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Emerald Airline

This fascinating series is a combination of historical seafaring, swashbuckling adventure, and high technological science-fiction. Join us in a discussion!
Emerald Airline
Post by Erls   » Wed Mar 03, 2021 3:04 am

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I'm curious as to when we will see Emerald Airlines come into existence. This Airline would have three main routes: Tellesberg - Lock Island - Eraystor, Cherayth - Rock Coast - Eraystor, Tranjyr - Hanth Town - Eraystor, and Manchry - Carmyn - Eraystor.

Powered by Delthak airships, the Airline could run weekly (at first) routes between the various cities and allow someone to get from Tellesberg to Manchyr or Cheryath within a five day. And, from Tranjyr (or Tellesberg) a line could be extended out to Silkiah and/or Dohlar (or both).

The only real question is would there be enough demand for travel - outside of government use, to make it profitable? I think it may, as I could see someone like Duke Delthak "encouraging" his key people to make regular visits to his properties on other islands - as well as wanting management to come to him. On a different line, I could also see the Royals (Cayleb, Iris, whoever) sending out invitations to nobility/merchants Empire wide for birthday celebrations or other events that would require the use of Airships to make the transit in time - further pushing their adoption.

Thoughts?
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Re: Emerald Airline
Post by Fireflair   » Thu Mar 04, 2021 12:07 am

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This is definitely an application which would be quick to find traction. Commercial use of air ships would also find a foothold too, I believe.

Right now when you travel on Delta (or whomever) they are almost always carrying any number of other things at the same time. US mail, FedEx, UPS etc parcels. They don't generally transport large or heavy objects but a number of same day/next day items are almost always on every flight. This sort of application would be sure to fall into favor.

Once people recognize that it's possible to move things quickly I can see rapid transport of any number of items being a commercial success. Delicate foods that can't be preserved well, light weight materials or finished goods. Basically any thing that they don't need a ship to get around.

Initially it will have to be government funded/run but I can see it expanding quickly with the right pushes to encourage the various commercial empires, connecting the countries together more fully and to reduce the lag in any number of enterprises.
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Re: Emerald Airline
Post by Julia Minor   » Fri Mar 05, 2021 10:58 pm

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One factor we don't know yet is how soon everything hits the fan again. It's pointed out several times in TFT that airships are fragile and flammable; if bullets start flying again civilians won't be unless those routes are very far from anything that might be considered a war zone ... and Operation Rakurai already gave everyone the idea of sabotage/bomb strikes outside a war zone.
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Re: Emerald Airline
Post by Brigade XO   » Mon Mar 08, 2021 7:20 pm

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What are you powering them with?

Commercial airships (any airship) is going to need some type of propulsion to get it from point A to point B. Unless you have figured out how to put sails on a dirigible, you are going to have to put something on it like a steam engine.....yeah, that will go over well.

At the moment, the technology transfer is stymied at not being able to use electricity. Something not already shielded by FedTec is going to -or at least is expected to- come to the attention of the Orbital Station and/or whatever is lurking in the Temple sub-basements. That would what is known as a "bad idea".

It is possible I suppose to develop a diesel engine light enough to install in a dirigible but remember you are going to have to essentially hand crank it to start it. Perhaps you have seen movies or a TV show where the Model T Ford needed to be hand-cranked to start? There was even a specific name for the injury (type of broken arm and other bones) that could occur if the thing didn't fire correctly and the crank "kicked back" on the cranker). Once you got it going, the ignition system to keep it running is basically the compression in the cylinders creating enough heat to flash the fuel.

You could always go with air-galleys........a whole lot of people using muscle power to rate an air-screw sort of like the CSA Hunley submarine that had a crew of soldiers turning a crank to turn the properller and move it. Sort of like oarmen on a Roman galley. (think Ben-Hur). Not recommended for air travel :)
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Re: Emerald Airline
Post by Erls   » Tue Mar 09, 2021 1:07 am

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Umm, Safehold already has Zeppelin's that are capable of going from Dorath to Tellesberg (with crew, passenger, and cargo) in one go. As well as carrying tons of munitions and supplies from the UP/Claw Island to the Valley, dropping them, and heading back.

