NationStates Jolt Archive

To the High Flight administration from the office of the President of Nova Hope;

Hello my Taryqysian friends. I’ve been reviewing back log and I’ve come across your proposal for a customized presidential aircraft. I believe this to be a good idea and have begun appealing to the House of Commons for the funds needed. I’ve gone through your information listed here (http://www.geocities.com/tarqys/High_Flight.html ) and the information my own advisor’s have given me. I’ve come to the decision that Air Capital, the name of my new sky CnC et palace, will be built in a An-124 Condor. The alterations and specifics are below.

- Needs to refuel in air
- Needs to be able to deploy chaff, electromagnetic counter measures as well as having two rear firing GAU-8/A Avengers for protection from tailing aircraft.
- The clocked speed of the condor is acceptable but alterations may not slow it down past 800km/h
- The flight ceiling needs to be raised 5 000 ft to 40 000 ft.
- There needs to be a laser satellite uplink. (Microwave is unacceptable due to the ability to eavesdrop.)
- The rear door/ramp may be removed
- Needs to have a board room (Done in Sierra Dark)
- Needs to have a lounge (Done in Dream cloud Nine)
- A kitchen able to provide for in excess of thirty people
- Modest sleeping arrangements for twenty people
- Escape drop pods
- Needs an It hub super computer with an output of twenty teraflops.
- When at normal operation the max. range cannot be less than 14 000 km

We need you to provide quote and ask for any other pertinent information. Once constructing has commenced I will be taking a tour of your fine nation to see the plane in its final stages. The purpose of this tour will be to understand your nation a bit better. I will then exit your country on my new airborne command centre with much fanfare.

Nova Hope,

We have contacted your national transportation representatives directly. We await your response but we will begin barganing with regional leasing/sale and surplus military dealers to obtain the air frame. From here, we reconfigure the engines and hydraulic systems, contracting for all-new systems, as depicted on our website: http://www.geocities.com/tarqys/High_Flight.html

We will have documents and information to present to you on your proposed AN-124 Ruslan (As it is known in civilian circles) State-Transport NLT 2200hrs PST 21MAY04. For some of your requests - especially the computer request - we may have to subcontract out to Schultaria Prime, a major 'player' in the computer industry. We will provide a price estimate to include this as well.

Thank you for your interest.

Blue Skies,

Sergio Valencia
Director of High Flight
Commonwealth of Tarqys

Eric Lincoln, President; Marion Fosheemy, Prime Minister,

High Flight has been 'checking' the markets for your Antonov An-124100 Ruslan and we have identified one that would be re-created into your transport. The Ruslan is the certified civilian model, similar in every way to the 'Condor' - we must initially obtain a civilian model and convert it to a military one. They are easier to acquire than a military surplus bird.

Furthremore, your requirement of 20 sleeping accomodations will reduce space in even the largest of planes. We can promise one stateroom bed/suite, but the 20 other 'beds' would be of bunk-bed persuasion, thus so to save space. Also, what capacity requirement are you looking at? A kitchen/galley is always standard but seating accomodations for 30 would have to be at your discretion. Would standard airline seating be acceptable? Would you want a separate 'dining room' built? Furthermore, the An-124 does not have the range you desire - less the unlimited range that can be had with the refueling port.

However, we have also been looking at the Boeing B747SP (Special Performance), of which we can acquire ever more easily. We believe you will find the SP more in tune with your needs. Here are side-by-side comparisons of both birds:

NOTE: FIGURES ARE FOR STANDARD MODELS OF EACH PLANE

VIP Capacity (Data not inclusive of beds or dining room):
SP: 90
Ruslan: 105

Cruising Speed:
SP: 520ktas
Ruslan: 490ktas

Cruising Altitude(altitude of best performance)/Maximum Ceiling:
SP: 40,000/52,000ft
Ruslan: 38,000/45,000ft

Maximum Distance (less fuel-port)
SP: 8,600 miles
Ruslan: 7,100 miles

Crew
SP: 3
Ruslan: 6

Runway requirments, Landing/Takeoff:
SP: 5,600ft/8,000ft
Ruslan: 6,100ft/9,100ft

Claim to Fame:
SP: Flew 8,900 miles from Boeing's Paine Field in Washington, USA, to South Africa for aircraft delivery. Held record for longest flight by a commercial aircraft.
Ruslan: Transported a SIEMENS power generator weighing 135.2 tons from Germany to India, the largest piece of airlifted cargo. In the Guiness book of records.

From these specifications, it is clearly evident that both these airframes serve different purposes. The SP's purpose is distance and civilian transport, whereas Ruslan's characteristic is brute airlift strength and cargo transport. We believe the SP would suit better because of the aforementioned advantageous performance capabilities and the 747's easily adaptable airframe for corporate/VIP transport. The Ruslan's cargo area would have to be reconfigured to allow pressurization and a massive overhaul of the insulation to provide for less engine noise and greater comfort over all. Furthermore, the SP can easily be fitted with a supercomputer and defensive capabilities - as described on our website we can retrofit any bird with these abilities - both of which would be placed in the 'belly,' or cargo/luggage compartment. Please refer to this site:

http://www.geocities.com/tarqys/High_Flight_Extras.html

While we want to give you the craft you want, we also want to make sure you get what you need. If it is the Russian design which you crave, we have a much better option than the An-124100 for you. We would like you to consider the Ilyushin IL-96-300, with a maximum range of 6,500 miles and capacity (including beds) of 40. Our technicians and builders are standing by.

Regards,

Sergio Valencia
Director of High Flight
Commonwealth of Tarqys

OOC: Tarqys, please check telegrams.

After some thought and referring with my own numbers I would have to concur with your assessment of our needs. The Boeing model does seem to fit our purpose and we are always looking for ways to reduce cost.

I decree that it shall be a Boeing 747SP.

Nova Hope and The Burnisian Desert,

We will be sending data pertinent to your new decision. Expect this information NLT 1800hrs PST 22MAY.

The Burnsian Desert: Thank you for your telegram. We have replied and await your response. We will be in touch.

Blue Skies,

Sergio Valencia
Director of High Flight
Commonwealth of Tarqys

High Flight Webpage (http://www.geocities.com/tarqys/High_Flight.html)