JSBSim is an open source flight dynamics model (FDM) that compiles and runs under many operating systems, including Microsoft Windows, Apple Macintosh, Linux, IRIX, Cygwin (Unix on Windows), etc.  The FDM is essentially the physics/math model that defines the movement of an aircraft under the forces and moments applied to it using the various control mechanisms and from the forces of nature. JSBSim has no native graphics.  It can be run by itself as a standalone program, taking input from a script file and various aircraft configuration files; or, it can be run as an integrated part of a larger flight simulator implementation that includes a visual system.  The most notable example of the use of JSBSim is currently seen in the open source FlightGear simulator.  JSBSim models the aerodynamic forces and moments by the classic coefficient buildup method.

JSBSim has seen the growth of a fairly large user base, with some of the more notable projects (of which I am aware) described on the Users page.

Features include:

• Fully configurable flight control system, aerodynamics, propulsion, landing gear arrangement, etc. through XML-based text file format.
• Rotational earth effects on the equations of motion (coriolis and centrifugal acceleration  modeled).
• Configurable data output formats to screen, file, socket, or any combination of those.

For more information, see this two-page flyer.

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Site curator: Jon S. Berndt (Jon *at* jsbsim.org)
Created: 21 March 2000
Last updated: 4/30/2005