Air Platform

One of the newest forms of modern aviation, air platforms are large airborne stations — some nearly 60 feet in length — designed to float through the sky and maintain stable flight. A cross between an airship and a service station, air platforms represent a whole new branch of aviation design.

Air platforms have no corporation or firm of origin. In fact, the first air platforms built were constructed by independent enterpreneurs to establish their own midair refueling services. Basically, air platforms are structures equipped with an apparatus that keeps them hovering in one spot. There are many methods of keeping platforms aloft, the predominant one being the use of helium-filled balloons tethered to the top of the station, typically three or four for stability. Vertical propeller engines are also an option, although the cost of fuel supplies makes them prohibitively expensive.

In addition, air platforms require a lateral propulsion system to navigate the station along the airways, as gusts of wind or propwash from passing planes can easily blow the platform off course. Typically, air platforms use small outboard propeller engines, one on each side of the structure. The pilot chooses which direction he wants to fly and activates the corresponding engine. Other platforms use a single rotating engine for more precise steering, but both methods provide negligible maneuverability.

Since air platforms are designed to service aircraft, they must be able to dock with them. Most stations are equipped with a manually-operated, mechanical docking claw for this purpose.

Highly sophisticated in their own right, docking claws grab an approaching plane and draw it close to a loading ramp for easy access. Larger stations may possibly feature aircraft holding racks underneath the station, allowing workers to service multiple planes at the same time.

Operating expenses aside, air platforms have a myriad of possible uses. Many fuel companies envision floating gas stations along the shipping lanes, a convenience to cargo pilots who lack the time to land and refuel at ordinary pumping stations on the ground. Other platforms could be midair diners that serve food to hungry flyers. Conceivably, giant stations hundreds of feet long could offer a full range of services, from refueling and repairs to cargo storage.

Of course, any commercial platforms must adhere to strict safety ordinances. Air platforms are unlike any other kind of craft in the skies, and hence the operation of air platforms is considered "dangerous and unnatural" by safety officials. Since large, midair craft are prone to all kinds of mishaps, authorities demand — in the public’s best interest — that their operators conform to rigid regulations. Officials regularly monitor air platform activity, making surprise inspections of the facilities if the need arises. They also have the authority to shut down operations that do not meet the requirements. Enforcement of these ordinances produces constant pressure and scrutiny from safety inspectors but yields considerable rewards for owners who manage to keep their stations "up to code."

AIR PLATFORM
Craft: Air platform Type: Midair service station Scale: Airship Length: 60 feet Skill: Airship piloting: air platform Crew: 2, skeleton: 1/+10 Crew Skill: Varies widely Passengers: 8 Aircraft: 1 held in docking claw Cargo Capacity: 15 tons Cost: $10,000 (new), $3,700 (used) Top Speed: 50 mph Weapons: None Hull: 3D