechcraft A28 (Grizzly)

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Reply #3 - Aug 16^th, 2004 at 1:42pm

Gnome Offline
Colonel
I love YaBB 1G - SP1!

Posts: 244

Hmm, looks like I'm in for some fiddling then. Undecided

Thanks folks. If I hinge the ailerons at the centre rather than the top edge then at least they won't be crooked when they move. I'd just rather hinge them at the top surface for accuracy.

But as the aircraft is my own design, who'd know eh? Wink

Kev

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Reply #4 - Aug 16^th, 2004 at 11:13pm

Glitch Offline
Colonel
aka IRAF_Paddy
Birmingham, Alabama

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Posts: 464

Hey Kev how bout a pic. I don't know if this will help but, for a curved controll surface try this, break the part down to smaller subparts to minimize the curve then split each part along the axis you want as the hinge. Then make each subpart into an elevon. Your suggestion on the thrust vector post caused me to look into elevons. BTW your suggestion for the thrust vector worked perfectly using FSDS2. Thanks.

Glitch

Pendercafts.com Downloads for Lost in Space, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Land of the Giants, addons for FS2002 and FS2004 and videos too

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Reply #5 - Aug 17^th, 2004 at 4:37pm

Gnome Offline
Colonel
I love YaBB 1G - SP1!

Posts: 244

Oh, not curved, just angled due to wing/tail taper/sweep and I don't know the angle. I was hoping there was some sort of 'align pivot point with edge' command to make it easy.

Actually, I just muddled on and have made the best animated control surfaces I've ever managed so far so I'm a happy bunny. Cheesy

Minimum aeroplane (or ultralight/microlight if you must use the dreadful vernacular) powered glider. O/D from the seventies that was waiting for technology to catch up but got overtaken by poverty. Still, it flies in FS.

Upload when my FS9 test pilot gives the OK for that sim too. Works beautifully in FS2002.

Glad you got the vectored thrust sorted too. Grin

Kev

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