[1.02] AeroCognos series of easy Science/Survey aircraft

[Torquimedes]

This series of aircraft is intended to help people with early career science harvesting and survey missions. They were designed for ease of operation and to minimize cost and tech requirements, beginning simply and progressing in complexity as necessary parts and facilities are unlocked. All are pure stock.

If you're using the level-1 runway with these, taxi into the grass instead for a smoother takeoff.

Here's the list of Kerbin biomes, including KSC.

AC-SJ1-1 "Snail" is a KSC biome hopper. Its balance, high AoA and slight wing dihedral give it very low takeoff speeds and shallow stall angle, and a tendency to right itself on all three axes without SAS or control input. The engine is thrust-limited so it will snail through the air around 20 m/s, allowing ample time to choose a rooftop or parking lot to drop onto with its parachute. Taxi it to one of the KSC ground biomes or land on the SPH or VAB with the chute for some early science points.

Val insists that this is actually a Bumblebee.

Facilities: Level 1

Crew: Any Kerman will do.

Science: SciJr, Goo canister

Cost:10,511 $

Mass:4.3 t

Parts:17

Tech required:

1. Basic Rocketry, Engineering 101
   
2. Survivability, Stability
   
3. Aviation
   

Operation:

1. Throttle full and stage to launch.
   
2. Snail will crawl skyward at its own pace. Let it gain a bit of altitude on its own. Fly safe.
   
3. If you get tumbled about, let go the controls and Snail will right itself if SAS is disabled. Even very low, it is so slow it usually bounces gently on its wheels back into the air.
   
4. Click the "Brakes" button to lock the brakes before landing.
   
5. Snail over a building and pop the chute.
   
6. Science and recover.
   

Kerbalx http://kerbalx.com/Torquimedes/AeroCognos-SJ1-v11

Javascript is disabled. View full album

AC-J1-1 "Scout" is a long-range early career biome-hopping survey plane. It carries a Science Jr and a service bay containing an OKTO probe core and science experiments. A centered fuel tank and slight dihedral angle on the wings provide stable long-range flight even at warp speeds. The rear wheels can be climbed so it doesn't even need a ladder.

Facilities: Level 1

Crew: Scientist Kerman is recommended for the best science return..The probe core can handle SAS stability assist if needed.

Science: SciJr, Goo canister, barometer and thermometer

Cost:15,441 $

Mass:4.9 t

Parts:30

Service ceiling: 13.5 km level, 14.5 km ballistic

Range: 1100 km north, 1500km west. Able to reach 6 of 9 non-KSC biomes on a round trip. Poles are one-way, Badlands are out of range and water landings are not recommended. A Scout expedition harvested science from the northern ice cap and adjacent tundra, then flew halfway back to KSC to be recovered for $11,234.

Tech required:

1. Engineering 101
   
2. Survivability, Stability
   
3. Aviation, Flight Control, Basic Science
   
4. Aerodynamics, Space Exploration, Electrics
   

Operation:

1. Throttle to 1/3 and stage to launch.
   
2. Aim for your target biome. Apply pitch trim as needed. Fly safe.
   
3. Transmit temperature and pressure readings en route.
   
4. Land and park broadside to the sun. Set the parking brake.
   
5. Perform all experiments and transmit all data. Idle engine as needed to generate electricity.
   
6. EVA to “restore†experiments and collect a surface sample. Collect an EVA report. Climb up the training wheels and board the plane. File and store a crew report.
   
7. Perform all experiments again and keep the data.
   
8. Optionally, EVA to retrieve data from experiments, “restore†them, and drive or fly to another biome. GOTO step 3.
   
9. Fly as far toward KSC as fuel allows, land and recover.
   

Kerbalx http://kerbalx.com/Torquimedes/AeroCognos-J1-v16

Javascript is disabled. View full album

AC-RJ2-4 "Surveyor" is adept at medium-range medium-altitude early career survey missions. It carries two Science Jr and a service bay containing an OKTO probe core and science experiments. Centered and balanced fuel tanks and slight dihedral angle on the wings and canards provide stable long-range flight even at warp speeds. The rear wheels or service bay can be climbed so it doesn't even need a ladder.

Facilities: Level 1

Crew: Scientist Kerman is recommended for the best science return..The probe core can handle SAS stability assist if needed.

