Kerbal Charter Challenge!

[HazelPine]

Oh my, I forgot to update the OP! Well, now it's update, great entries everyone!

[Van Disaster]

Hmm, was attempting a cargo run but every arrangement of wheels I try for the cargo just ends up with "wheels blocked", and it refusing to come out of the plane... @Adelaar did you have any similar issues?

[Adelaar]

The roverwheels are absolutely terrible at the moment. Any clipping that takes place or can take place (due to turning or spring action) leads to blockage. I try to build craft with the most possible clearance for the wheels (as in, build a framework first) and then alter the design, often testing to check for problems. In the cargorun I've attached wheels to the I-bar piece, which gave me enough clearance and was the only setup that was small enough for the cargo bay. 

If you keep having problems I can always send you the craft file

[The Optimist]

Can it be a helicopter? Stock, of course

[HazelPine]

Of course! It's a charter challenge, which means mostly any aircraft that I can think of! As long as it uses only jet propulsion or propellers it is completely fine. Although, I can't imagine how long it'd take to fly all the way to the pole by helicopter...

[OrbitalBuzzsaw]

@PineWould it be OK if I were to fly to KerbinSide's pole airport instead? I'm just about to switch to a new computer, and I don't need more junk in my save folder to copy manually (go into file, ctrl-C. Open new file with same name, ctrl-V)

Edited July 23, 2016 by OrbitalBuzzsaw

[HazelPine]

It depends. Where in the poles is it? As long as it is at least the distance of the polar airport I'll make an exception.

[OrbitalBuzzsaw]

2 minutes ago, Pine said:

It depends. Where in the poles is it? As long as it is at least the distance of the polar airport I'll make an exception.

It's exactly on the north pole

Beginning preparation of the Polar Airliner.

Edited July 23, 2016 by OrbitalBuzzsaw

[HazelPine]

Oh ok, that's well past the polar airport. I'll make an exception for you then, and the extra distance really more than makes up for it. Good luck!

[Van Disaster]

2 hours ago, Adelaar said:

The roverwheels are absolutely terrible at the moment. Any clipping that takes place or can take place (due to turning or spring action) leads to blockage. I try to build craft with the most possible clearance for the wheels (as in, build a framework first) and then alter the design, often testing to check for problems. In the cargorun I've attached wheels to the I-bar piece, which gave me enough clearance and was the only setup that was small enough for the cargo bay. 

Yeah, I thought it might be clipping... but then even making sure they were clear from anything I still had problems. In the end I gave up & left them that way, and just tipped the whole cargo out of the plane. Most of the wheels broke on the way out, but hey, it was outside at least!

Initial fuel: 1520

Takeoff was ok, took most of the runway to accelerate but got itself airborne before the end:
 

Spoiler

Top of climb on the way out:

Spoiler

Long gentle descent to the polar station:
 

Spoiler

And down, preparing to unload. Fuel 872, craft total mass 185,314kg

Pulled the rear gear up so it's sitting on the "kneeling" gear, and decanting 138,675kg of cargo.

Spoiler

Bill did his best to repair stuff, but basically stood there shaking his head:
 

Spoiler

Unsurprisingly without that mass, performance was pretty damn good:

Spoiler

Top of climb on the way back:

Spoiler

Landing was pain-free.

Spoiler

Stopped with 681 fuel left.

This was a FAR run, as usual.

Cargo 138.675t
Fuel burned: 1520-681 = 839
Fuel cost = 839 * 0.8 = 671.2

Fuel cost / tonne cargo = 671.2/138.675 = 4.84
 

I'd like to do more cargo with a larger plane, but the problem is finding something that will fit - that fuselage is already pretty long.

 

Edited July 23, 2016 by Van Disaster

[HazelPine]

Awesome entry! That's a pretty heavy cargo you have there! Updating leaderboards!

[Adelaar]

@Van Disaster, I am absolutely amazed at the difference in size and fuel consumption between FAR and Stock aero. No wonder all those circumnavigations were won by FAR users... And a good thing there are seperate leaderboards

[DrDonut]

Here is my post. It started with 7913 fuel and landed home with 117. That means it used 7796 fuel, and carrying 222 passengers it used 35.117 fuel/passenger. 35.117x0.8=28.093 funds/passenger I am mighty proud. It flies very stable but the controlling capability of the control surfaces needs to be limited otherwise it wobbles.

http://imgur.com/a/rH4bf

Edited July 23, 2016 by DrDonut
mistake

[HazelPine]

@DrDonut, do you have a picture of the plane landed back at KSC?

