diff --git a/src/Main/viewmgr.cxx b/src/Main/viewmgr.cxx
index cc254991b..b31b9912b 100644
--- a/src/Main/viewmgr.cxx
+++ b/src/Main/viewmgr.cxx
@@ -302,11 +302,10 @@ FGViewMgr::update (double dt)
   smgr->set_orientation(loop_view->getViewOrientation(), 
                         loop_view->getViewOrientationOffset());
 
-  // get the model velocity for the in-cockpit view
-  SGVec3d velocity = SGVec3d(0,0,0);
+  // get the model velocity
+  SGVec3f velocity = SGVec3f::zeros();
   if ( !stationary() ) {
-    FGAircraftModel *aircraft = globals->get_aircraft_model();
-    velocity = aircraft->getVelocity();
+    velocity = globals->get_aircraft_model()->getVelocity();
   }
   smgr->set_velocity(velocity);
 }
diff --git a/src/Model/acmodel.cxx b/src/Model/acmodel.cxx
index 1a93a49ab..305c1fbeb 100644
--- a/src/Model/acmodel.cxx
+++ b/src/Model/acmodel.cxx
@@ -131,10 +131,10 @@ FGAircraftModel::update (double dt)
                                                 _roll->getDoubleValue());
   _fx->set_orientation( orient );
  
-   SGQuatd q(-0.5, -0.5, 0.5, 0.5);
-  _velocity = q.backTransform( SGVec3d( _speed_n->getDoubleValue(),
-                                        _speed_e->getDoubleValue(),
-                                        _speed_d->getDoubleValue()) );
+   SGQuatf q(-0.5, -0.5, 0.5, 0.5);
+  _velocity =  q.backTransform( SGVec3f(_speed_n->getFloatValue(),
+                                        _speed_e->getFloatValue(),
+                                        _speed_d->getFloatValue()) );
   _fx->set_velocity( _velocity );
 }
 
diff --git a/src/Model/acmodel.hxx b/src/Model/acmodel.hxx
index f9917a1d7..da3c844f5 100644
--- a/src/Model/acmodel.hxx
+++ b/src/Model/acmodel.hxx
@@ -39,12 +39,12 @@ public:
   virtual void unbind ();
   virtual void update (double dt);
   virtual SGModelPlacement * get3DModel() { return _aircraft; }
-  virtual SGVec3d getVelocity() { return _velocity; }
+  virtual SGVec3f& getVelocity() { return _velocity; }
 
 private:
 
   SGModelPlacement * _aircraft;
-  SGVec3d _velocity;
+  SGVec3f _velocity;
   SGSharedPtr<FGFX>  _fx;
 
   SGPropertyNode_ptr _lon;