L-33 Fenghuang
The Liang Aircraft Corporation L-33 Fenghuang (English: Phoenix) is the premier surface-space-surface passenger aircraft in the world. Powered by eleven liquid-fuel rockets (nine on the booster section and two on the passenger section), the Fenghuang can fly from London to Sydney in 90 minutes. During the near-space section of its flight, it reaches an altitude of 80 kilometres and speeds of up to Mach 25, or over 30,000 kilometres per hour.
The Fenghuang employs a novel dual-stage design, where the main booster detaches from the passenger section. Unlike other spaceplanes, which typically fly at Mach 10, the disposable booster stage allows the Fenghuang to fly nearly three times as fast. However, the high cost of the spaceplane means it is only typically flown by the ultra-elite, or on extreme long distance flights.
The Fenghuang concept was first prototyped in the early 2040s, after the introduction of the Boeing Spaceliner. Not to be outdone, the Chinese government commissioned Liang Aircraft Corporation with designing an improved surface-space-surface passenger liner. The project was nearly canceled in 2046 after the Nairobi Disaster, but once the American National Transportation Safety Board determined that the cause of the incident was a bombing, not mechanical failure, work resumed on the design.
With the thaw in relations between the People's Republic of China, the United States of America, and the Republic of Taiwan in the early 2050s, several Taiwanese aerospace experts were permitted access to the L-33 project. This event marked a turning point in cross-strait relations, and has been widely credited with the success of the Fenghuang.
The Fenghuang employs a novel dual-stage design, where the main booster detaches from the passenger section. Unlike other spaceplanes, which typically fly at Mach 10, the disposable booster stage allows the Fenghuang to fly nearly three times as fast. However, the high cost of the spaceplane means it is only typically flown by the ultra-elite, or on extreme long distance flights.
The Fenghuang concept was first prototyped in the early 2040s, after the introduction of the Boeing Spaceliner. Not to be outdone, the Chinese government commissioned Liang Aircraft Corporation with designing an improved surface-space-surface passenger liner. The project was nearly canceled in 2046 after the Nairobi Disaster, but once the American National Transportation Safety Board determined that the cause of the incident was a bombing, not mechanical failure, work resumed on the design.
With the thaw in relations between the People's Republic of China, the United States of America, and the Republic of Taiwan in the early 2050s, several Taiwanese aerospace experts were permitted access to the L-33 project. This event marked a turning point in cross-strait relations, and has been widely credited with the success of the Fenghuang.
Manufacturer
Creation Date
First Flight: 2049
Introduction: 2056
Introduction: 2056
Price
$600 million (USD, 2065)
Speed
Mach 25
Complement / Crew
Two pilots and eight crew
Cargo & Passenger Capacity
40 passengers
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