Moppy said:As with all things, a lot of designs are going to have to be changed. While aircraft will be viable as a concept, you can't expect one made for one world to work on another.
Exactly, that is the portability. Taking aircraft from one world to another probably wouldn't happen. Plus the designs might be radically different, thin atmosphere worlds having gossamer winged aircraft that have low maneuverability due to the use of lighter materials, they would tear themselves apart similar to WW1 aircraft, banking too sharply, etc.; consequently the opposite could be true for dense atmosphere worlds. Another is the advancement of technology, better triangulated cantilevers, hybrid electric engines, plasma field stabilizers (and other control surfaces) and all that making them look quite different.
wbnc said:Lighter than air craft can operate in an even broader range of atmospheres, even in air as thin as mars. they would need to be built to suit but, they do not need nearly the tech infrastructure to build as grav vehicles, or the highly complex power systems needed to allow grav flight. All of this makes them cheaper alternatives, where they are able to operate...
LTA's are an interesting subject, however some different in that one is looking at displacement and buoyancy of He. Regular AC though, the subject of infrastructure is important, there has to be a certain level of population and infrastructure to design and manufacture native aircraft, and at that point the question sort of becomes how much more expensive is grav in the long run.
None says you have to operate with just one type of vehicle...
True, though most likely the stuff that will work everywhere with less maintenance will be the most popular for export/import, and it will probably go from wheeled to grav. Militarily, tracks are so expensive maintenance wise, militaries will convert mostly to grav where possible, and just use cheap wheeled transport in non combat areas in a tertiary manner.