Solomani Confederation (Military)
- Thread starter Condottiere
- Start date
Condottiere
Emperor Mongoose
In the Imperium sense, they're complementary.
For the Vargr, it would be corsairs, and the Aslan, ihatei.
For the Vargr, it would be corsairs, and the Aslan, ihatei.
Condottiere
Emperor Mongoose
Confederation Navy: Airships
Q. That left an impression on me, when I first saw it.
R. Fandom says they were orbitting at twenty klix.
S. Vehicles makes little distinction between balloons, blimps, or zeppelins.
T. But cheaper and easier to kit them out as surveillance and communications nodes.
U. And with blimps, they can move coverage at a controlled rate.
Q. That left an impression on me, when I first saw it.
R. Fandom says they were orbitting at twenty klix.
S. Vehicles makes little distinction between balloons, blimps, or zeppelins.
T. But cheaper and easier to kit them out as surveillance and communications nodes.
U. And with blimps, they can move coverage at a controlled rate.
Condottiere
Emperor Mongoose
Confederation Navy: Airships
V. Most aircraft (vehicles that use the Flyer skill) are designed for a specific atmosphere and planetary gravity.
W. This means aircraft can only fly on worlds with Size and Atmosphere types within 2 of their world of creation.
X. For example, an aircraft manufactured on a world with Size 7 and Atmosphere 7 could function properly on worlds with Atmosphere 5–9, and Size 5–9.
Y. Aircraft suffer DM-1 to all checks made to control them if they are not within their home Atmosphere and/or Size types, and cannot fly at all if they are operating beyond the range listed above.
Z. In any case, aircraft require a minimum Atmosphere code of 1 in order to function.
V. Most aircraft (vehicles that use the Flyer skill) are designed for a specific atmosphere and planetary gravity.
W. This means aircraft can only fly on worlds with Size and Atmosphere types within 2 of their world of creation.
X. For example, an aircraft manufactured on a world with Size 7 and Atmosphere 7 could function properly on worlds with Atmosphere 5–9, and Size 5–9.
Y. Aircraft suffer DM-1 to all checks made to control them if they are not within their home Atmosphere and/or Size types, and cannot fly at all if they are operating beyond the range listed above.
Z. In any case, aircraft require a minimum Atmosphere code of 1 in order to function.
Condottiere
Emperor Mongoose
Confederation Navy: Airships
1. I sort of wondered how that works with airships.
2. I would guess that it's a question of gas mix, since greater lift would be achieved with the same ratio on lower gravitated worlds.
3. And vice versa.
4. I would assume that lower atmospheric pressure would potentially expand the gasbag, possibly to the point of bursting, though not change the lift.
5. I would have thought that not using the same amount of lifting gas, would resolve that issue, though lower lift.
6. I don't think the type of propulsion strays far from a ducted fan, or internal combustion engine.
7. Increased efficiency, expressed in range, would be improved internal combustion engines.
8. Or, maybe electricity.
9. A thinner atmosphere, I would think, be less amenable to movement by air pushed by a propeller.
1. I sort of wondered how that works with airships.
2. I would guess that it's a question of gas mix, since greater lift would be achieved with the same ratio on lower gravitated worlds.
3. And vice versa.
4. I would assume that lower atmospheric pressure would potentially expand the gasbag, possibly to the point of bursting, though not change the lift.
5. I would have thought that not using the same amount of lifting gas, would resolve that issue, though lower lift.
6. I don't think the type of propulsion strays far from a ducted fan, or internal combustion engine.
7. Increased efficiency, expressed in range, would be improved internal combustion engines.
8. Or, maybe electricity.
9. A thinner atmosphere, I would think, be less amenable to movement by air pushed by a propeller.
Condottiere
Emperor Mongoose
Confederation Navy: Airships
A. And so, we come up with the concept of waft/raft.
B. That would be a technological level seven lifting body, high speed band (upto three hundred klix an hour), six thousand klix range.
C. This is a hybrid aircraft, combining rigid wings and a lift-generating fuselage with a gas envelope which, in itself, is capable of supporting the entire craft.
D. Eight usable spaces from a thirty two space allocation, base cost of fifty two kilostarbux.
E. Presumably, one crew, five passengers, a quarter tonne cargo, and a quarter tonne in armour protection.
F. That would be two plus twelve equals fourteen points of, presumably steel, armour points, cost at twenty four percent of ten and one fifth kilostarbux, being 12'480 starbux.
