[Rob McDonald]

OpenVSP Version 3.9.0 with VSPAERO Version 3.0

The OpenVSP Workshop is this week. If you can't be there, you can
still stream the presentations online. Details at the Workshop Wiki.
http://www.openvsp.org/wiki/doku.php?id=workshop2016

Just in time for the Workshop, this release has something for
everyone. VSPAERO, Hinges, Group Transform, AutoCAD Export, and bug
fixes.

VSPAERO v3.0 is the most significant update to the VSPAERO solver to
date. It includes a thick-surface panel method, control surfaces in
VLM mode, built-in batch runs, improved speed, and more.

The VSPAERO integration into OpenVSP has been updated to support the
new version of VSPAERO. API support also updated.

A one-axis kinematic joint has been added. This is like a blank
component, but that can translate or rotate. Its children are forced
to be attached to the joint. This component simplifies modeling
control surfaces, landing gear, folding wings, and similar common
major assemblies.

Group transformation/modification has been added. Select a group of
components and you can translate/scale them as a group. You can also
change their material or color, or rotate them about their own
origins. This is one of the last v2 features that was missing in v3.
Thanks much to Alex Gary for getting this going.

Feature lines can now be exported as an AutoCAD DXF file. This
traditional drafting file can be imported into just about any Drawing
or CAD program as a starting point for a general arrangement or
inboard profile drawing. Welcome ESAero intern Justin Gravett to the
development team.

Of course a few bug fixes are thrown in too. Mostly some API updates
that broke Python or introduced features that never worked correctly.

Features:
- VSPAERO v3.0 - Panel method, batch runs, control surfaces, much more
- Improved VSPAERO integration
- One-Axis Kinematic Joint (Hinge/Slider)
- Group Transformation/Scale -- Thanks Alex Gary
- 2D AutoCad Export of feature lines

Bug Fixes:
- Change to Geom type name lookup instead of type ID number
- Fix Python API
- Fix VarPresets API to built-in scripting

[Brent Robbins]

Amazing, Rob! & team!  I'm excited to try the latest release of OpenVSP and stream the workshop.

Does the new VSPAero calculate the following automatically:

1. Determination of aerodynamic center

2. Stability derivatives

and can it...

3. Work with the non-circular fuselage cross-section?

Warm Regards,

Brent Robbins

PS: Sorry if you have answered/explained these before.  I hope you'll cover all this in the workshop.

---

From: Rob McDonald <rob.a.m...@gmail.com>
To: ope...@googlegroups.com
Sent: Sunday, August 21, 2016 3:07 PM
Subject: [OpenVSP]

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[Brent Robbins]

I should check my email and calendar more often...the conference already happened.  Haha.   I hope it went well.

Brent

---

From: 'Brent Robbins' via OpenVSP <ope...@googlegroups.com>
To: "ope...@googlegroups.com" <ope...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Saturday, August 27, 2016 2:27 PM
Subject: Re: [OpenVSP]

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[Nick Brake]

1. Not yet this is on the To Do list (Check out the presentations for the SBIR work being done)

2. Stability derivatives are calculated by turning on the "Stability Calculation" flag in the GUI or passing the "-stab" argument on the command line.  The derivatives are calculated via finite differences and can increase the overall solution run-time

3. VSPAERO v3 included with OpenVSP v3.9.0 includes a panel method that will calculate flow around thick surfaces such as fuselages.  Keep in mind that this method has all the advantages and limitations with a traditional panel method analysis.  Dave Kinney gave a great presentation on the theory implemented in the VSPAERO solver at the 2016 workshop.

n