MODELING AIRCRAFT
FLIGHT PATHS
FOR STK 7.0, STK/ADVANCEDVISUALIZATION OPTION (STKAVO), STK/PROFESSIONAL
(STK/PRO) - ESTIMATED COMPLETION TIME: 45 MIN
What You Will Do

Model an Aircraft Mission in the 3D Graphics Window

Model an Aircraft Mission Using the Properties Browser

Visualize Aircraft Missions in 3D
What You Will Learn
During this exercise you will learn how to use the Aircraft Mission Modeler Propagator to model a Flight
Mission. You will be able to rapidly model and edit a mission by simply clicking in the 3D window. For
more detail, you will also learn how to design a mission using the Properties Browser.
Introduction: Aircraft Mission Modeler
The Aircraft object in STK has been enhanced to model aircraft more accurately than the standard “great
arc vehicle” used in previous versions of STK. With the Aircraft Mission Modeling Enhancement, the
aircraft’s route is modeled by a sequence of curves parameterized by well known performance
characteristics of aircraft. This includes cruise airspeed, climb rate, roll rate and bank angle. The aircraft
is defined by the type of aircraft and by the mission it performs. This structure allows you to use an
aircraft for much more than simple point to point travel.
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Intro to Aircraft Mission Modeler
page 2
When creating a new Aircraft object using the Mission Modeler propagator, you can select from a number
of pre-defined and user-defined aircraft types. Each aircraft type can be customized by changing the basic
parameter settings of the aircraft, the 3D model used to represent the aircraft, and by adding, changing
and removing performance models.
Using the Mission Modeler propagator allows you to create Mission. A Mission is a sequence of
Procedures that use aircraft performance models and sites to define the vehicle’s route and flight
characteristics. The Mission can be organized into Phases. These Phases are logical constructs that allow
you to vary the performance models being used – to suit different elements of the Mission.
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Intro to Aircraft Mission Modeler
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Defining a Mission in the 3D Graphics Window
We will walk through the process of defining aircraft properties and missions. In this session we will look
at two different ways to add an advanced aircraft to your scenario: using the 3D graphics window
(directly) and using the Properties Browser.
Modeling the World
Create a New Scenario
Create a new scenario and name it “MissionModeler”.
Open up the Scenario Properties Browser.
On the Basic/Units page, set the default distance unit to “feet.” Click Ok.
Open up the 3D Window’s Properties Browser.
Change the Globe File to bostondc.glb.
On the 3D Window’s Properties Page/Details turn on the International borders and the Provincial borders.
On the Lighting page, clear the “Enable lighting” check box.
Click Ok.
Insert Boston and Washington, D.C. from the City Database.
Reduce the scale of each city’s 3D model to 0.0.
The 3D Aircraft Mission Modeler Editing Toolbar
Right click in the toolbar area of STK and select the 3D Object Editing toolbar.
Right click again and select the 3D Aircraft Mission Modeling Editor toolbar.
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Intro to Aircraft Mission Modeler
page 4
Selecting an Aircraft
Before adding Phases and Procedures, you must select an aircraft for the mission. Aircraft Mission
Modeler properties are defined in terms of Performance Parameters, Performance Models and a 3D model
that will represent the aircraft in the 3D Graphics window.
Insert an Aircraft object and rename it “Fighter”. The object does not immediately appear in the 2D or 3D
windows because we must first define its mission.
Select the 3D Graphics Window.
Click the Drop-down menu in the 3D Object Editor toolbar.
Select the Fighter Object.
Click the Object Edit Start/Accept button
toolbar will now become active.
on the 3D Object Editing toolbar. The 3D Aircraft Editing
In the 3D Aircraft Editing toolbar, click the Select Aircraft button
to open the Select Aircraft window.
In the Select Aircraft window, select Basic Fighter. From this window you can create new aircraft and
edit properties of any aircraft listed – including its associated 3D models and Performance
Models.
Click OK.
Adding Mission Modeler Procedures
Procedures are the steps that comprise an Aircraft’s route. Each procedure is associated with a site. The
site defines the location and the nature of the position at which the procedure takes place – either a
runway or a waypoint. It also determines what procedure types are even available for selection. The
procedure defines the maneuver that the aircraft will perform.
In the following steps we will define a brief mission for the Fighter Aircraft. Then we will view the
results.
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Intro to Aircraft Mission Modeler
page 5
Runway Takeoff
Click the Aircraft Site drop down Menu.
Select Runway.
Click the Aircraft Procedure drop down Menu and select Takeoff Procedure.
In the 3D window, zoom in on the Washington DC area.
While holding down the Shift key, left-click in the middle of Washington, DC. This will insert the
Takeoff procedure you have selected.
Adjust site to line up is the direction you desire.
Circling DC
Using the Aircraft Site and Procedure menus as you did above, select Waypoint site and an Enroute
procedure.
Northwest of DC, Shift + left click in the 3D graphics window to insert the Enroute procedure.
Using the Aircraft Procedure menu, select Waypoint site and a Circular Holding procedure.
In the center of DC, Shift + left click to insert the procedure. The circle portion of the procedure will
appear to the north of the city.
Left-click and hold on the red dots on the circle. Move them to manipulate the circle’s position so that it
roughly encircles DC.
Using the Aircraft Site and Procedure menus, select Waypoint site and an Enroute procedure.
Southwest of DC, Shift + left click in the 3D graphics window to insert the Enroute procedure.
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Intro to Aircraft Mission Modeler
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Landing
Using the Aircraft Site and Procedure menus, select Runway and Landing Procedure.
Zoom back in close to your takeoff runway.
Shift + left click in the 3D window to insert the procedure.
Click the Object Edit Start/Accept button.
Viewing the Results of Our Labor