A. And so, we come up with the concept of waft/raft.
B. That would be a technological level seven lifting body, high speed band (upto three hundred klix an hour), six thousand klix range.
C. This is a hybrid aircraft, combining rigid wings and a lift-generating fuselage with a gas envelope which, in itself, is capable of supporting the entire craft.
D. Eight usable spaces from a thirty two space allocation, base cost of fifty two kilostarbux.
E. Presumably, one crew, five passengers, a quarter tonne cargo, and a quarter tonne in armour protection.
F. That would be two plus twelve equals fourteen points of, presumably steel, armour points, cost at twenty four percent of ten and one fifth kilostarbux, being 12'480 starbux.
Last edited:
Condottiere
Emperor Mongoose
Confederation Navy: Airships
G. We'll continue with the whiff/skiff.
H. Parameters are the same as the waft/raft, except it's a blimp.
I. Eighty spaces, with eight of them usable, and a downgrade of speed to medium band, built at technological level six.
J. Cost is cheaper, with the base of twenty four kilostarbux, and armour worth 5'760 starbux.
K. I would guess that if you left it at the basic two armour points, it could be wicker basket with a reinforced floor.
G. We'll continue with the whiff/skiff.
H. Parameters are the same as the waft/raft, except it's a blimp.
I. Eighty spaces, with eight of them usable, and a downgrade of speed to medium band, built at technological level six.
J. Cost is cheaper, with the base of twenty four kilostarbux, and armour worth 5'760 starbux.
K. I would guess that if you left it at the basic two armour points, it could be wicker basket with a reinforced floor.
Condottiere
Emperor Mongoose
Confederation Navy: Airships
L. I'm not too sure what the optimal size for an airship is, for a military institution that can just send in an armoured armed assault shuttle, doing a mail run.
M. Whatever that is, it going to be termed the float/boat.
N. The two candidates are something that takes up thirty tonnes of shipping space, halved from sixty tonnes economy of scale.
O. The other which acts as a disguise for replacing the gondola with a smallcraft with a manoeuvre drive, that just uses enough thrust to replicate the movement of an airship.
P. It seems that the Goodyear blimp has a construction cost of a tad above twenty megagreenbux, and at that point, you might as well just go with a vertical take off and landing smallcraft, if between technological levels nine and ten.
L. I'm not too sure what the optimal size for an airship is, for a military institution that can just send in an armoured armed assault shuttle, doing a mail run.
M. Whatever that is, it going to be termed the float/boat.
N. The two candidates are something that takes up thirty tonnes of shipping space, halved from sixty tonnes economy of scale.
O. The other which acts as a disguise for replacing the gondola with a smallcraft with a manoeuvre drive, that just uses enough thrust to replicate the movement of an airship.
P. It seems that the Goodyear blimp has a construction cost of a tad above twenty megagreenbux, and at that point, you might as well just go with a vertical take off and landing smallcraft, if between technological levels nine and ten.
Condottiere
Emperor Mongoose
Confederation Navy: Airships
Q. While blimps are cheaper than lifting bodies, they require twice as much shipping space for a given amount of usable volume.
R. And, as we all know, that space is expensive.
S. Plus, they're faster, default, by a hundred klix an hour.
T. Lifting bodies are carried by Confederation starships.
U. And blimps are manufactured locally, by regional subcontractors.
Q. While blimps are cheaper than lifting bodies, they require twice as much shipping space for a given amount of usable volume.
R. And, as we all know, that space is expensive.
S. Plus, they're faster, default, by a hundred klix an hour.
T. Lifting bodies are carried by Confederation starships.
U. And blimps are manufactured locally, by regional subcontractors.
Condottiere
Emperor Mongoose
Confederation Navy: Airships
V. A little calculation had a three five tonne docking space result in a thirty eight and a half tonne volume.
W. That would be a seven hundred seventy space lifting body, with one hundred fifty four usable spaces.
X. At one million ten thousand starbux.
Y. Usual technological level seven, high speed band, six thousand klix range.
Z. We'll call it lift/air.
V. A little calculation had a three five tonne docking space result in a thirty eight and a half tonne volume.
W. That would be a seven hundred seventy space lifting body, with one hundred fifty four usable spaces.
X. At one million ten thousand starbux.
Y. Usual technological level seven, high speed band, six thousand klix range.
Z. We'll call it lift/air.
Condottiere
Emperor Mongoose
Confederation Navy: Airships
1. While the thirty eight and a half tonnes could be found in a cargo hold, you could also evict a medium fighter, or standard shuttle, from it's docking station, for the duration.