Science: SciJr, Goo canister, barometer and thermometer

Cost:18,895 $

Mass:10.3 t

Parts:30

Service ceiling: 13.3 km level, 29.6 km ballistic

Range: 400 km

Tech required:

1. Engineering 101
   
2. Survivability, Stability
   
3. Aviation, Basic Science
   
4. Aerodynamics, Space Exploration, Electrics
   

Operation:

1. Throttle to full and stage to launch.
   
2. Aim for your survey zone. Apply SAS or pitch trim as needed. Fly safe.
   
3. For surveys at altitudes 14-29km, climb to 13km, then pitch vertical and stage to fire the rocket. There is enough oxidizer aboard to burn 180 units of liquid fuel for the rocket.
   
4. You can zoom the camera inside the service bay if you wish to activate science instruments without opening the bay in flight.
   
5. After completing your surveys, fly as far toward KSC as fuel allows to land and recover. If the rocket burned the last of your liiquid fuel, consider using the parachute for landing.
   

Kerbalx http://kerbalx.com/Torquimedes/AeroCognos-RJ2-v48

Javascript is disabled. View full album

AC-RJ2-5 "Sojourner" is a long-range high-altitude survey plane. Its service bay contains an OKTO probe core, thermometer and barometer. Centered and balanced fuel tanks and slight dihedral angle on the wings and canards provide stable long-range flight even at warp speeds. There is no way to re-enter the aircraft from the ground. Suborbital flight for one tourist is possible as detailed under Operations.

Facilities: Level 1

Crew: Pilot or Tourist..The probe core can handle SAS stability assist if needed.

Science: Barometer and thermometer

Cost:19,025 $

Mass:13.45 t

Parts:30

Service ceiling: 12.4 km level, 71 km ballistic

Range: 1,000 km

Tech required:

1. Engineering 101
   
2. Survivability, Stability
   
3. Advanced Rocketry, Aviation, Basic Science
   
4. Fuel Systems, Aerodynamics, Space Exploration, Electrics
   

Survey Operation:

1. Throttle to full and stage to launch.
   
2. Aim for your survey zone. Apply SAS or pitch trim as needed. Fly safe.
   
3. For surveys at altitudes above 12km, dive to gain speed, then pitch vertical for a zoom climb. When vertical speed drops to zero, stage to fire the rocket. There is enough oxidizer aboard to burn 360 units of liquid fuel for the rocket.
   
4. You can zoom the camera inside the service bay if you wish to activate science instruments without opening the bay in flight.
   
5. After completing your surveys, fly as far toward KSC as fuel allows to land and recover. If the rocket burned the last of your liiquid fuel, consider using the parachute for landing.
   

Suborbital Operation:

1. In the VAB, reduce the LF in the center tank to 72 units.
   
2. Engage SAS, throttle full and stage to launch.
   
3. Climb straight up from KSC until vertical speed drops to zero.
   
4. You should just peek out of atmo for a quick one-passenger suborbital tour.
   
5. Flutter down like a leaf on the wind. Fly safe.
   
6. Glide near KSC and pop the chute for an easy landing.
   

Kerbalx http://kerbalx.com/Torquimedes/AeroCognos-RJ2-v53

Javascript is disabled. View full album

Edited May 31, 2015 by Torquimedes

[OldLost]

Thanks for this Torquimedes. Looks like it could be very useful indeed. Looking forward to more in the series.

Is it just me? All the "spoilers" above seem to point nowhere but back to the forum?

[Torquimedes]

I hope you find the planes useful, I'm already working on more variants to fill wider roles.

If you click on the spoiler tags, they reveal pictures of the craft in action. It's a way to hide large images until folks choose to show them.

[Rune]

Must be a common design, because my "Jet Mk I" in my career save was pretty much the same, only with the layout slightly different so I could have tailplanes (more control authority since the surfaces are farther from the CoM). Prettymuch the bare minimum in part, flies great, and looks even better.

Now that I'm a bit farther up the tech tree, though, I've improved on endurance and can now carry an engineer for the readouts (KER), all the while looking really good:

Rune. Kudos!

[Torquimedes]

Nothing as pretty as Rune's yet, these are designed to be functional first and accessible second. Aesthetics are also limited by tech level.

Updated OP to replace J1 Scout v1.4 with J1 v1.6:

- Lowered tech requirements

- Added more solar panels for faster science transmission

Added RJ2-4 Surveyor jet/rocket hybrid medium-altitude survey plane.

Added RJ2-5 Sojourner long-range high-altitude survey plane (and accidental suborbital shuttle).

Added SJ1-1 Snail (Bumblebee) KSC hopper.

Edited May 30, 2015 by Torquimedes