diff --git a/libraries/SITL/SIM_Aircraft.cpp b/libraries/SITL/SIM_Aircraft.cpp
index 08ecbd385d..8ffdf96a44 100644
--- a/libraries/SITL/SIM_Aircraft.cpp
+++ b/libraries/SITL/SIM_Aircraft.cpp
@@ -73,11 +73,10 @@ Aircraft::Aircraft(const char *home_str, const char *frame_str) :
     last_wall_time_us = get_wall_time_us();
     frame_counter = 0;
 
-    // support rotated IMUs for testing
-    if (strstr(frame_str, "-roll180")) {
-        imu_rotation = ROTATION_ROLL_180;
-    }
-    
+    // allow for orientation settings, such as with tailsitters
+    enum ap_var_type ptype;
+    ahrs_orientation = (AP_Int8 *)AP_Param::find("AHRS_ORIENTATION", &ptype);
+
     terrain = (AP_Terrain *)AP_Param::find_object("TERRAIN_");
 }
 
@@ -392,18 +391,21 @@ void Aircraft::fill_fdm(struct sitl_fdm &fdm)
         fdm.altitude  = smoothing.location.alt * 1.0e-2;
     }
 
-    if (imu_rotation != ROTATION_NONE) {
-        Vector3f accel(fdm.xAccel, fdm.yAccel, fdm.zAccel);
-        accel.rotate(imu_rotation);
-        fdm.xAccel    = accel.x;
-        fdm.yAccel    = accel.y;
-        fdm.zAccel    = accel.z;
+    if (ahrs_orientation != nullptr) {
+        enum Rotation imu_rotation = (enum Rotation)ahrs_orientation->get();
 
-        Vector3f rgyro(fdm.rollRate, fdm.pitchRate, fdm.yawRate);
-        rgyro.rotate(imu_rotation);
-        fdm.rollRate  = degrees(rgyro.x);
-        fdm.pitchRate = degrees(rgyro.y);
-        fdm.yawRate   = degrees(rgyro.z);
+        if (imu_rotation != ROTATION_NONE) {
+            Matrix3f m = dcm;
+            Matrix3f rot;
+            rot.from_rotation(imu_rotation);
+            m = m * rot.transposed();
+
+            m.to_euler(&r, &p, &y);
+            fdm.rollDeg  = degrees(r);
+            fdm.pitchDeg = degrees(p);
+            fdm.yawDeg   = degrees(y);
+            fdm.quaternion.from_rotation_matrix(m);
+        }
     }
     
     if (last_speedup != sitl->speedup && sitl->speedup > 0) {
diff --git a/libraries/SITL/SIM_Aircraft.h b/libraries/SITL/SIM_Aircraft.h
index b3dc8d761e..6a64231494 100644
--- a/libraries/SITL/SIM_Aircraft.h
+++ b/libraries/SITL/SIM_Aircraft.h
@@ -164,8 +164,9 @@ protected:
     bool use_time_sync = true;
     float last_speedup = -1.0f;
 
-    enum Rotation imu_rotation = ROTATION_NONE;
-
+    // allow for AHRS_ORIENTATION
+    AP_Int8 *ahrs_orientation;
+    
     enum {
         GROUND_BEHAVIOR_NONE = 0,
         GROUND_BEHAVIOR_NO_MOVEMENT,
diff --git a/libraries/SITL/SIM_FlightAxis.cpp b/libraries/SITL/SIM_FlightAxis.cpp
index b33b2dfdef..31e0c7fd9e 100644
--- a/libraries/SITL/SIM_FlightAxis.cpp
+++ b/libraries/SITL/SIM_FlightAxis.cpp
@@ -87,28 +87,6 @@ FlightAxis::FlightAxis(const char *home_str, const char *frame_str) :
         AP_Param::set_default_by_name(sim_defaults[i].name, sim_defaults[i].value);
     }
 
-    if (strstr(frame_str, "pitch270")) {
-        // rotate tailsitter airframes for fixed wing view
-        rotation = ROTATION_PITCH_270;
-    }
-    if (strstr(frame_str, "pitch90")) {
-        // rotate tailsitter airframes for fixed wing view
-        rotation = ROTATION_PITCH_90;
-    }
-
-    switch (rotation) {
-    case ROTATION_NONE:
-        break;
-    case ROTATION_PITCH_90:
-        att_rotation.from_euler(0, radians(90), 0);
-        break;
-    case ROTATION_PITCH_270:
-        att_rotation.from_euler(0, radians(270), 0);
-        break;
-    default:
-        AP_HAL::panic("Unsupported flightaxis rotation %u\n", (unsigned)rotation);
-    }
-
     /* Create the thread that will be waiting for data from FlightAxis */
     mutex = hal.util->new_semaphore();
 
@@ -428,14 +406,6 @@ void FlightAxis::update(const struct sitl_input &input)
                state.m_accelerationBodyAY_MPS2,
                state.m_accelerationBodyAZ_MPS2);
 
-    if (rotation != ROTATION_NONE) {
-        dcm.transpose();
-        dcm = att_rotation * dcm;
-        dcm.transpose();
-        gyro.rotate(rotation);
-        accel_body.rotate(rotation);
-    }
-
     // accel on the ground is nasty in realflight, and prevents helicopter disarm
     if (state.m_isTouchingGround) {
         Vector3f accel_ef = (velocity_ef - last_velocity_ef) / dt_seconds;
diff --git a/libraries/SITL/SIM_FlightAxis.h b/libraries/SITL/SIM_FlightAxis.h
index 0a9defbbf2..c34fc9d722 100644
--- a/libraries/SITL/SIM_FlightAxis.h
+++ b/libraries/SITL/SIM_FlightAxis.h
@@ -176,8 +176,6 @@ private:
     double last_frame_count_s;
     Vector3f position_offset;
     Vector3f last_velocity_ef;
-    Matrix3f att_rotation;
-    enum Rotation rotation = ROTATION_NONE;
 
     const char *controller_ip = "127.0.0.1";
     uint16_t controller_port = 18083;