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[OOC] A Powerful Helper: Albiore Sheet (Incomplete)
This is a work-in-progress and largely for my own benefit because I like researching obscure things apparently.
According to books in the library:
Albiore design/why?
I remember a while back seeing a comment about how unrealistic it seems to have the first airship on Auldrant be a "cargo ship". While you would think that they would start smaller, I can see at least a few reasons why the Albiore is what it is - and not just to fill in plot holes (which it also does very well) or look cool. In the real world, you may remember that the Wright Brothers made a Flyer back in 1903 which was the first controlled, manned flying machine that was properly documented. Within four years of someone finally "getting it", there was already a military aviation division. In 1911 you started seeing airplanes carry things like mail.
Okay, back to Auldrant. Remember, even during peacetime, Sheridan's producing battleships and other machines for both countries. Relations are still awkward at best. Air travel is something everyone can get behind. It means they can keep an eye out, carry people and things in a faster, safer way. It means good defense, and if it ever comes down to it, good offense. Because airships are excellent tools for scouting and reconnaissance, can travel over terrain that is inaccessible by ships and land vehicles, and are difficult to reach from the ground when flying at a high enough altitude... But another weapon would be kind of obvious, and this thing is sorta-kinda being given the go-ahead by the Order of Lorelei which is all about PEACE (some of them are).
So build us a cargo vessel. It'd mean more trade opportunities and faster reaction times during a crisis. It also wouldn't be much of a surprise to me if the project's Kimlascan sponsors wanted something impressive.
So my guess? Political pressure. Why settle for a two-man flyer when a large cargo vehicle can be created. Sheridan's already got a grip on water and land vessel production and are used to manufacturing BIG things, so making a large airship and hooking up the hover drive to it should be possible, right?Plus that Megiorra wind is tough, a little bitty craft would probably just crash--oh. This is just my theory.
Exterior:
Wings - each are situated with what I jokingly call "Tilting Fonic Rotors". Tiltrotor craft actually exist, and what these rotors do is allow for vertical takeoffs and landings (sort of like can be accomplished in a helicopter). In Abyss, these "rotors" (I suspect they are actually large fonstones) also provide thrust and seem to control much of the Albiore's speed and direction.
Landing Gear: Large, towards the back of the craft with two main wheels working together. There are also two smaller nose wheels in the front.
Engines: There are presumably four, two on each side - one each on the upper and lower wing.
Doors: A side hatch on the pilot's side (left) about 1/3 way along the fuselage - it has a drop-down metal ladder which...drops down from the inside when the hatch is opened. There is also a door on both the pilot's and co-pilot's side beneath the flight deck (cockpit) which opens out like a normal door onto a deck that wraps around the front portion of the aircraft.
Windows: In the cockpit (a windshield) and also in the flight cabin. There are four smaller windows on each side of the aircraft about midway along the fuselage - one upper and one lower on each side, suggesting the Albiore has two levels.
Tail: Along the tail there are six yellow attachments which probably serve as trim tab/rudders. Maybe? In any case there's a rudder pedal in the cockpit, so despite the unhelpful design, I'm guessing there are rudders somewhere.
Interior:
The interior consists of more-or-less three levels. The top level is the cockpit which is walled in by glass windows. A vertical ladder behind the four seats leads down into a meeting area which most likely doubles as a place to eat meals and sleep. Next, in the mid-section of the ship are two small lavatories - one with a shower, and the other with a toilet. Behind these is a storage room for supplies (foodstuffs, blankets, first aid perhaps?) and then the backward/bottom-most bulk of the ship is for carrying cargo (large supplies, crates, machinery, etc) - it's a large open area. A ladder/door opens off of this and folds out. In the very tail end of the ship there is maybe(?) another balcony/deck that leads up to the top(?) of the craft.
Interior - Cockpit:
Control Panel: There are four mounted computer screens in front of each of the four chairs present in the cockpit. The screens can be programmed to display a number of different things within and without the ship.
Albiore III's control panel (circular) includes diagram of airship (status). All (only?) four seats in the cockpit seem to have this video panel in front of them (for the passengers they're mounted on the backs of the pilot and co-pilot's seats).
Center Stick/Control Stick: Part of the flight system, controls either elevons (aileron + elevator; if they exist) or those fon stones in the wings, used for adjusting pitch (nose up/down) and roll.
Radio/Intercom: Connected to short-range speakers in the cargo area and flight cabin (presumably). It's how Noelle contacted the group to say she would have to take off during the St. Binah rescue in the anime because the land was falling too fast.
Rudder Pedals:
Interior - Cargo Area:
According to books in the library:
The Albiore was still in [incomplete] development in ND2016, so the project has been in the works for at least two years. We also know that "Ion" (Ion knew of it in canon) approved Class M's use of the two Dawn Age hover drives that were unearthed.
