diff --git a/Tools/autotest/apmrover2.py b/Tools/autotest/apmrover2.py
index 6fdd08e66a..cb65d0c9f9 100644
--- a/Tools/autotest/apmrover2.py
+++ b/Tools/autotest/apmrover2.py
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ def drive_APMrover2(binary, viewerip=None, use_map=False, valgrind=False, gdb=Fa
     util.pexpect_close(mavproxy)
     util.pexpect_close(sitl)
 
-    valgrind_log = sitl.valgrind_log_filepath()
+    valgrind_log = util.valgrind_log_filepath(binary=binary, model='rover')
     if os.path.exists(valgrind_log):
         os.chmod(valgrind_log, 0644)
         shutil.copy(valgrind_log, util.reltopdir("../buildlogs/APMrover2-valgrind.log"))
diff --git a/Tools/autotest/arducopter.py b/Tools/autotest/arducopter.py
index 2139595041..ce1910d056 100644
--- a/Tools/autotest/arducopter.py
+++ b/Tools/autotest/arducopter.py
@@ -1289,7 +1289,7 @@ def fly_ArduCopter(binary, viewerip=None, use_map=False, valgrind=False, gdb=Fal
     util.pexpect_close(mavproxy)
     util.pexpect_close(sitl)
 
-    valgrind_log = sitl.valgrind_log_filepath()
+    valgrind_log = util.valgrind_log_filepath(binary=binary, model='+')
     if os.path.exists(valgrind_log):
         os.chmod(valgrind_log, 0644)
         shutil.copy(valgrind_log, util.reltopdir("../buildlogs/ArduCopter-valgrind.log"))
@@ -1416,7 +1416,7 @@ def fly_CopterAVC(binary, viewerip=None, use_map=False, valgrind=False, gdb=Fals
     util.pexpect_close(mavproxy)
     util.pexpect_close(sitl)
 
-    valgrind_log = sitl.valgrind_log_filepath()
+    valgrind_log = util.valgrind_log_filepath(binary=binary, model='heli')
     if os.path.exists(valgrind_log):
         os.chmod(valgrind_log, 0644)
         shutil.copy(valgrind_log, util.reltopdir("../buildlogs/Helicopter-valgrind.log"))
diff --git a/Tools/autotest/arduplane.py b/Tools/autotest/arduplane.py
index d9eab8cec2..bdc76c1df0 100644
--- a/Tools/autotest/arduplane.py
+++ b/Tools/autotest/arduplane.py
@@ -563,7 +563,7 @@ def fly_ArduPlane(binary, viewerip=None, use_map=False, valgrind=False, gdb=Fals
     util.pexpect_close(mavproxy)
     util.pexpect_close(sitl)
 
-    valgrind_log = sitl.valgrind_log_filepath()
+    valgrind_log = util.valgrind_log_filepath(binary=binary, model='plane-elevrev')
     if os.path.exists(valgrind_log):
         os.chmod(valgrind_log, 0644)
         shutil.copy(valgrind_log, util.reltopdir("../buildlogs/ArduPlane-valgrind.log"))
diff --git a/Tools/autotest/pysim/util.py b/Tools/autotest/pysim/util.py
index a4682206d3..bac35c28d5 100644
--- a/Tools/autotest/pysim/util.py
+++ b/Tools/autotest/pysim/util.py
@@ -178,61 +178,54 @@ def make_safe_filename(text):
     return filename
 
