diff --git a/simgear/scene/model/placement.cxx b/simgear/scene/model/placement.cxx
index 37d715f4..e7d4d384 100644
--- a/simgear/scene/model/placement.cxx
+++ b/simgear/scene/model/placement.cxx
@@ -22,15 +22,13 @@
 // Implementation of SGModelPlacement.
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
-SGModelPlacement::SGModelPlacement ()
-  : _lon_deg(0),
-    _lat_deg(0),
-    _elev_ft(0),
+SGModelPlacement::SGModelPlacement () :
+    _position(SGGeod::fromRad(0, 0)),
     _roll_deg(0),
     _pitch_deg(0),
     _heading_deg(0),
     _selector(new osg::Switch),
-    _position(new SGPlacementTransform),
+    _transform(new SGPlacementTransform),
     _location(new SGLocation)
 {
 }
@@ -44,16 +42,18 @@ void
 SGModelPlacement::init( osg::Node * model )
 {
   if (model != 0) {
-      _position->addChild(model);
+      _transform->addChild(model);
   }
-  _selector->addChild(_position.get());
+  _selector->addChild(_transform.get());
   _selector->setValue(0, 1);
 }
 
 void
 SGModelPlacement::update()
 {
-  _location->setPosition( _lon_deg, _lat_deg, _elev_ft );
+  _location->setPosition( _position.getLongitudeDeg(),
+                          _position.getLatitudeDeg(),
+                          _position.getElevationFt() );
   _location->setOrientation( _roll_deg, _pitch_deg, _heading_deg );
 
   const sgVec4 *t = _location->getTransformMatrix();
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ SGModelPlacement::update()
     for (unsigned j = 0; j < 4; ++j)
       rotation(i, j) = t[j][i];
   SGVec3d pos(_location->get_absolute_view_pos());
-  _position->setTransform(pos, rotation);
+  _transform->setTransform(pos, rotation);
 }
 
 bool
@@ -80,35 +80,31 @@ SGModelPlacement::setVisible (bool visible)
 void
 SGModelPlacement::setLongitudeDeg (double lon_deg)
 {
-  _lon_deg = lon_deg;
+  _position.setLongitudeDeg(lon_deg);
 }
 
 void
 SGModelPlacement::setLatitudeDeg (double lat_deg)
 {
-  _lat_deg = lat_deg;
+  _position.setLatitudeDeg(lat_deg);
 }
 
 void
 SGModelPlacement::setElevationFt (double elev_ft)
 {
-  _elev_ft = elev_ft;
+  _position.setElevationFt(elev_ft);
 }
 
 void
 SGModelPlacement::setPosition (double lon_deg, double lat_deg, double elev_ft)
 {
-  _lon_deg = lon_deg;
-  _lat_deg = lat_deg;
-  _elev_ft = elev_ft;
+  _position = SGGeod::fromDegFt(lon_deg, lat_deg, elev_ft);
 }
 
 void
 SGModelPlacement::setPosition(const SGGeod& position)
 {
-  _lon_deg = position.getLongitudeDeg();
-  _lat_deg = position.getLatitudeDeg();
-  _elev_ft = position.getElevationFt();
+  _position = position;
 }
 
 void
@@ -148,7 +144,7 @@ void
 SGModelPlacement::setBodyLinearVelocity(const SGVec3d& linear)
 {
   SGSceneUserData* userData;
-  userData = SGSceneUserData::getOrCreateSceneUserData(_position);
+  userData = SGSceneUserData::getOrCreateSceneUserData(_transform);
   SGSceneUserData::Velocity* vel = userData->getOrCreateVelocity();
   SGQuatd orientation = SGQuatd::fromAngleAxisDeg(180, SGVec3d(0, 1, 0));
   vel->linear = orientation.backTransform(linear);
@@ -158,7 +154,7 @@ void
 SGModelPlacement::setBodyAngularVelocity(const SGVec3d& angular)
 {
   SGSceneUserData* userData;
-  userData = SGSceneUserData::getOrCreateSceneUserData(_position);
+  userData = SGSceneUserData::getOrCreateSceneUserData(_transform);
   SGSceneUserData::Velocity* vel = userData->getOrCreateVelocity();
   SGQuatd orientation = SGQuatd::fromAngleAxisDeg(180, SGVec3d(0, 1, 0));
   vel->angular = orientation.backTransform(angular);
diff --git a/simgear/scene/model/placement.hxx b/simgear/scene/model/placement.hxx
index 5c06e532..59fe525e 100644
--- a/simgear/scene/model/placement.hxx
+++ b/simgear/scene/model/placement.hxx
@@ -57,15 +57,16 @@ public:
   virtual bool getVisible () const;
   virtual void setVisible (bool visible);
 
-  virtual double getLongitudeDeg () const { return _lon_deg; }
-  virtual double getLatitudeDeg () const { return _lat_deg; }
-  virtual double getElevationFt () const { return _elev_ft; }
+  virtual double getLongitudeDeg () const { return _position.getLongitudeDeg(); }
+  virtual double getLatitudeDeg () const { return _position.getLatitudeDeg(); }
+  virtual double getElevationFt () const { return _position.getElevationFt(); }
 
   virtual void setLongitudeDeg (double lon_deg);
   virtual void setLatitudeDeg (double lat_deg);
   virtual void setElevationFt (double elev_ft);
   virtual void setPosition (double lon_deg, double lat_deg, double elev_ft);
   void setPosition(const SGGeod& position);
+  const SGGeod& getPosition() const { return _position; }
 
   virtual double getRollDeg () const { return _roll_deg; }
   virtual double getPitchDeg () const { return _pitch_deg; }
@@ -84,9 +85,7 @@ public:
 private:
 
                                 // Geodetic position
-  double _lon_deg;
-  double _lat_deg;
-  double _elev_ft;
+  SGGeod _position;
 
                                 // Orientation
   double _roll_deg;
@@ -94,7 +93,7 @@ private:
   double _heading_deg;
 
   osg::ref_ptr<osg::Switch> _selector;
-  osg::ref_ptr<SGPlacementTransform> _position;
+  osg::ref_ptr<SGPlacementTransform> _transform;
 
                                 // Location
   SGLocation * _location;