Where does a plane rotate - laterally ?

[Nigelp]

Trying to get my head around right / left thrust - (pusher) and realised I didn't have the single most important piece of information - about which point does a (conventional plane srotate - swivel (laterally !) e.g. as if the aircraft were making an absolute flat turn !?

Is it:
C of G
Leading edge
Trailing edge
or somewhere else ?

Thanks for your help.

Nigel

I have a horrible feeling it's not going to be an easy answer !!!?

[macr0t0r]

Your horrible feelings speak truly!
Theoretically, your aircraft would want to pivot around the CG. However, as soon as you push the side of the fuselage into the breeze, then you have all kinds of lateral forces that will slide your axis around. But, for small perturbations or for aircraft that don't have a broad fuselage/weight ratio (like the 3D profile birds), you can probably estimate that it will pivot around the CG. Lighter planes with broad nose will have the axis moved slightly behind that.

[Nigelp]

Thanks for the input.

Nigel