Click the View From/To button on the 3D graphics toolbar and set the view from and to the aircraft.
Click OK to return to the 3D window.
Click the Reset button on the Animation toolbar.
Click the Play button.
Zoom in and around the Fighter aircraft as it travels the mission route. Observe its movements. Note the
aircraft banks as it turns – modeling the flight of an actual aircraft.
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Intro to Aircraft Mission Modeler
page 7
Defining a Mission in the Properties Browser
In this exercise you will design a mission using the interface provided on the Mission Modeler propagator
page in the Aircraft’s properties browser. The Mission Modeler is comprised of the Mission toolbar, the
Phases and Procedures list and the Mission Profile.
The Mission toolbar provides buttons for adding, modifying and deleting phases and procedures. It also
provides the means for defining the aircraft properties. The Phases and Procedures list displays all of the
phases and procedures defined for the aircraft. The Mission Profile displays the altitude and the
downrange distance of the aircraft over the course of the mission.
Modeling the World
We’ll use the same scenario from the last exercise.
Selecting an Aircraft
1. Create a new Aircraft object.
2. Rename the aircraft “Transport”.
3. Open the Transport’s Properties browser.
4. Select Mission Modeler as the propagator.
5. Click the ellipsis button next the Aircraft Field.
6. Select Aircraft window.
7. Select Basic Military Transport.
8. Click OK.
9. Click on Aircraft Performance Model Properties
button.
10. Click on the ellipsis button next to the 3D Model File field.
11. Choose the c-17.mdl file and then click open.
12. Click Save and then Close.
13. Select the 3D Graphics Model page and reduce the scale of the 3D model to 0.0.
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Intro to Aircraft Mission Modeler
page 8
Adding Procedures
In the following steps, we will define a brief mission for the Transport aircraft using the Mission page of
the Transport’s properties browser.
14. Click the Insert Procedure After Phase button
Configuration window.
on the Mission toolbar. This will open the Site
The Site Configuration Window is used to define the site to be associated with the procedure
you are adding. This site is functionally the same as selecting the site from the Aircraft Site
menu while using the 3D Object editing we did in the first exercise. The main difference is
that, here, we have a number of options we can use to configure the site in this window.
Takeoff Procedure
15. In the Select Site Type area, click on Runway to select a Runway site that we will define.
16. Enter the following information into the fields:
Field
Value
Latitude
42.3645 deg
Longitude
-71.005 deg
Altitude
16.5 ft
Low End Heading
20 deg
High End Heading
200 deg
17. Click Next to go to the Procedure Configuration page.
The Procedure Configuration page is used to define the type of procedure to be performed.
18. In the Select Procedure area, click Takeoff Procedure.
Like the Site Configuration page, this step is functionally the same as selecting a site from the
Aircraft menu in the 3D Object editing, only with more options – one of which we will
configure in this instance.
19. In the Departure Alt Above field, enter 250 ft.
20. Select to Use Runway Terrain.
21. Click Finish. Back on the Mission page, the Takeoff procedure now appears in the list of Phases and
Procedures.
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Intro to Aircraft Mission Modeler
page 9
Enroute Procedure
22. Right click the Takeoff procedure.
23. Select Insert New Procedure After from the drop down menu. This menu selection has the same
function as the Insert Procedure After Procedure button on the Mission toolbar.
24. In the Site Configuration window, select Waypoint as the type.
25. Enter the following latitude and longitude:
Field
Value
Latitude
42.34 deg
Longitude
-70.983 deg
26. Click Next.
27. In the Procedure Configuration window, select Enroute Procedure as the type.
28. Click Finish. This will add the Enroute procedure to the mission.
Figure-8 Holding Procedure
29. Right click the Enroute procedure.
30. Select Insert New Procedure After from the drop down menu.
31. In the Site Configuration window, select Waypoint as the type.
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Intro to Aircraft Mission Modeler
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32. Enter the following latitude and longitude:
Field
Value
Latitude
40.62 deg
Longitude
-71.9 deg
33. Click Next.
34. In the Procedure Configuration window, select Figure-8 Holding Procedure as the type.
35. Deselect Use Aircraft Default Cruise Altitude.
36. Enter an Altitude of 14,000 feet.
37. Click Finish.
Enroute Procedure
38. Right click the Figure-8 Holding procedure.
39. Select Insert New Procedure After from the drop down menu.
40. In the Site Configuration window, select Waypoint as the type.
41. Enter the following latitude and longitude:
Field
Value
Latitude
39.055 deg
Longitude
-73.638 deg
42. Click Next.
43. In the Procedure Configuration window, select Enroute Procedure as the type.
44. Click Finish.
Landing Procedure
45. Insert another procedure after the Enroute procedure.
46. In the Site Configuration window, select Runway as the type.
47. Enter the following information into the fields:
Field
Value
Latitude
38.847 deg
Longitude
-77.0373 deg
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Intro to Aircraft Mission Modeler
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Field
Value
Altitude
11.8 ft
Low End Heading
176 deg
High End Heading
356 deg
48. Click Next.
49. In the Procedure Configuration window, select Landing Procedure.
50. Change the Approach Alt Above Runway to 500 ft.
51. Select Use Runway Terrain.
52. Click Finish.
The Mission page now displays all five mission procedures and the mission profile shows the
Aircraft’s altitude over the downrange distance.
53. Click OK to close the Mission page.
Viewing the Results of Our Labor
54. Select the 3D graphics window.
55. Click the View From/To button on the 3D graphics toolbar.
56. Set the view from and to the Transport.
57. Click Reset on the Animation toolbar.
58. Click the play button.
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Intro to Aircraft Mission Modeler
page 12
Zoom in and around the Transport aircraft as it travels the mission route. Observe its
movements. Note the Transport aircraft banks as it turns – modeling the flight of an actual
aircraft.
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