The distances work out.
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Re: Emerald Airline
Post by WeberFan   » Tue Mar 09, 2021 4:35 pm

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I would tend to agree that commercial air transport is becoming much more feasible. I don't recall in the textev if the existing airships powered by Praigr steam engines used coal for fuel or oil/oil derivatives.

Facts supported by textev:
1. Oil producing AND refining industry is starting to take off --> lighter, cleaner-burning hydrocarbons should become available.
2. Charis already has accumulated significant knowledge and experience with airships --> they're already being used to ferry limited numbers of passengers from Silkiah to Tarot to Charis.
3. While the safety of hydrogen as a lift gas remains problematic, it's no more problematic than it was for Hindenberg-era airships. The US Navy used hydrogen lifted airships (also out of Lakehurst).

As to the comment about the need for Royal investment/intervention to get it off the floor? I don't really think so. Howsmyn could fund it easily.

I agree that limited duration flights would be a good idea at first, to build confidence in reliability and safety. But I also believe that it would be a good idea to have some sort of meterological service (nothing in textev about weather analysis and forecasting other than "Owl says..." Meterology will have a HUGE impact on safety and reliability! A system of weather reporting stations will become very important, with (perhaps) arc-light or semaphore transmission of readings for centralized analysis. They're already familiar with atmospheric pressure (textev about Hector learning about the "falling glass" from Chief Waigan). Also wind direction and speed. Also normal, long-term weather trends (hurricane season, etc) from their nautical days...
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Re: Emerald Airline
Post by isaac_newton   » Thu Mar 11, 2021 6:07 am

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WeberFan wrote:SNIP

I agree that limited duration flights would be a good idea at first, to build confidence in reliability and safety. But I also believe that it would be a good idea to have some sort of meterological service (nothing in textev about weather analysis and forecasting other than "Owl says..." Meterology will have a HUGE impact on safety and reliability! A system of weather reporting stations will become very important, with (perhaps) arc-light or semaphore transmission of readings for centralized analysis. They're already familiar with atmospheric pressure (textev about Hector learning about the "falling glass" from Chief Waigan). Also wind direction and speed. Also normal, long-term weather trends (hurricane season, etc) from their nautical days...


I seem to remember a late story by Rudyard Kipling about transatlantic flight and IIRC the use of arc-lights for signalling.
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Re: Emerald Airline
Post by Louis R   » Sat Mar 13, 2021 12:39 pm

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Ummm... they're not going to be using arc lights any time soon, the arc in question being electric.

If you look for it, there was at least one thread some time back that discussed the use of carbide and lime lights instead, although I don't recall that anyone had a practical suggestion for manufacturing calcium carbide without an arc furnace.

isaac_newton wrote:
WeberFan wrote:SNIP

I agree that limited duration flights would be a good idea at first, to build confidence in reliability and safety. But I also believe that it would be a good idea to have some sort of meterological service (nothing in textev about weather analysis and forecasting other than "Owl says..." Meterology will have a HUGE impact on safety and reliability! A system of weather reporting stations will become very important, with (perhaps) arc-light or semaphore transmission of readings for centralized analysis. They're already familiar with atmospheric pressure (textev about Hector learning about the "falling glass" from Chief Waigan). Also wind direction and speed. Also normal, long-term weather trends (hurricane season, etc) from their nautical days...


I seem to remember a late story by Rudyard Kipling about transatlantic flight and IIRC the use of arc-lights for signalling.
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Re: Emerald Airline
Post by isaac_newton   » Mon Mar 15, 2021 5:53 am

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Louis R wrote:Ummm... they're not going to be using arc lights any time soon, the arc in question being electric.

If you look for it, there was at least one thread some time back that discussed the use of carbide and lime lights instead, although I don't recall that anyone had a practical suggestion for manufacturing calcium carbide without an arc furnace.

SNIP


v true!

It was more of a 'that reminds me' aside, than a serious comment contributing to the thread :-)
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Re: Emerald Airline
Post by Erls   » Sat May 08, 2021 11:29 pm

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Anyway,

Any other thoughts as to why or why not this couldn't work?
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