 
-class SITL(pexpect.spawn):
-
-    def __init__(self, binary, valgrind=False, gdb=False, wipe=False, synthetic_clock=True, home=None, model=None, speedup=1, defaults_file=None, unhide_parameters=False):
-        self.binary = binary
-        self.model = model
-
-        cmd = []
-        if valgrind and os.path.exists('/usr/bin/valgrind'):
-            cmd.extend(['valgrind', '-q', '--log-file=%s' % self.valgrind_log_filepath()])
-        if gdb:
-            f = open("/tmp/x.gdb", "w")
-            f.write("r\n")
-            f.close()
-            cmd.extend(['xterm', '-e', 'gdb', '-x', '/tmp/x.gdb', '--args'])
-
-        cmd.append(binary)
-        if wipe:
-            cmd.append('-w')
-        if synthetic_clock:
-            cmd.append('-S')
-        if home is not None:
-            cmd.extend(['--home', home])
-        if model is not None:
-            cmd.extend(['--model', model])
-        if speedup != 1:
-            cmd.extend(['--speedup', str(speedup)])
-        if defaults_file is not None:
-            cmd.extend(['--defaults', defaults_file])
-        if unhide_parameters:
-            cmd.extend(['--unhide-groups'])
-        print("Running: %s" % cmd_as_shell(cmd))
-        first = cmd[0]
-        rest = cmd[1:]
-        super(SITL, self).__init__(first, rest, logfile=sys.stdout, timeout=5)
-        delaybeforesend = 0
-        pexpect_autoclose(self)
-        # give time for parameters to properly setup
-        time.sleep(3)
-        if gdb:
-            # if we run GDB we do so in an xterm.  "Waiting for
-            # connection" is never going to appear on xterm's output.
-            # ... so let's give it another magic second.
-            time.sleep(1)
-            # TODO: have a SITL-compiled ardupilot able to have its
-            # console on an output fd.
-        else:
-            self.expect('Waiting for connection', timeout=300)
-
-    def valgrind_log_filepath(self):
-        return make_safe_filename('%s-%s-valgrind.log' % (os.path.basename(self.binary), self.model,))
+def valgrind_log_filepath(binary, model):
+    return make_safe_filename('%s-%s-valgrind.log' % (os.path.basename(binary), model,))
 
 
-def start_SITL(binary, **kwargs):
+def start_SITL(binary, valgrind=False, gdb=False, wipe=False, synthetic_clock=True, home=None, model=None, speedup=1, defaults_file=None, unhide_parameters=False):
     """Launch a SITL instance."""
-    return SITL(binary, **kwargs)
+    cmd = []
+    if valgrind and os.path.exists('/usr/bin/valgrind'):
+        cmd.extend(['valgrind', '-q', '--log-file=%s' % valgrind_log_filepath(binary=binary, model=model)])
+    if gdb:
+        f = open("/tmp/x.gdb", "w")
+        f.write("r\n")
+        f.close()
+        cmd.extend(['xterm', '-e', 'gdb', '-x', '/tmp/x.gdb', '--args'])
+    
+    cmd.append(binary)
+    if wipe:
+        cmd.append('-w')
+    if synthetic_clock:
+        cmd.append('-S')
+    if home is not None:
+        cmd.extend(['--home', home])
+    if model is not None:
+        cmd.extend(['--model', model])
+    if speedup != 1:
+        cmd.extend(['--speedup', str(speedup)])
+    if defaults_file is not None:
+        cmd.extend(['--defaults', defaults_file])
+    if unhide_parameters:
+        cmd.extend(['--unhide-groups'])
+    print("Running: %s" % cmd_as_shell(cmd))
+    first = cmd[0]
+    rest = cmd[1:]
+    child = pexpect.spawn(first, rest, logfile=sys.stdout, timeout=5)
+    delaybeforesend = 0
+    pexpect_autoclose(child)
+    # give time for parameters to properly setup
+    time.sleep(3)
+    if gdb:
+        # if we run GDB we do so in an xterm.  "Waiting for
+        # connection" is never going to appear on xterm's output.
+        # ... so let's give it another magic second.
+        time.sleep(1)
+        # TODO: have a SITL-compiled ardupilot able to have its
+        # console on an output fd.
+    else:
+        child.expect(u'Waiting for connection', timeout=300)
+    return child
 
 
 def start_MAVProxy_SITL(atype, aircraft=None, setup=False, master='tcp:127.0.0.1:5760',
diff --git a/Tools/autotest/quadplane.py b/Tools/autotest/quadplane.py
index e088aa11b9..1a69ee222d 100644
--- a/Tools/autotest/quadplane.py
+++ b/Tools/autotest/quadplane.py
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ def fly_QuadPlane(binary, viewerip=None, use_map=False, valgrind=False, gdb=Fals
     util.pexpect_close(mavproxy)
     util.pexpect_close(sitl)
 
-    valgrind_log = sitl.valgrind_log_filepath()
+    valgrind_log = util.valgrind_log_filepath(binary=binary, model='quadplane')
     if os.path.exists(valgrind_log):
         os.chmod(valgrind_log, 0644)
         shutil.copy(valgrind_log, util.reltopdir("../buildlogs/QuadPlane-valgrind.log"))