Cargo Proplifter
Cargo Proplifters are a class of heavy-lifting aircraft designed by the Lofi team at the Sorrel Valley Mechanics Guild, created specifically for the purpose of flying cargo between worlds. It is a "tiltrotor" aircraft with most of its body taken up by a large cargo bay that can be accessed from the front cabin, or by shutters on the sides.
One of the most recognised uses for them is as mobile shops that visit The Sky, bringing all manner of supplies, tech and other curiosities not usually available to the Skyfolk living there. When one of these shops stops by your island, it is often considered a major event, with everyone rushing to see what they've bought with them this time, no matter the weather or time of day. Given the wide variety, everyone almost always comes away with something new and interesting.
Power Generation
The craft is, like most other Lofi tech, powered by a number of onboard batteries, spread throughout the vehicle. On its own, this battery can carry the craft for 4 hours with a full charge, further extended by turbines built into the chassis that can capture a small amount of wind power as it flies, adding 30-45 minutes of flight time, sometimes more in favourable conditions.
In addition, most proplifters have their roof covered in solar panels to slowly charge it while parked, in addition to an electrical inlet that allows it to be connected to external generators or the local powergrid.
Propulsion
Cargo proplifters are equipped with a pair of large foldable propellers on the end of wings on either side of the aircraft that can be independently tilted. These propellers give the craft the ability to take off and land vertically which was the main barrier to previous cargo aircraft being practical on certain worlds where the large runways required for a heavy aircraft to take off were not possible or practical.
Manufacturer
Creation Date
98
Length
8m
Complement / Crew
1 pilot
1 co-pilot
1 co-pilot
Cargo & Passenger Capacity
Cargo bay: 6m x 3m x 3m
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