Horizontal vs Vertical

campelp2002,


Is that true? That any plane, powered by rockets, can only fly out of a spaceport? Regaurdless how and where it might be flying to? I ask because I was always under the assumption/impression that the FAA was going to treat HTHLs as basic planes (reltatively speaking) unless they were actually going into space during that flight.

So, can anyone speak to this?

I raised a similiar thread about this in the regulations forum, just click here, dealing with the issue of VTVL's that are rocket powered, again, because I've always assumed the regulatory regime was going to treat HTHL's as basically either planes or gliders, unless they were going into space, but there really isn't a comparison in VTVLs.

Akkman - autorotation only works when you still have rotors. Yes, I realize that the rotors are the strongest part of the craft (at least, if I recall correctly) and so total catastrophic loss of the rotors is quite uncommon, but the possiblity is there.

I guess what I am trying to say is that while most/all HTHLs are souped up airplanes (ok, more than that, but you get the idea) , the VTVLs don't have any great analog comparative model, and the closest one avaliable is the helicopter (although, I admit, it ain't perfect). Using that model, can we extrapolate everything we need for a spaceport (and, to some degree, the framework for a VTVL)? As I said, I am looking at this from all angles, not just what buildings, but regulatory, financial, all those things

VTVL is best in that you only need to design your craft to take loads in one direction. Having something built strong enough to stand on its tail and land on its belly (and not snap in two) eats into payload.

Hello, FerrisValyn,

from my point of view it wouldn't make sense if vehicles taking off under normal airplane propulsion are forced from a spaceport - even if they later switch over to rocket motors.

I think so because in that case the switch over could be done outside the surroundings of the air-/spaceport.

It is the advantage of HTHLs that they can leave densely inhabited regions where airports are located in under airplane propulsion reach low populated areas and switch over to rocket propulsion there.

...



Dipl.-Volkswirt (bdvb) Augustin (POlitical Economist)