Dirigible, or airship, flight dynamics

[Travis]

How is it the original airships turned?  They didn't have ailerons, so I believe they just used rudders to turn.  If this is the case, how did they overcome the tendency to roll when the rudder was engaged?

I'm making the Hindenburg for 2k4 right now, and I am ready to start the airfiling now.  Any help is appreciated.

[Gnome]

Rudder only.  They roll because the car gets thrown out because of a low centre of gravity.  FS can't get this bit right as it assumes you bank then turn whereas it's the other way round with an airship as there is no way to initiate a bank.

If you turn using rudder only with no coordination it will turn correctly with the bank feeding in afterwards.

I've had a bit of experience in this area.  :-)


Kev

[Travis]

In FS ,will the roll correct itself after the turn is completed?

Also, Gnome, you say you have some experience in this area.  Would you be willing to give me a few pointers or tell me where I could get a good starter airfile for this project?

[Gnome]

It will stablilise again once the rudder input is removed, if that's what you mean.

For a couple of nice airships you could download the Goodyear blimp by Anders Jermstad or you just might want to download my Enterprise Airship.  Both right here at Simviation.

Both a little slow for the  LZ 129 but a good start....

Mine is a little on the light side for FS9 so you might want to add a bit of payload to it.


Kev
Unreal Aviation