2. It's possible that the full thousand spaces could have been designed around, but that would have required a docking space for a 45.4545454545 tonne smallcraft.
3. Minus off the spaces needed for a crew, usable space of one hundred fifty four, has the potential of over thirty tonnes of cargo.
4. The Lockheed Hercules has a listed cargo capacity of twenty tonnes.
5. It has a speed below six hundred klix an hour.
6. At a range of under four thousand klix.
7. Highest altitude of an airship would be over eight klix, but would still have to move around Everest.
8. The Hercules can reach ten klix high.
9. Maximum speed would still be half of the Hercules, at three hundred klix per hour.
1. While the thirty eight and a half tonnes could be found in a cargo hold, you could also evict a medium fighter, or standard shuttle, from it's docking station, for the duration.
2. It's possible that the full thousand spaces could have been designed around, but that would have required a docking space for a 45.4545454545 tonne smallcraft.
3. Minus off the spaces needed for a crew, usable space of one hundred fifty four, has the potential of over thirty tonnes of cargo.
4. The Lockheed Hercules has a listed cargo capacity of twenty tonnes.
5. It has a speed below six hundred klix an hour.
6. At a range of under four thousand klix.
7. Highest altitude of an airship would be over eight klix, but would still have to move around Everest.
8. The Hercules can reach ten klix high.
9. Maximum speed would still be half of the Hercules, at three hundred klix per hour.
Condottiere
Emperor Mongoose
Confederation Navy: Airships
A. At the lower end, the Navy keeps a fleet of ten space lift/airs, for a variety of light communications duties.
B. While ballooning to over six times that of a ubiquitous air/raft, it is cheaper at a base sixty five kilostarbux.
C. Speed is upto three hundred klix, but some examples have been tweaked to go faster.
D. Or, create greater capacity, at the expense of range and/or speed.
E. Being larger, prevents being able to squeeze into tight spaces.
F. It does demonstrate the perceived importance of naval operations.
A. At the lower end, the Navy keeps a fleet of ten space lift/airs, for a variety of light communications duties.
B. While ballooning to over six times that of a ubiquitous air/raft, it is cheaper at a base sixty five kilostarbux.
C. Speed is upto three hundred klix, but some examples have been tweaked to go faster.
D. Or, create greater capacity, at the expense of range and/or speed.
E. Being larger, prevents being able to squeeze into tight spaces.
F. It does demonstrate the perceived importance of naval operations.
Condottiere
Emperor Mongoose
Confederation Navy: Airships
G. A direct analogue to the air/raft is somewhat difficult.
H. Which leaves us with creating a vehicle that can do eighty percent of what the air/raft supposedly can do, at twenty percent of the price.
I. With the size differential ballooning to four hundred percent.
J. That would be eight spaces, at high speed, with a range of a thousand klix.
K. One crew, five passengers, and a quarter tonne of cargo.
G. A direct analogue to the air/raft is somewhat difficult.
H. Which leaves us with creating a vehicle that can do eighty percent of what the air/raft supposedly can do, at twenty percent of the price.
I. With the size differential ballooning to four hundred percent.
J. That would be eight spaces, at high speed, with a range of a thousand klix.
K. One crew, five passengers, and a quarter tonne of cargo.
Condottiere
Emperor Mongoose
Confederation Navy: Airships
L. Party of six, plus gear, can fit into a ten (usable) space(r).
M. In terms of physical signatures, a blimp of almost any dimensions isn't as stealthy as an eight spacer grav vehicle.
N. As a runabout, you could have a four spacer, with one crew and three passengers.
O. In theory, that's a capacity of one tonne, so cargo would be weight of crew, plus passengers, plus carryon baggage.
P. If the average weight of a human is sixty two kilogrammes, that carryon (and seating) could be three quarters of a tonne.
