COD (Centre of Drag) Indicator

[Highlad]

First off, I'm not an expert in aerodynamics, so if there is no such thing as a centre of drag, sorry.

If it is possible, I think it would be really handy to have a COD marker in the VAB and SPH for FAR and NEAR installs. I imagine it would look much like the current COM, COL & COT markers but just a different colour.

[jab136]

center of drag is pretty much just the center of lift

[Highlad]

o.O is that right?!

I suppose you learn something new everyday!

[FleshJeb]

center of drag is pretty much just the center of lift

That's not true. Air intakes produce drag, and can affect the COD significantly. I have a stunt plane that uses toggleable intakes to change its maneuverability and stability.

[ferram4]

No, this is just as useless as a center of lift indicator, and it's why that is the worst name ever for an indicator.

Let me explain why: Let's say you have the center of lift behind the CoM, and the center of drag in front of it. Is the vehicle stable or not? Well, it depends on the relative strengths of drag and lift, which you're not gonna get clearly out of the indicators at all. If drag is much stronger than lift, then it will be unstable. If lift is much stronger than drag, then it will be stable. In both cases, though the vehicle dynamics will be completely different, the indicators will show the same thing, which makes different center indicators useless.

To that end, NEAR and FAR change the center of lift into a center of pressure indicator, which accounts for both.

And whoever named it the center of lift needs to be smacked for making something so confusing.

[jab136]

I use FAR, so I guess that is why I figured they were the same