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Airspeeder

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Airspeeders negvv
Airspeeder classifications

Airspeeders, also known as aircars or flitters, were repulsorlift vehicles common throughout the galaxy. They were distinguished from landspeeders by a higher operating altitude and normally higher top speed. Some were also equipped with boosters that enabled them to achieve low planetary orbit for a short time. They were not designed for orbital flight, though they could attain such high altitude that they pushed the boundaries of atmosphere and space.

Description

Rebel Snowspeeder
A Rebel T-47 snowspeeder

Airspeeders were used for a wide variety of roles galaxy-wide. These included transportation, recreation, and offensive and defensive combat. The skies of many industrialized and/or urbanized planets, particularly Coruscant and other Core Worlds, were often clogged with airspeeders. This became such a problem for ecumenopolis such as Coruscant and Taris that they were forced to adopt a series of rigidly controlled skylanes to which most civilian airspeeders were regulated. To fly beyond these lanes often required special dispensation from the government; this often required the pilot to demonstrate a degree of skill in handling his craft.

Standard government-model airspeeders were equipped with a speed governor, an altitude limiter, and a pilot droid.[1]

Many notable companies produced airspeeders, including Incom Corporation, Tagge Company, and SoroSuub Corporation. Even the Yuuzhan Vong produced a type of combat airspeeder analog called the Tsik vai.

Famous airspeeder types

  • The Incom Corporation T-16 skyhopper was considered the upper limit for airspeeder design when first produced. It was equipped with an ion drive, allowing it much broader operating parameters, including low planetary orbits. Its controls were similar to other Incom designs, allowing civilian pilots like Luke Skywalker to quickly adapt to the T-65 X-wing starfighter.
  • The Alliance frequently turned starfighters no longer suitable for space combat into customized combat airspeeders.

Behind the scenes

BobaFettAirspeederModel-AotCTVD
A model airspeeder

Author Aaron Allston, in three of the four novels he wrote for the X-wing series (X-Wing: Wraith Squadron, X-Wing: Iron Fist, X-Wing: Solo Command and X-Wing: Mercy Kill), used the word "skimmer" as a catch-all term for both landspeeders and airspeeders, despite the fact that skimmers were a distinct class or subclass of repulsorlift vehicle.

Appearances


Non-canon appearances

Sources


Notes and references

  1. ↑ Before the Storm
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