Runways

[jmf]

Since we have vehicles with wings and wheels we should have some spaceports with runways.
Gliding spacecraft use less fuel and so cities aren't polluted so much. The docking free could be lower.
Basically the runway could be a runway model with some hangars which are the docking ports.

Only winged spacecraft with wheels should be able to land on a runway.

[nozmajner]

I think it's a good idea, and a spaceport could have both vtol and runway. But that might mean taxiing, better aerodynamics and such too.

[FluffyFreak]

There's no atmospheric flight model yet. It's all Newtonian even in atmosphere so there is no gliding.

The wings, they do nothing.

[nozmajner]

Yeah, I know, mistyped. *But that would need better/existing aerodynamics.

[Gleedaniel13]

I think that is very impossible to build runways in the space. But due to the powerful and brilliant minds of the people living here on Earth this might be possible.

[jmf]

Runways in space don't really make sense.
An aircraft needs a runway because it needs an airflow over/under the wing to fly. It can't simply break and float down, it would crash.
So runways are actually just breaking paths to allow an aircaft to hold the speed until down to the ground.
In space it would be possible but it wouldn't make sense because the spacecraft can simply stop in mid-air and give a little thrust to go down, in addition to that runways work best in gravity since the landing vehicle needs as much friction on the runway as possible

[Przemyslav]

I think having runways would be great and would add more options for gameplay style, maybe even some missions where atmospheric flight capable ship would be essential or so. Add to it different gravity and air density on various planets and we have plenty of things to consider when playing :)

[lwho]

Add to it different gravity and air density on various planets

Gravity and atmospheric pressure already is different at different planets (and different heights ;))

[baobobafet]

Thought this might be relevant to the wheeled or not wheeled issue.

Saw this at an aviation museum. Retractable wheel/ski. The wheel actually protrudes marginally thru the ski bottom.



It is both ski and wheel and could be used for VTOL as well as rolling runway style take-offs/landings.
I could easily imagine a comparable system that would allow a pilot to switch between both options for landing such
winged ships.

Of course, as mention previously, any of Pioneers winged ships would need to be more than decoratively enlarged targets areas that would actually be of benefit to any space/atmospheric craft hybrid so equipped. The space shuttle is a prime example of a flying brick with wings. Although launched vertically it's safe decent relies entirely on airspeed and lift created by it's comparatively small wing surface area.

Aside from the practicality of not having to waste space on fuel storage for a vertical decent to a surface port -
you can instead deliver more cargo to ports equipped with runways.
Wing area (dependent on attack angle, should ideally deliver a lift factor x speed. Barometric pressure and friction
are also integral to this equation.

Harrier jets although primarily VTOL use rolling take-offs and landings to carry heavier loads than they could
otherwise deliver using VTOL take-offs and landings.(plus the massive savings on fuel)

There is also something visceral to runway style take-offs and landings that encompasses the feeling of flight more
fully than any VTOL style landing could ever accomplish, IMO.
Also there are many aerial maneuvers that are simply not possible until there ever becomes an airfoil component to
Pioneer. As it stands, atmospherically equipped craft with wings have no advantage over flying bricks.

[NeuralKernel]

Aerodynamic lift and control would make a HUGE difference when operating in or near a Gas Giant's atmosphere, not just your puny Rocky Planets :D
It also brings up an old question from a while back... if we can have Aerodynes why not Tailsitters?