diff --git a/ROMFS/px4fmu_common/init.d-posix/airframes/1033_rascal b/ROMFS/px4fmu_common/init.d-posix/airframes/1033_jsbsim_rascal
similarity index 100%
rename from ROMFS/px4fmu_common/init.d-posix/airframes/1033_rascal
rename to ROMFS/px4fmu_common/init.d-posix/airframes/1033_jsbsim_rascal
diff --git a/ROMFS/px4fmu_common/init.d-posix/airframes/1036_malolo b/ROMFS/px4fmu_common/init.d-posix/airframes/1036_jsbsim_malolo
similarity index 100%
rename from ROMFS/px4fmu_common/init.d-posix/airframes/1036_malolo
rename to ROMFS/px4fmu_common/init.d-posix/airframes/1036_jsbsim_malolo
diff --git a/ROMFS/px4fmu_common/init.d-posix/airframes/3010_quadrotor_x b/ROMFS/px4fmu_common/init.d-posix/airframes/3010_jsbsim_quadrotor_x
similarity index 100%
rename from ROMFS/px4fmu_common/init.d-posix/airframes/3010_quadrotor_x
rename to ROMFS/px4fmu_common/init.d-posix/airframes/3010_jsbsim_quadrotor_x
diff --git a/ROMFS/px4fmu_common/init.d-posix/airframes/3011_hexarotor_x b/ROMFS/px4fmu_common/init.d-posix/airframes/3011_jsbsim_hexarotor_x
similarity index 100%
rename from ROMFS/px4fmu_common/init.d-posix/airframes/3011_hexarotor_x
rename to ROMFS/px4fmu_common/init.d-posix/airframes/3011_jsbsim_hexarotor_x
diff --git a/ROMFS/px4fmu_common/init.d-posix/airframes/CMakeLists.txt b/ROMFS/px4fmu_common/init.d-posix/airframes/CMakeLists.txt
index bc8ec01923..09cc2126c1 100644
--- a/ROMFS/px4fmu_common/init.d-posix/airframes/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/ROMFS/px4fmu_common/init.d-posix/airframes/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -53,10 +53,9 @@ px4_add_romfs_files(
 	1030_plane
 	1031_plane_cam
 	1032_plane_catapult
-	1033_rascal
-	1034_rascal-electric
+	1033_jsbsim_rascal
 	1035_techpod
-	1036_malolo
+	1036_jsbsim_malolo
 	1037_believer
 	1038_glider
 	1039_advanced_plane
@@ -69,8 +68,9 @@ px4_add_romfs_files(
 	1061_r1_rover
 	1062_tf-r1
 	1070_boat
-	3010_quadrotor_x
-	3011_hexarotor_x
+
+	3010_jsbsim_quadrotor_x
+	3011_jsbsim_hexarotor_x
 
 	4001_x500
 
diff --git a/Tools/simulation/jsbsim/sitl_run.sh b/Tools/simulation/jsbsim/sitl_run.sh
index 841b039acf..625f8452fc 100755
--- a/Tools/simulation/jsbsim/sitl_run.sh
+++ b/Tools/simulation/jsbsim/sitl_run.sh
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ else
 	no_pxh=""
 fi
 
-export PX4_SIM_MODEL=${model}
+export PX4_SIM_MODEL=jsbsim_${model}
 export PX4_SIM_WORLD=${world}
 
 # This is needed for aircraft namespace mapping
diff --git a/src/modules/simulation/simulator_mavlink/sitl_targets_jsbsim.cmake b/src/modules/simulation/simulator_mavlink/sitl_targets_jsbsim.cmake
index 1fcd8a96aa..357c2bd85f 100644
--- a/src/modules/simulation/simulator_mavlink/sitl_targets_jsbsim.cmake
+++ b/src/modules/simulation/simulator_mavlink/sitl_targets_jsbsim.cmake
@@ -1,56 +1,113 @@
 
-px4_add_git_submodule(TARGET git_jsbsim_bridge PATH "${PX4_SOURCE_DIR}/Tools/simulation/jsbsim/jsbsim_bridge")
 
-include(ExternalProject)
-ExternalProject_Add(jsbsim_bridge
-	SOURCE_DIR ${PX4_SOURCE_DIR}/Tools/simulation/jsbsim/jsbsim_bridge
-	CMAKE_ARGS -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}
-	BINARY_DIR ${PX4_BINARY_DIR}/build_jsbsim_bridge
-	INSTALL_COMMAND ""
-	DEPENDS git_jsbsim_bridge
-	USES_TERMINAL_CONFIGURE true
-	USES_TERMINAL_BUILD true
-	EXCLUDE_FROM_ALL true
-	BUILD_ALWAYS 1
+
+if(DEFINED ENV{JSBSIM_ROOT_DIR} )
+	set(JSBSIM_ROOT_DIR "$ENV{JSBSIM_ROOT_DIR}" )
+endif()
+
+find_path(JSBSIM_INCLUDE_DIR
+	NAMES
+		FGFDMExec.h
+	PATHS
+		${JSBSIM_ROOT_DIR}/include/JSBSim
+		/usr/include/JSBSim
+		/usr/local/include/JSBSim
 )
 
-# jsbsim: create targets for jsbsim
-set(models
-	rascal
-	quadrotor_x
-	hexarotor_x
-	malolo
-)
+if(JSBSIM_INCLUDE_DIR)
 
-set(worlds
-	none
-	LSZH
-)
+	px4_add_git_submodule(TARGET git_jsbsim_bridge PATH "${PX4_SOURCE_DIR}/Tools/simulation/jsbsim/jsbsim_bridge")
 
-# default jsbsim target
-add_custom_target(jsbsim
-	COMMAND ${PX4_SOURCE_DIR}/Tools/simulation/jsbsim/sitl_run.sh $<TARGET_FILE:px4> "rascal" "LSZH" ${PX4_SOURCE_DIR} ${PX4_BINARY_DIR}
-	WORKING_DIRECTORY ${SITL_WORKING_DIR}
-	USES_TERMINAL
-	DEPENDS px4 jsbsim_bridge
-)
+	include(ExternalProject)
+	ExternalProject_Add(jsbsim_bridge
+		SOURCE_DIR ${PX4_SOURCE_DIR}/Tools/simulation/jsbsim/jsbsim_bridge
+		CMAKE_ARGS -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}
+		BINARY_DIR ${PX4_BINARY_DIR}/build_jsbsim_bridge
+		INSTALL_COMMAND ""
+		DEPENDS git_jsbsim_bridge
+		USES_TERMINAL_CONFIGURE true
+		USES_TERMINAL_BUILD true
+		EXCLUDE_FROM_ALL true
+		BUILD_ALWAYS 1
+	)
 
-foreach(model ${models})
-	foreach(world ${worlds})
-		if(world STREQUAL "none")
-			add_custom_target(jsbsim_${model}
-				COMMAND ${PX4_SOURCE_DIR}/Tools/simulation/jsbsim/sitl_run.sh $<TARGET_FILE:px4> ${model} "LSZH" ${PX4_SOURCE_DIR} ${PX4_BINARY_DIR}
-				WORKING_DIRECTORY ${SITL_WORKING_DIR}
-				USES_TERMINAL
-				DEPENDS px4 jsbsim_bridge
-			)
-		else()
-			add_custom_target(jsbsim_${model}__${world}
-				COMMAND ${PX4_SOURCE_DIR}/Tools/simulation/jsbsim/sitl_run.sh $<TARGET_FILE:px4> ${model} ${world} ${PX4_SOURCE_DIR} ${PX4_BINARY_DIR}
-				WORKING_DIRECTORY ${SITL_WORKING_DIR}
-				USES_TERMINAL
-				DEPENDS px4 jsbsim_bridge
-			)
+	# jsbsim: create targets for jsbsim
+	set(models
+		rascal
+		quadrotor_x
+		hexarotor_x
+		malolo
+	)
+
+	set(worlds
+		none
+		LSZH
+	)
+
+
+	# find corresponding airframes
+	file(GLOB jsbsim_airframes
+		RELATIVE ${PX4_SOURCE_DIR}/ROMFS/px4fmu_common/init.d-posix/airframes
+		${PX4_SOURCE_DIR}/ROMFS/px4fmu_common/init.d-posix/airframes/*_jsbsim_*
+	)
+
+	# remove any .post files
+	foreach(jsbsim_airframe IN LISTS jsbsim_airframes)
+		if(jsbsim_airframe MATCHES ".post")
+			list(REMOVE_ITEM jsbsim_airframes ${jsbsim_airframe})
 		endif()
 	endforeach()
-endforeach()
+	list(REMOVE_DUPLICATES jsbsim_airframes)
+
+	# default jsbsim target
+	add_custom_target(jsbsim
+		COMMAND ${PX4_SOURCE_DIR}/Tools/simulation/jsbsim/sitl_run.sh $<TARGET_FILE:px4> "rascal" "LSZH" ${PX4_SOURCE_DIR} ${PX4_BINARY_DIR}
+		WORKING_DIRECTORY ${SITL_WORKING_DIR}
+		USES_TERMINAL
+		DEPENDS px4 jsbsim_bridge
+	)
+
+	foreach(model ${models})
+
+		# match model to airframe
+		set(airframe_model_only)
+		set(airframe_sys_autostart)
+		set(jsbsim_airframe_found)
+		foreach(jsbsim_airframe IN LISTS jsbsim_airframes)
+
+			string(REGEX REPLACE ".*_jsbsim_" "" airframe_model_only ${jsbsim_airframe})
+			string(REGEX REPLACE "_jsbsim_.*" "" airframe_sys_autostart ${jsbsim_airframe})
+
+			if(model STREQUAL ${airframe_model_only})
+				set(jsbsim_airframe_found ${jsbsim_airframe})
+				break()
+			endif()
+		endforeach()
+
+		if(jsbsim_airframe_found)
+			#message(STATUS "jsbsim model: ${model} (${airframe_model_only}), airframe: ${jsbsim_airframe_found}, SYS_AUTOSTART: ${airframe_sys_autostart}")
+		else()
+			message(WARNING "jsbsim missing model: ${model} (${airframe_model_only}), airframe: ${jsbsim_airframe_found}, SYS_AUTOSTART: ${airframe_sys_autostart}")
+		endif()
+
+
+		foreach(world ${worlds})
+			if(world STREQUAL "none")
+				add_custom_target(jsbsim_${model}
+					COMMAND ${PX4_SOURCE_DIR}/Tools/simulation/jsbsim/sitl_run.sh $<TARGET_FILE:px4> ${model} "LSZH" ${PX4_SOURCE_DIR} ${PX4_BINARY_DIR}
+					WORKING_DIRECTORY ${SITL_WORKING_DIR}
+					USES_TERMINAL
+					DEPENDS px4 jsbsim_bridge
+				)
+			else()
+				add_custom_target(jsbsim_${model}__${world}
+					COMMAND ${PX4_SOURCE_DIR}/Tools/simulation/jsbsim/sitl_run.sh $<TARGET_FILE:px4> ${model} ${world} ${PX4_SOURCE_DIR} ${PX4_BINARY_DIR}
+					WORKING_DIRECTORY ${SITL_WORKING_DIR}
+					USES_TERMINAL
+					DEPENDS px4 jsbsim_bridge
+				)
+			endif()
+		endforeach()
+	endforeach()
+
+endif()