The Sky IS the Limit (Or the Terribly Treacherous Tragic Terrifiying Topside Tests of the Kerbal Spaceless Program)

[Watermel00n]

(DISCLAIMER: Not at all related to @TwoCalories's excellent mission report The Sky is Not The Limit)

Well normal things were happening on planet Kerbin. The big war had ended, "world peace" established, and Gene Kerman and his gang were just about to open the Kerbal Space Program. However, the moment the KSC was about to open, their friendly neighborhood United Knations officer reminded them that there was a strict "No Fireworks" policy in the region, and that they would have to buy an access permit from the UK. The unfortunately would set them back a good 5 million kerbucks... so Gene Kerman simply decided to convert the space program to a airliner business instead. How hard could it possibly be... 

The Sky IS the Limit

Rules:

Spoiler

No going into space whatsoever. No using the VAB or launchpad.

Important Mods:

Spoiler

Airplane Plus, KCT, Crew R&R, KerbinSideRemastered, KSRGAP

 

 

 

 

 

------------------------

Now with the help of the Kerbal Environmental Institute (a former street gang turned aviation club) and a small rocket probe (Gene told the UK it was a "experimental propulsion test plane")  , the Kerbal Spaceless Program was ready to face the future "head on"...

soon...

Edited December 27, 2023 by Watermel00n

[Watermel00n]

Flight ????: KJ-099-1

Crew: Jeb and Bill

Passenger: 1 TKA Flight Inspector

The KJ-099 is the first passenger plane the KSP developed. With a passenger capacity of 4 kerbals, the KJ-099 is perfect for use for flight inspections (establishing a new flight route). The first test flight is to send an inspector about 20 km out above the ocean and fly back safely.

Morty gives a little pep talk:

Bill: Whatever, starting up the Wheesley...

Jeb: Fly safe? That's not something we're good at!

Flight Inspector: What'd you say?

Jeb: Nothing...

With a bit of struggling due to the bad landing gear placement, the KJ-099 somewhat flopped into the air. Luckily it seemed to like flying, so that should be okay.

Flight Inspector: Why does my metal seat have no cushion?

Bill: Uh... it's for cooling purposes since we don't have an air-con vent back there...

Flight Inspector: I hate my job...

Jeb: All kerbals please fasten your seatbelts. This landing may not be pretty.

Jeb: Try to flare it a bit...

Jeb: Nailed it!

With the success of the first flight, the KJ-099 is immediately sent to the SPH for improvements, notably the bad wheel placement.

 

A few days later...

Flight 1000 (KSC - Island Airfield): KJ-099-1

Crew: Jeb and Bill

Passenger: 3 TKA Flight Inspectors

Bill: Can't believe they woke us up at 2 for this.

Flight Inspector 1: Well get on with it, can you?

Jeb: I think they're complaining about the legroom again. How are they so awake?

Bill: I suppose it's the jet-lag.

Now that the jet has arrived at the Island Airfield, the Inspectors get off to negotiate flight deals.

And before long, the KJ-099 is off again. The wheel placement improvements certainly helped with takeoff.

Jeb: "Friendly reminder that you are not allowed to have food fights in the cockpit" Gene knows us so well...

Bill: So how'd you enjoy the landing?

Flight Inspector: At least it was better than Kyanair...

 

Now with a place to fly planes to, the KSP begins building a larger plane...

[Jebediah Kerman - Earth]

wow he took it and made it kerbal air program lol

[Watermel00n]

Flight 1001 (KSC - Island Airfield): KJ-119-1

Crew: Jeb and Bill

The KJ-119 is the first jet airliner built by Kerbal Spaceless Program to use more than 1 engine. In this case, it's a Wheesley and a Juno.

-----------
Jeb: Good morning all Kerbs,  welcome aboard to Trans Kerbin Airlines! We will be taking off shortly.

Bill: Wow, they even put a second engine on this one! Talk about safety first!

The Wheesley spooled up and spat to life. The Juno? Not so much.

Bill: Jeb, I think the Juno failed. Hopefully we'll make it to the Island Airfield.

Jeb: SIlly old Gene making us fly test planes with passengers on board.

Bill: Wait a minute... you left the PA on!

The passengers immediately began screaming.

Jeb: Calm on guys, we've almost landed.

After the landing, the passengers made their way of the plane and the other unsuspecting group of passengers entered the plane.

