ACA SkyLiner
The Allied Concordat Aerospace SkyLiner is a superheavy nuclear powered aircraft designed as an ultra long-range, high-capacity cargo and passenger carrier for civilian and military usage. The first true aircraft produced by the multinational ACA, the SkyLiner is considered to be the flagship product of the new Concordat venture. The aircraft has a unique 'flying wing' design as a result of the Blended Wing Body (BWB) technology that the Skyliner was built around, producing a distinctive and recognisable design several times the size of most generic airliners. A militarised version of the SkyLiner known as SkyWarrior is also avaliable as a long range transport and tanker. A gunship version, the SkyDemon was developed by the Greater Royal Airforce from a SkyWarrior airframe.
History
Development
Production
Taking a cue from the surprisingly efficient Airbus style modular construction, each Skyliner is actually composed of several seperately manufactured prefabricated structures and systems from all three member countries. Fuselage, wing and engine components are constructed in Midlonia and Zepplin Manufacturers and then shipped by large cargo ships to Navarre in the Freethinker Commonwealth, where electronic systems are built and the entire aircraft is finally assembled and fitted out at the gargantuan Logan Road Aircraft Factory adjacent to Sir John Barham International Airport.
A total of 30 new production aircraft are completed and delivered every month.
Specifications
General characteristics
SL-100:
- Crew: 9
- Length: 124 m
- Wingspan: 480 m
- Height: 20.4 m
- Empty weight: 485,400 kg
- Max takeoff weight: 1,580,000 kg
- Powerplant: 2 MAS HP-44 Reactor/Generator stacks generating 450 MW, 4 x MAS AirMaster E49 Electric Resistojets (690 kN/engine) , 10 x MAS Vandal A03 turbofans, (150 kN/engine, TOL use only)
- Maximum speed: Mach 0.92 (1127 km/h)
- Range: Unlimited (Effectively ~ 70,000 km due to crew/passenger fatigue and maintenance requirements, equivelant to roughly 72 hours of continuous flight)
- Service ceiling: 10,000 m (33,000 ft)
Airport Requirements
- Runways
Because of the size of the SkyLiner (in particular the immense wingspan of the BWB design), most runways will require both width and length expansion. In particular the width of the runway needs to take account of the mid-wing landing gear and the outriggers. Designed runway width should be a minimum of 220 metres, and a clear strip of 120 metres from each runway edge. Although through effective weight reduction and multiple landing gear units the actual ground pressure exerted is analagous to conventional heavy aircraft, some surface strengthening will be required.
Actual minimum length for a runway is roughly 4,200 metres for a normal load. Because of the nuclear powered propulsion system, there is only an insignificant reduction in total flight weight during the course of a flight (compared to the considerable fuel combustion of other airliners as a proportion of weight) hence the relative equality of take-off and landing requirements compared to other airliners. Because of the wing-in-gound effect and the dangers of overbraking, as well as providing traditional safety, a runway no shorter than 5,000 metres is recommended for Skyliner operations at mean sea level. Minimum recommended distances at 3,000 ft AMSL and 6,000 ft AMSL are 5,500 metres and 6,000 metres respectively.
- Taxiways
As with principal runways, taxiways and aprons need to be expanded and strengthened to be able to accomodate the Skyliner.
- Maintenance Facilities
Hangars and airport ramps wll need considerable expansion.
The nuclear engines will also require specialised attention and facilities.
- Passenger Terminals
Avaliable Models
Civilian
- SkyLiner 100 - Standard passenger SkyLiner version, seating 3,124 people in a three-class arrangement and 5,298 in a single class layout.
- US$3,000,000,000
- SkyLiner 100F - High capacity civilian freighter version of the SkyLiner, designed for the large scale delivery of airborne freight.
- US$2,700,000,000
- SkyLiner Executive - Executive jet version, designed for company and personal ownership and one of the most expensive private vehicles on the market.
- US$2,750,000,000 (+ Costs of Optional Equipment)
- SkyLiner 100SE - Security Edition design proposed for moderate risk areas and airlines that are subject to an elevated risk of paramilitary or terrorist attack.
- US$3,200,000,000
Military
- SkyWarrior C-100 - Military strategic airlifter, a rough almagamation of the 100F version combined with the SE's security packages and improvements.
- US$2,800,000,000
- SkyWarrior C-101T - Military multi-role tanker/transport designed for troop and cargo transport simeltaneously with extended, high capacity fuel carriage.
- US$3,200,000,000
- SkyDemon C-105 - Midlonian Military gunship. Sports quadruple 105mm HE guns, six 40mm cannons and quadruple 20mm chain guns. This is typically a SkyWarrior outfitted by Vickers ltd and Dove Aviation. 24 are in service in the Greater Royal Airforce.
Orders
| Operator | SL-100 | SL-100F | SL-100SE | SL Exec | SW-C100 | SW-C101T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freethinker Airlines (The Freethinkers) | 60 (1) | 6 | ||||
| Commonwealth Air (The Freethinkers) | 30 (1) | |||||
| Commonwealth Freightliner (The Freethinkers) | 20 | 1 | ||||
| ZMI Department of Tourism (ZMI) | 1 | |||||
| Megacity Aerospace Systems (ZMI) | 80 | 30 | ||||
| ZMI Red Cross (ZMI) | 4 | |||||
| Freethinker Department of the Interior (The Freethinkers) | 2 | 4 | 3 | |||
| Royal Freethinker Air Force (The Freethinkers) | 2 | 2 | 60 | 60 | ||
| Midlonian Airways (Midlonia) | 48 | 18 | ||||
| Royal Midlonian Air Force (Midlonia) | 24 | 24 | ||||
| FDI Group (The Freethinkers) | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | ||
| Sub-totals | 223 | 80 | 7 | 11 | 84 | 84 |
| Total | 489 | |||||
(1) Freethinker Airlines and Commonwealth Airlines are expected by many industry experts to place much larger orders in the near future to serve high density domestic routes as current airports complete renovation and expansion efforts to be able to accomodate the SkyLiner.
- SL-Executive model sales are listed for companies and government operators only. Privately ordered and owned aircraft are not displayed.
- A futher three development/demonstration aircraft are owned and operated by ACA.
Further Information
Related Development:
See Also: