Creator Note: This is a re-envisioning of a craft of a very similar name at https://www.simpleplanes.com/a/l7yik7/ACA-11T-SkyGondola-LC

The SkyGondola was an early design from the Arcanix world craft designer Dntrili.

The design filled the role of a small (though not light) group transport. Aerodynamics were an afterthought to aesthetic taste as this would be plane serving the masses in a rather opulent age. The SG took flight during the era of DragLiners, which were little more than cargo container ships turned into lavish capital class airplanes. These craft were subsidized as government funded transport. Rather than being a container ship turned plane, this was a tram car turned plane.

Performance is questionable. While the vehicle flies better than it has any right to, it is still a fundamentally un-aerodynamic profile. Pilots are expected to trim and maintain heading quite a bit more in a plane like this than they would in a cigar.

There was some method to the madness of this design. Dntrili won the government contract for scrape and puddle jumping. See, at this time in some of the larger smokey cities of the Arcanix nation, rooftops of the highest skyscrapers had installed runways with steam catapults. They could recover all manner of planes as the buildings were designed with the infrastructure in mind. The skyline of some cities was actually referred to as the 'L' line due to the overhanging landing-ways atop so many structures.

To fit the bill, Dntrili took its already successful ground tram shell, lauded for its luxurious rides, and built a flight worthy airframe out of it. Passengers were treated to full panoramic views of the grounds and skies around them as they were lofted from location to location.

The SkyGondola was not used in long distance transportation. As they were set up, they'd be used for city/city, island/island travel only. Internal fuel stores were very low as the intention was that the fuel tanks hung about the canards would be removed and replaced per visit in a sort of pitstop. This made the planes available for use much faster than a conventionally equipped craft. While dangerous and strange, the standards of the time allowed for a type of experience few can hope to see these days.

The SkyGondolas have long been retired but there is a surprisingly large aftermarket for these once proliferous craft. There were conversions to TurboProp power that had these planes working in ways they could never have hoped to. It is not abnormal to still see these puddle-jumping up to this day in the hands of some of the wealtheir folk willing to maintain them for their luxury and uniqueness.

(love this plane, hope you do too)

AG1: running lights
AG2: landing lights
AG3: Fuel Tank detach (good luck getting anywhere)
AG4: landing hook
AG5: refueling probe
AG6: door and ladder ramp close
AG7: Chair rotation
AG8: Engine kill