Re: GZGL FH - Jumbos, Jets and Turbo Props

***
Andrew & Alex wrote:
Colony worlds have a low population, but I would expect populations of
two or three million to be easily attainable after, say, 50-100 years of
colonisation. New Zealand has a population of 3.5 million, yet it has
it's
own fleet of jets and other aircraft (Air New Zealand). So do even
smaller
places like Fiji, Tonga and Cook Islands.
***

My feeling is the analogy may be a bit thin. These 'relative' small
populations may have the larger aircraft for
commerce with a very large world indeed. However, John's analysis below
seems right on the mark, given
the experience in Australia, where I believe there are light aircraft on
almost every station, or the commonality of
bush pilots even today in Alaska.

What would be used would depend on a number of factors beyond pop
numbers;
density, terrain are two that
spring to mind. How dense these colonies would be was debated at some
length a while ago.

If you think holdings/towns/ranches/stations/whathaveyou would spread
out
equidistantly, then a sub-orbital version
of your scramjet would be hopping all over the globe. If you think
they'd
be clustered in one place spreading out,
smaller, shorter range craft would be more likely, with various ground
transports for the shortest hops.

I see a mix of the above: several clusterings of holdings with a few
central cities, and remote sites in inhospitable,
but lucrative locations. I'd think light aircraft licensers would be
doing
quite well.

Once you start using ST-style transporters, though, all bets are off.
;->=

The_Beast

"John M. Atkinson" <john.m.atkinson@erols.com> on 10/19/98 11:20:56 AM

Please respond to FTGZG-L@bolton.ac.uk
							      
							      
							      
 To:	  FTGZG-L@bolton.ac.uk				      
							      
 cc:	  (bcc: Doug Evans/CSN/UNEBR)			      
							      
							      
							      
 Subject: Re: GZGL FH - Jumbos, Jets and Turbo Props	      


Andrew & Alex wrote:

>     So, after landing on planet from the orbital scramjet, is it
likely
you
> could need to take a conventional plane to get to other places on the
> planet?

I see aircraft being, if anything, more common on colony worlds than on
the Homeworld. Mostly light aircraft to get to scattered settlements,
but with larger ones showing up too.

John