E2053

Flight Dynamics
Homework Problems #4

1. (20 %) Please derive the full expression of the rotation matrices R123 (φ, θ, ψ) and R321 (ψ, θ, φ).

2. (40 %) Please show that the rotation matrices Rx (θ), Ry (θ) and Rz (θ) are orthogonal. Also
show that R123 (φ, θ, ψ) is orthogonal.

3. Consider the coordinate systems shown in Fig. 1. Given a force

Figure 1: Transformation of two coordinate systems

F = 150I − 100J + 200K N (1)

(a) (10 %) determine the rotation matrix that transform coordinates in {I, J, K} to {i, j, k};
(b) (10 %) determine the components of F with respect to {i, j, k}.

4. Assume an airplane is subject to a resultant force F = Xi + Y j + Zk, where (i, j, k) denote

the three principle axes in the body-fixed frame. Let the angular velocity of the airplane be
~ = pi + qj + rk and the velocity observed in the body-fixed frame be v = ui + vj + wk.
Ω

(a) (10 %) Please derive the equations of motion of the airplane.

(b) (10 %) Please show that the following conditions is a nominal trajectory: vn = u0 i,
Fn = 0 and Ω~ n = 0, where u0 is a constant. (Hint: A nominal trajectory is a solution
to the ODE. )