Autogyro model - animating rotor.....

[ddavid]

I hope I'm not trying to run before learning how to walk - but......

I've built a very simple autogyro model in gmax. It has a propellor at the front and a rotor above the cockpit. After getting the contact points/CoG/gear animation etc working (thanks, Milton!), the next question is getting the rotor to function.

Ideally, I'd like the rotor to rotate in conjunction with the single propellor. This has been attached to 'prop0', i.e. prop0_still/prop0_slow/prop0_blurred - and works as such.
Now, can I attach the rotor animation/visibility to the 'prop0' attach point as well as the propellor? I seem to get errors with this on trying to export the model from gmax.
Another problem is that the xxx.air file I'm using has been 'borrowed' from another AC in FSX (tail-dragger), and it only has a single propellor - i.e. no rotor. Does that mean I can't attach my model's rotor visibility/animation to 'rotor' rather than 'prop0'.
Or can I use 'prop1' for my rotor attachments?

Sorry it appears to be such a muddle - frustrating fun, eh?!?

[MiltonShupe]

Sounds like you are building for FSX.

[Travis]

Not to put a hitch in your plans, but as I recall, autogyro rotors didn't employ a means of rotation on their own.  When the aircraft would move through the air, they would begin to spin freely.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autogyro

So having the rotor begin to spin when the engine is engaged isn't a true autogyro.

Just me being a stickler for the realism . . .

[ddavid]

Thanks for that, Milton. I guess I'm just going to have to be more organised. Right now it's like 'bull at a gate' - I want to get that model up, etc - impetuosity is my nature. So, I'm going to go back over the model and regularise (!) the part names and organise the animations and connect points in a more orderly fashion. Will report on progress.

[MiltonShupe]

David,

Keep in mind that FFDS has a lot of working xml code to use as a reference or a starting point.

[SkyNoz]

David,

Keep in mind that FFDS has a lot of working xml code to use as a reference or a starting point.

Yah, Xml will do you success, although I'm not to familiar with what code to use.

Simply the rotor could be named the same for the rear pushing prop. Could also keep your rotor called rotor, but link it to a dummy called prop_still/prop_slow/prop_blurred. Also, should be able to adapt some Helicopter traits and modify it for a gyro copter, in the aircraft configuration. Hope some of this info can lead you to a feasible answer.

[Fr. Bill]

I've already provided an example of how to animate an autogyro system, with visibility switching based on airspeed, and rotation based on forward body velocity.