L. Party of six, plus gear, can fit into a ten (usable) space(r).
M. In terms of physical signatures, a blimp of almost any dimensions isn't as stealthy as an eight spacer grav vehicle.
N. As a runabout, you could have a four spacer, with one crew and three passengers.
O. In theory, that's a capacity of one tonne, so cargo would be weight of crew, plus passengers, plus carryon baggage.
P. If the average weight of a human is sixty two kilogrammes, that carryon (and seating) could be three quarters of a tonne.
Condottiere
Emperor Mongoose
Confederation Navy: Airships
The weight of a pilot seat varies significantly depending on the aircraft type, ranging from roughly 17 lbs for light general aviation seats to over 240 lbs for advanced military ejection seats.
Seat Weights by Aircraft Type
General Aviation (e.g., Cessna 172/182): Standard front seats typically weigh between 17 lbs and 35 lbs. Modern leather upholstery can add roughly 0.5–1 lb compared to cloth.
Commercial Airliners (e.g., Boeing 737): A standard cockpit seat for a commercial jet weighs approximately 88 lbs (40 kg).
Military Ejection Seats: These are significantly heavier due to integrated propulsion and survival systems.
F-14 (SJU-17): ~228 lbs (103 kg).
U-2: ~248 lbs (112 kg).
Specialty & Simulation:
Helicopter Simulator Seats: Often weigh around 88 lbs (40 kg).
Lightweight Racing/Composite Pilot Seats: Can weigh as little as 20–30 lbs using carbon fiber or fiberglass.
Key Factors Influencing Weight
Materials: Older seats often used heavy frames and horsehair cushioning; modern seats use lightweight alloys and foam, which can save 5–20 lbs per seat.
Adjustability: Seats with mechanical cranks for height and vertical adjustment are "considerably heavier" (often by several pounds) than fixed or simple sliding frames.
Safety Requirements: Commercial and military seats are dynamically tested to withstand high G-loads (e.g., 16g to 30g), necessitating more robust and heavier frames.
Are you looking for the weight of a specific aircraft model's seat, or are you calculating weight and balance for a flight?
The weight of a pilot seat varies significantly depending on the aircraft type, ranging from roughly 17 lbs for light general aviation seats to over 240 lbs for advanced military ejection seats.
Seat Weights by Aircraft Type
General Aviation (e.g., Cessna 172/182): Standard front seats typically weigh between 17 lbs and 35 lbs. Modern leather upholstery can add roughly 0.5–1 lb compared to cloth.
Commercial Airliners (e.g., Boeing 737): A standard cockpit seat for a commercial jet weighs approximately 88 lbs (40 kg).
Military Ejection Seats: These are significantly heavier due to integrated propulsion and survival systems.
F-14 (SJU-17): ~228 lbs (103 kg).
U-2: ~248 lbs (112 kg).
Specialty & Simulation:
Helicopter Simulator Seats: Often weigh around 88 lbs (40 kg).
Lightweight Racing/Composite Pilot Seats: Can weigh as little as 20–30 lbs using carbon fiber or fiberglass.
Key Factors Influencing Weight
Materials: Older seats often used heavy frames and horsehair cushioning; modern seats use lightweight alloys and foam, which can save 5–20 lbs per seat.
Adjustability: Seats with mechanical cranks for height and vertical adjustment are "considerably heavier" (often by several pounds) than fixed or simple sliding frames.
Safety Requirements: Commercial and military seats are dynamically tested to withstand high G-loads (e.g., 16g to 30g), necessitating more robust and heavier frames.
Are you looking for the weight of a specific aircraft model's seat, or are you calculating weight and balance for a flight?
Condottiere
Emperor Mongoose
Confederation Navy: Airships
Q. This is a sort of fun bit of the navy screwing with the Army and Security, regarding dirtside access and mobility.
R. Setting up airfields, without requiring runways, since airships are basically vertical takeoff and landing.
S. Very large hangars have to be set up to store and provide maintenance areas for the airships.
T. Hangars, that are large enough to shelter spacecraft.
U. And airfields, that as non planet based spaceports, don't require an army garrison as security.
Q. This is a sort of fun bit of the navy screwing with the Army and Security, regarding dirtside access and mobility.
R. Setting up airfields, without requiring runways, since airships are basically vertical takeoff and landing.
S. Very large hangars have to be set up to store and provide maintenance areas for the airships.
T. Hangars, that are large enough to shelter spacecraft.
U. And airfields, that as non planet based spaceports, don't require an army garrison as security.
Condottiere
Emperor Mongoose
Confederation Navy: Airships
V. When I considered the transport infrastructure of frontier planets, I thought that at technological level eight, an air/raft would be a shoo in for most of the settlers.