Luckily the flight went relatively smoothly. As the passengers left, they made sure to leave their positive reviews.

"They didn't even have seat cushions!" - Bingus Kerman

"Where are the in-flight snacks, and why am I able to open the plane's windows?" - Doofus Kerman

"This flight pulled more G's than I ever did in the Kerbin War!" - Rofel Kerman

The KJ-119-1 was immediately sent to the SPH for repairs for the Juno. Hopefully this ends well.

 

[Watermel00n]

With the information from the test flight, the KJ-119-1 has been upgraded to feature two Junos underslung beneath the main wings. Anyways...

 

Flight 1010 (KSC - Kola Island Naval Base): KJ-099-1

Crew: Jeb and Bill

4 TKA Inspectors

Kola Island is around the corner. Being a naval base, it will be a important base for the Kerbal Spaceless Program if they take part in Naval Activities.

Jeb: Buckle up guys!

The KJ-099 spins out while landing, throwing the TKA inspectors around the cabin. They are not very pleased.

The KJ-099 at the terminal.

Jeb: So how the negotiations go?

Inspector: As usual. Since we are the only airline in the region, they were happy to take our offer.

Jeb: Whoops!

Bill: Can you please stop doing that.

 

-----------

Flight 1020 (KSC - Jeb's Junkyard): KJ-099-1

Crew: Jeb and Bill

3 TKA Inspectors

Bill: I'm glad they installed a parachute on the roof. Hopefully we don't need to use it.

Jeb: Whee!

Jeb: I still don't really like these tinted windows though

Bill: Eh, I don't mind.

Jeb: Cause you aren't the one flying, freeloader!

Jeb: Wait Bill, please fly for me. I need to use the loo.

Bill: How do you fly this thing?

Jeb You'll see

With some struggling, Bill was able to land the jet mostly on the ground.

Bill: Oopsie, I broke the front intake... When are you coming out Jeb? Wait why are you wearing a business suit.

Jeb: This is my airfield, right? So y'all have to negotiate with me!

 

After a small amount of snack bribery...

Jeb: 'Kay fine. I sign here? Alright.

 

-------

Flight ???? (KSC - Survey Sites): KX-1

Crew: Val

The KX-1 is the Kerbal Spaceless Program's latest test craft, using 4 Junos. Val will be using it to record some temperature data - for money!

Val: It's a little cramped in here.

Gene: That's because this cockpit is ripped from a Kerbin War plane!

Val: 11 Klicks! This thing flies high!

Although 2 of the Junos failed while landing, the information given by them will allow for greater reliability in the future.

[Watermel00n]

Two new flight routes are opened: Cape Kerman and Sandy Island Naval Base!

Flight 1001+1011 (KSC - Jeb's Junkyard & KSC - Kola Island Naval Base): KJ-119-1

Crew: Jeb

11 Passengers

Jeb: Gene are you sane? This plane only has passenger seats for 10 - oh. Hey there, wanna sit in the cockpit?

Jeb: Landed! Wait, what was that sound? Oh no, I've broken the Wheesley!

The passenger sitting in the cockpit tried to run for the exit, only to find it was locked.

Jeb: Hey, this doesn't fly half bad.

Passenger: LEMME OUT OF HERE

Jeb: No.

Jeb: It barely flies, but gotta do it for the funds.

Jeb: Landed!

After the passengers and the one very traumatized kerbal left the airplane, a new batch of passengers entered the plane.

Passenger: Hey Pilot, why is there a weird liquid coming of the back of the plane?

Jeb: Oh, that's just where the main engine used to be. We are fiiiiinnnnnnneeeee-

Again, the passengers began screaming. Fortunately, Jeb had brought his noise-canceling headphones.

Jeb: Dear passengers, this is your captain speaking. The plane has now landed, please make your way to the exit - wait where did you all go?

Sadly the passengers had already escaped through the windows.

[Watermel00n]

Flight N/A: KJ-119-1

Crew: Val and Bob

1 Naval Officer

With the heightening reputation of Kerbal Spaceless Program, the United Kerbin Navy has sent them a contract to develop and certify a VTOL craft capable of landing on water and providing first aid to downed pilots. So the KSP developed this! The Nay-V1 has 8 vertically mounted Junos for VTOL and a single Wheesley for horizontal flight.

Naval Officer: Approaching pilot location!

Val: Shutting off main engine...

Val: Splashdown!