The theory of flight was fully developed as of ND2016 but they hadn't attained sustained flight (ie. staying in the air).
The Albiore is 24 meters long (about 79 feet) and 8 meters wide (about 26 feet). It can carry around 20 passengers and crew.
Albiore design/why?
I remember a while back seeing a comment about how unrealistic it seems to have the first airship on Auldrant be a "cargo ship". While you would think that they would start smaller, I can see at least a few reasons why the Albiore is what it is - and not just to fill in plot holes (which it also does very well) or look cool. In the real world, you may remember that the Wright Brothers made a Flyer back in 1903 which was the first controlled, manned flying machine that was properly documented. Within four years of someone finally "getting it", there was already a military aviation division. In 1911 you started seeing airplanes carry things like mail.
Okay, back to Auldrant. Remember, even during peacetime, Sheridan's producing battleships and other machines for both countries. Relations are still awkward at best. Air travel is something everyone can get behind. It means they can keep an eye out, carry people and things in a faster, safer way. It means good defense, and if it ever comes down to it, good offense. Because airships are excellent tools for scouting and reconnaissance, can travel over terrain that is inaccessible by ships and land vehicles, and are difficult to reach from the ground when flying at a high enough altitude... But another weapon would be kind of obvious, and this thing is sorta-kinda being given the go-ahead by the Order of Lorelei which is all about PEACE (some of them are).
So build us a cargo vessel. It'd mean more trade opportunities and faster reaction times during a crisis. It also wouldn't be much of a surprise to me if the project's Kimlascan sponsors wanted something impressive.
So my guess? Political pressure. Why settle for a two-man flyer when a large cargo vehicle can be created. Sheridan's already got a grip on water and land vessel production and are used to manufacturing BIG things, so making a large airship and hooking up the hover drive to it should be possible, right?
Exterior:
Wings - each are situated with what I jokingly call "Tilting Fonic Rotors". Tiltrotor craft actually exist, and what these rotors do is allow for vertical takeoffs and landings (sort of like can be accomplished in a helicopter). In Abyss, these "rotors" (I suspect they are actually large fonstones) also provide thrust and seem to control much of the Albiore's speed and direction.
Landing Gear: Large, towards the back of the craft with two main wheels working together. There are also two smaller nose wheels in the front.
Engines: There are presumably four, two on each side - one each on the upper and lower wing.
Doors: A side hatch on the pilot's side (left) about 1/3 way along the fuselage - it has a drop-down metal ladder which...drops down from the inside when the hatch is opened. There is also a door on both the pilot's and co-pilot's side beneath the flight deck (cockpit) which opens out like a normal door onto a deck that wraps around the front portion of the aircraft.
Windows: In the cockpit (a windshield) and also in the flight cabin. There are four smaller windows on each side of the aircraft about midway along the fuselage - one upper and one lower on each side, suggesting the Albiore has two levels.
Tail: Along the tail there are six yellow attachments which probably serve as trim tab/rudders. Maybe? In any case there's a rudder pedal in the cockpit, so despite the unhelpful design, I'm guessing there are rudders somewhere.
Interior:
The interior consists of more-or-less three levels. The top level is the cockpit which is walled in by glass windows. A vertical ladder behind the four seats leads down into a meeting area which most likely doubles as a place to eat meals and sleep. Next, in the mid-section of the ship are two small lavatories - one with a shower, and the other with a toilet. Behind these is a storage room for supplies (foodstuffs, blankets, first aid perhaps?) and then the backward/bottom-most bulk of the ship is for carrying cargo (large supplies, crates, machinery, etc) - it's a large open area. A ladder/door opens off of this and folds out. In the very tail end of the ship there is maybe(?) another balcony/deck that leads up to the top(?) of the craft.
Interior - Cockpit:
Control Panel: There are four mounted computer screens in front of each of the four chairs present in the cockpit. The screens can be programmed to display a number of different things within and without the ship.
Albiore III's control panel (circular) includes diagram of airship (status). All (only?) four seats in the cockpit seem to have this video panel in front of them (for the passengers they're mounted on the backs of the pilot and co-pilot's seats).
Center Stick/Control Stick: Part of the flight system, controls either elevons (aileron + elevator; if they exist) or those fon stones in the wings, used for adjusting pitch (nose up/down) and roll.
Radio/Intercom: Connected to short-range speakers in the cargo area and flight cabin (presumably). It's how Noelle contacted the group to say she would have to take off during the St. Binah rescue in the anime because the land was falling too fast.
Rudder Pedals:
Interior - Cargo Area: