On Sat, 11 Oct 2003 03:36:12 -0400, "Morgans"
wrote:

Seems to me, the goal of this program and a man carrying craft a greatly
different. A laser craft as demonstrated here, is designed to circle one
area, and provide recon. or relay signals. A man carrying craft wants to go
somewhere, and take it away from the power source.

Years ago, I read a science fiction story where everybody carried their own
personal telephone with them wherever they went. I remember thinking,
"Geeze, that's impossible...they'd have to put up radio stations
everywhere!" Yet, now, I can put a wallet-sized phone in my pocket and
ride from Seattle to Los Angeles, taking and receiving calls practically
all the way.

All it takes is infrastructure...and if the money is there, the
infrastructure will be built.

Ground support would be a huge issue. Also, what happens when a bird or
another airplane strays into a beam powerful enough to keep a large airplane
in the air? Vaporize part of it? Blind the pilot?

More importantly from the operational point of view, what do you do on
foggy or cloudy days? Many of the problems are solvable, but we still are
unable to overcome the weather.

What you'd more likely see is something along the lines of ships during the
early days of steam. They installed the boilers and paddlewheels, but kept
the masts, yards, and sails. They'd shut down the motor when the wind was
fair, conserving coal.

The planes would have to include some sort of conventional powerplant to
ensure they could takeoff and land IFR, but they might include the
alternate plant for use in cruise.

Conceivably, the laser stations could be space-based. An IR laser at the
right frequencies would be absorbed by the atmosphere if it missed the
target and not affect things on the ground...though the urge to write your
name on mountain snowbanks might be irresistible. :-)

Ron Wanttaja