W. Odds are, a quarter megastarbux is more than the value of most farmsteads.
X. All things being equal, the initial settlement would be at the mouth of an extensive riverine system.
Y. The riverine and littoral access being the primary means of communication.
Z. While paved roads and railways would be too expensive to extend beyond each urban centre.
V. When I considered the transport infrastructure of frontier planets, I thought that at technological level eight, an air/raft would be a shoo in for most of the settlers.
W. Odds are, a quarter megastarbux is more than the value of most farmsteads.
X. All things being equal, the initial settlement would be at the mouth of an extensive riverine system.
Y. The riverine and littoral access being the primary means of communication.
Z. While paved roads and railways would be too expensive to extend beyond each urban centre.
Condottiere
Emperor Mongoose
Confederation Navy: Airships
1. One things farmers, especially a collection thereof, can do is raise large barns.
2. These large barns, can be used to harbour adequately sized airships, instead of the usual range of livestock.
3. These deadstock, could be termed air pigs, considering that they can fly.
4. And are about as fast and maneuverable as a cow.
5. And sheeper than ye default air/raft.
6. The primary enemy for airships appear to be weather, specifically bad.
7. Having satellites in orbit, real time tracking, and computer weather prediction programmes, should minimize that risk.
8. You could avoid or fly around bad weather.
9. Or, just temporarily go to ground, sheltered in one of those barns.
1. One things farmers, especially a collection thereof, can do is raise large barns.
2. These large barns, can be used to harbour adequately sized airships, instead of the usual range of livestock.
3. These deadstock, could be termed air pigs, considering that they can fly.
4. And are about as fast and maneuverable as a cow.
5. And sheeper than ye default air/raft.
6. The primary enemy for airships appear to be weather, specifically bad.
7. Having satellites in orbit, real time tracking, and computer weather prediction programmes, should minimize that risk.
8. You could avoid or fly around bad weather.
9. Or, just temporarily go to ground, sheltered in one of those barns.
Condottiere
Emperor Mongoose
Confederation Navy: Airships
A. Outside of settlements, you could still build unpaved roads.
B. The difference would be, at this stage of technological development, is collect nearby dirt, layer it on the preferred road, and pound it into packed earth.
C. You could also layer organic material, which cement the entirety together.
D. This would seem a lot cheaper than diverting concrete, rocks, and/or asphalt to road construction.
E. Especially, if the amount of expected traffic wouldn't justify that diversion of resources.
F. Or, just pound sand, which would be even faster.
A. Outside of settlements, you could still build unpaved roads.
B. The difference would be, at this stage of technological development, is collect nearby dirt, layer it on the preferred road, and pound it into packed earth.
C. You could also layer organic material, which cement the entirety together.
D. This would seem a lot cheaper than diverting concrete, rocks, and/or asphalt to road construction.
E. Especially, if the amount of expected traffic wouldn't justify that diversion of resources.
F. Or, just pound sand, which would be even faster.
Condottiere
Emperor Mongoose
Confederation Navy: Airships
G. Bulk goods transportation is likely to remain littoral and riverine.
H. Unless there's some reason, whether ideological or resource extraction, planetary settlement is likely to remain on one continent, for the foreseeable future.
I. If the resources are exported off planet, the spaceport is likely located nearby.
J. If not, investment in a rail line to transport the resource will likely be made by the corporate entity that owns that resource, to the spaceport.
K. Though, going by Avatar, there is the option of gigantic trucks.
G. Bulk goods transportation is likely to remain littoral and riverine.
H. Unless there's some reason, whether ideological or resource extraction, planetary settlement is likely to remain on one continent, for the foreseeable future.
I. If the resources are exported off planet, the spaceport is likely located nearby.
J. If not, investment in a rail line to transport the resource will likely be made by the corporate entity that owns that resource, to the spaceport.
K. Though, going by Avatar, there is the option of gigantic trucks.
