Aircraft Principal Axes & Rotations

Aerospace Engineering

How It Works

Aircraft rotational dynamics are described by an orthogonal right-handed body axis system centered at the center of gravity. Motion comprises roll about the longitudinal axis (X-axis), pitch about the lateral axis (Y-axis), and yaw about the normal axis (Z-axis). Euler's equations of rotational motion govern the dynamic cross-coupling between angular rate vectors and inertial moments.

Governing Equation
I_x · dω_x/dt - (I_y - I_z) · ω_y · ω_z = M_x , I_y · dω_y/dt - (I_z - I_x) · ω_z · ω_x = M_y