I made an air raft
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Spinward Flow
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A coin operated air/raft? 
Well, back in 1977 ... 25¢ was still a useful amount of currency ...
Well, back in 1977 ... 25¢ was still a useful amount of currency ...
A coin operated air/raft?
Well, back in 1977 ... 25¢ was still a useful amount of currency ...
Yeah, but it only got you 3 minutes . . .
(Long distance travel rates were a lot steeper . . . )
Condottiere
SOC-14 5K
If it got you to your destination, or orbit, it might be enough.
Did someone mention "large coins"?A coin operated air/raft?
The Triganic Pu is a unit of galactic currency, with an exchange rate of eight Ningis to one Pu. This is simple enough, but, since a Ningi is a triangular rubber coin six thousand eight hundred miles along each side, no one has ever collected enough to own one Pu. Ningis are not negotiable currency, because the Galactibanks refuse to deal in fiddling small change.
[Links to hitchhikers.fandom.com]
Air/rafts are an interesting item all around. I am not sure who thought that an open-topped 400kph vehicle was a good plan, though. Certainly not someone with long hair. I was given to understand that enclosed (though not sealed against vacuum) air rafts were available for those who don't care to risk falling 4km if you roll too sharply but I cannot find the reference. The book air/raft (Mongoose again, sorry, it's all I own) is wildly overpriced compared to what you can build yourself with the military vehicles supplement, and some time back I planned up half a dozen with various capabilities (cargo amount, size, endurance, TL) while all maintaining the baseline stats of top speed, number of passengers, and engineering plant (power plant and engine). The version closest in cost to the book air/raft had 4T cargo capacity. (Not 4 dTons, just 4000kg).
I seem to remember something called a Prospector's Buggy. If that's right, it might be in Beltstrike.
They're not. They're 100kph, to 120kph tops. They're slow as a turtle. I mean, beats walking, but man are they slow.
Enoki
SOC-14 1K
In my universe, the open topped air rafts are the exception, not the rule. Most are fully enclosed like passenger cars, sports cars, etc. Even something like a truck is more like a panel van than some open, flatbed vehicle. Who would want to be riding in an open vehicle at say, 5,000 meters where the temp is -20 C at 400 kph? Having to wear an environmental or space suit all the time while using an air raft makes zero sense.
Spinward Flow
SOC-14 1K
CT Beltstrike, p9 actually.
They were drawn from the Dumarest books IIRC, and those were open-topped, It doers simplify figuring out fields of fire for vehicle occupants!
I don't think much thought was given to high-altitude operation other than "yes, you can drive one up to orbit if you suit up".
Hmm ... obviously the sport coupe version.
Attachments
Condottiere
SOC-14 5K
It does say raft.
You could have a Kevlar roof.
You could have a Kevlar roof.
Or Future High-tech Space PleatherTM...
(Psst -- vinyl. It's just vinyl.)
Shut up! It's Space PleatherTM!!
Condottiere
SOC-14 5K
A rollbar(s), anyway.
If you've seen cope cages, you understand that the primary threat would be divebombing birds.
If you've seen cope cages, you understand that the primary threat would be divebombing birds.
Which brings up an idea I have been kicking around. Using the airboat model instead of the flying car model.
Condottiere
SOC-14 5K
Make it watertight, and then it can float.
Tom Swift's triphibian.
Tom Swift's triphibian.