[DrDonut]

Just now, Pine said:

@DrDonut, do you have a picture of the plane landed back at KSC?

yeah its the second one, look at the clock. The first screenshot was taken at night (it happened to be night at that time) so i warped late day and took off. Thats why the second one is dark as well. Sorry for the pics being in random order.

[HazelPine]

Oh yeah, right, sorry! Adding to leaderboard!

[Van Disaster]

9 hours ago, Adelaar said:

@Van Disaster, I am absolutely amazed at the difference in size and fuel consumption between FAR and Stock aero. No wonder all those circumnavigations were won by FAR users... And a good thing there are seperate leaderboards

Yeah: stock air isn't anywhere near as sticky as it used to be, but it's still very definitely goo. FAR on the other hand needs much more care in construction, although less so if you're not going supersonic ( and to be honest I eyeballed  both craft, but then I've got three years experience doing that  ). Also a little more care flying if you want the best results. You might notice I did most of the flying at about 1/3 throttle.

Edited July 24, 2016 by Van Disaster

[Adelaar]

Damn, good time on the passengerflight @DrDonut. Guess it's time to improve my score... 

[DoctorDavinci]

So I decided to see how much tonnage I could actually deliver safely to your Polar Airport ... Weighing in at a whopping 395.017 tons of which 230.30 tons is cargo, I now present for your approval the CANUKWorks Spruced Moose

I started with 37280 fuel of which 17280 was cargo giving me 20000 fuel as my starting point and I landed back at the KSC with 7836 fuel

Fuel Used = 20000 - 7836 = 12164
Cost of Fuel Used = 12164 * 0.8 = 9731.2
FINAL SCORE = 9731.2 / 230.30 = 42.2544

NOTE: Imgur is not loading the pics in order

 

[Baybrawler]

Just finished my entry, a bit small, but quite efficient passenger plane. It was quite a challenge to fly as I never tested it, just did the one trip, so it was very hard to pitch up. 

Math and Score Stuff: 

Fuel used: 579.75, Cost of fuel: 463.4, Score: 77.23

579.75 x 0.8 = 463.4, 463.4/6 = 77.23

I tried to put an imgur album in but if that didn't work here's a link to it: http://imgur.com/a/lGey5
If my math is wrong or you can't see the photos just send a reply to me so I can try to fix it.

Edited July 26, 2016 by Baybrawler
Talk to me if i did something wrong.

[HazelPine]

@Baybrawler, cool entry! I didn't ever think that anyone would do a small plane, especially with the Junos! the fact you used that little fuel (compared to the other entries so far at least) is really cool!

 

@DoctorDavinci, I feels so silly that I somehow didn't notice your cargo entry! If only you had put little wheels on the cargo and a command seat... Hayne could've driven a rcoket car! Definitely one of the more unorthodox designs, I like it!

 

Also, I decided I'll be going to be listing the amount of passenger/cargo on the leaderboard, just so we can get an idea of what designs are doing well and for fun extra info. In a while it should be all done, since I have to do it fot all the entries!

 

Both of you that I mentioned are going into the leaderboards!

 

Also, @Mesklin, just found your updated entry, and it checks out! You're second in the stock atmosphere passenger leaderboard!

 

 

Edited July 26, 2016 by Pine

[Baybrawler]

Although it looks that way, its actually just one J-33 attached to the main body, not any juno's. The small pods on the side just provide intake air and some extra fuel. 

[HazelPine]

Oh, didn't notice that! I'll have to look again... Still, awesome work!

 

Edited July 26, 2016 by Pine

[TheGuyNamedAlan]

can you make the airport larger and more recognizable?? i tried to find it but no, i totally missed it and crashed into some terrains.

[HazelPine]

I could try, but the issue is I don't want to have a high part count on it since people have to fly their planes next to it, and any extra parts might push their PCs over the edge and I want everyone to be able to attempt. I'll do some tests and see if I can make a bigger one. BTW, you can always target the airport so that it gets marked on your screen. Not sure if you did that or not.