Luckily, using reaction wheels, Val is able to right the lander.

The downed pilot enters the Nay-V1.

Val: Vertical Engines on!

Val: VTOL system shutoff.

Val: Reactivating VTOL engines!

Val: Landed!

 

With the successful test of the Nay-V1, the UK Navy are open to doing more partnerships with KSP. We'll get back there soon

[Watermel00n]

Flight 1021 + 1031: KJ-120-2 (KSC - Jeb's Junkyard - Cape Kerman)

Crew: Jeb

7 Passengers

The brand new KJ-120-2 features the new J-404 "Panther" engine for greater speeds.

Jeb: Whee!

Due to its better weight distribution, the KJ-120 is able to maneuver better than previous models.

The passenger exchange is complete.

Jeb: They really need to install better air-con on this jet!

Yet another passenger exchange.

On the way back, the KJ-120-2 reaches speeds of over 800 m/s!

Although the passengers had been screaming as the plane was engulfed in flames, Jeb's piloting "skills" knocked them out instantly.

Gene had to bring out the snacks to cause the passengers to wake up from their unconsciousness...

[Kimera Industries]

I remember my early planes on my career save. I wasn't sure if I could land it, and I used a lot of parachutes to avoid breaking anything. Then I played on my other saves for a while, learned how to properly make KSP planes, came back, and made a perfect multi-use plane that works just fine. (PS: I can land planes now)

[Kerbalsaurus]

4 minutes ago, Kimera Industries said:

(PS: I can land planes now)

Didn't you blow one up in your report?

[Kimera Industries]

16 minutes ago, Kerbalsaurus said:

Didn't you blow one up in your report?

That was on purpose. If you look closely at the explosion shot, you can see the plume of an LV-45, it's actually very hard to get things to explode on purpose, and engine heating is the simplest way. I never controlled both planes at once, they flew separately. Being designed to explode is also the reason the plane had an ejection system, I normally don't develop one. That, and I didn't want to have to control two kerbals all the way down to the surface. If you look at my Saturn V-C on liftoff, you can see a plume inside the center F-1 as well. 

And I never said I always land them successfully.  

Edited January 6 by Kimera Industries

[Watermel00n]

A short naval rescue mission.

An upgrade of the KJ-99, the KJ-109.

The KJ-219 can fly 32 passengers at a time.

[Watermel00n]

Flight N/A: KJ-309-1 "Noncorde"

Crew: Dilsby

The latest in Kerbal innovations, the "Noncorde" can reach speed of above mach 3 while carrying 100 kerbals! Piloting today is Dilsby Kerman, a "expendable" novice pilot. (we don't know if he will die in a massive explosion)

Dilsby: Hey, it actually flies... wait a minute, now I have to land this!

Dilsby: Okay, now that i've finshing circling around, it's time to land this thing!

Surprisingly, the "Noncorde" made it to the ground in one piece. Anyways, time to deploy it to passenger service!

[TwoCalories]

3 hours ago, Watermel00n said:

Crew: Dilsby

This is unrelated to the mission report, but there's this old mission report/comic that has a Dilsby Kerman as a main character. The series, called the Kerbfleet mission reports, are some of the most repped reports of all time. I just noticed that coincidence.

[Watermel00n]

13 minutes ago, TwoCalories said:

This is unrelated to the mission report, but there's this old mission report/comic that has a Dilsby Kerman as a main character. The series, called the Kerbfleet mission reports, are some of the most repped reports of all time. I just noticed that coincidence.

I remember reading those comics a few years back. Really brings me back to my lurking days...

[Watermel00n]

Flight 1253: KJ-309-1 "Noncorde"

Crew: Jeb, Jabus, Bill

Liftoff! For some reason, Kerman Atoll and island airfield flights pay the best.

The passengers are all given raw eggs during this section of the flight, which allows them to cook the eggs by holding them against the windows.

After which, the Noncorde slows down using its split ailerons system.

And a smooth landing!

Passenger transfer...

Starting the figurative and literal whiplash!

The Noncorde reaches an altitude of 40 km!

Coming down again and getting more passengers thrown around...

Nailed it!

 

[Watermel00n]

Flight 1292: KJ-309-1 "Noncorde"

The Noncorde flies to Jeb's Junkyard,

Cape Kerman and finally,

Polar Research Alpha! However, the Noncorde is only barely good enough to finish the trip. Gotta build a new plane!