Illuminati-R-Us

I'm guessing that you can probably get a fairly good price on commercial jetliners right now.

Is anyone in the market?

Should we chip in and buy one for IRU?

It would make getting around and meeting each other much easier. You'd probably get the most use out of it so I'd be fine with you keeping it, as long as it would be available for the rest of us when needed.

Lance wrote:Should we chip in and buy one for IRU?

No way! The last time we all chipped in and bought something, Arneb ended up with that spy satellite and I never got to use it before it was broken. By Enzo and Lance, I might add.

You guys don’t know how to share.

And those black market SAMs that keep landing in my backyard don’t count, either, Mactep!

Holy crap! You guys still think the spy satellite is broken???

Yeah, I guess that's best.

I know nothing...

This one looks comfy. I say we get that one.

Actually, this one probably suits us better.

Old school, I like it.

Lianachan wrote:Actually, this one probably suits us better.

The cockpit is no-nonsense analog with backup controls. Dunny probably drops direct to outside - saving on sanitary dumping station fees. Comfy foam squabs on the seats. 2 propellers for extra speed I see. No wifi tho.

And no shower like on the jet. That is the sort of ride makes me want to wear a necktie and fedora to board.

I'm all in for the DC-3.
You can probably pick me up here, I think we have enough room for a runway.

Any longish field is fine for a DC3.

We have a small airport here in MAson. Just had some WW2 bombers fly in recently. Should work for us too.

I have a field nearby too.

Bur could we get a shower installed?

The Airbus 380 is the largest passenger airliner in history. Substantially larger than a Boeing 747. The 747 has a second deck that occupies the front part of the aeroplane, giving it its distinctive "brain tumour" look. The 380 is double-decker for its entire length.

The first two Airbus 380s were used by Singapore Airlines, although the aircraft were owned by a leasing company. The lease was ten years.

Upon expiry, Singapore Airlines decided not to renew the lease, and the leasing company was unable to find anyone willing to take the aircraft. So two ten-year old aeroplanes (we typically expect them to be usable for 25 or 30 years) are now being used for spare parts. Airbus is discontinuing the model, because no one wants it anymore. Boeing is discontinuing the 747 passenger model as well, although I think they are going to continue producing the freighter model. (Due to some design issues, the Airbus 380 does not make as good a freighter as the 747, even though it is larger.)

So I'm thinking a used Airbus 380 could be had at a relatively low price. Going out on a limb here, but I'm guessing maybe as little as 100 or 150 million USD.

There are some issues. A long runway is required, and it has to be stronger than the runway required for any other commercial airliner. So the number of airports to which it can be flown might be limited.

Certainly large enough for a swimming pool, although I don't know whether there is any viable way to keep the water in during turbulence.

Meh, I’ve already flown in a 380 a couple of times but I ain’t never been in a DC-3. Maybe get both? I suspect the DC-3 is easier to park, and cheaper to run.

Not sure the 380 came as a tail dragger. That means it will pivot well in tight spots. The DC3, that is.

Would the DC3 fit into the 380? If we get both, we could use the DC3 to ferry back an forth to wherever we keep the 380.

Lance wrote:Would the DC3 fit into the 380? If we get both, we could use the DC3 to ferry back an forth to wherever we keep the 380.

A380 fuselage width - 7.1 metres.

DC-3 length - 19.5 metres.

DC-3 wingspan - 29 metres.

Would have to be disassembled. Not even the Antonov 225 could carry a DC-3 assembled.

Hang on a second, this baby is on the move. She might need a little rehab, but could be a golden opportunity for an IRU heist!

Oh yeah.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfJHZhCQ6YA

Мастер wrote:

Lance wrote:Would the DC3 fit into the 380? If we get both, we could use the DC3 to ferry back an forth to wherever we keep the 380.

A380 fuselage width - 7.1 metres.

DC-3 length - 19.5 metres.

DC-3 wingspan - 29 metres.

Would have to be disassembled. Not even the Antonov 225 could carry a DC-3 assembled.

Could we mount the DC-3 on top, like they used to do with the shuttle on a 747?

g-one wrote:Hang on a second, this baby is on the move. She might need a little rehab, but could be a golden opportunity for an IRU heist!

Does ^this ekranoplan^ have the rocket launch tubes on top?

Yep, I think I just see the very tip of one upper right corner.

I never saw the point of an ekranoplan, I must admit. So it can hurl rockets while approaching at some .6 Mach a few meters above water? Well, there are many planes that can do that, and they can fly high as well. Being a massive blob of stuff, an ekranoplan wouldn't be too hard to hit with an anti-aircraft rocket, would it?