Aeroplanes

There they are. Like swarms of flies surrounding a floating cow carcass.

— Antonia Devini, upon seeing an aircraft carrier

Much like the airships, the aeroplane is a common sight in the skies of the broken world. They are a vital part of daily life, and it is pretty much impossible to think of a world where they do not exist. Be it in war or peace, the aeroplane has been mankind's trusted companion.

A Dream of Flight

Aeroplanes have been around for nearly two thousand years at this point. As with their bigger cousin, the airship, the general idea for an aeroplane has been around since the world was shattered in ancient times, although some claim that ancient humanity did already possess this technology.
In a world of islands surrounded by nothing but air, the idea to quickly travel between two places proved attractive. Gliders were used in many places but proved impractical for longer distances and too vulnerable to the chaotic changes of the atmosphere.
By 2600 AC, technology had advanced to the point that engine-propelled planes became a reality. However, unlike airships, they did not achieve mass viability until the early Imperial Era. Biplanes and simple monoplanes are the dominant forms of the current period.

Civil Use

While aeroplanes are faster than airships, they lack both reach and transport capacity. Even the most modern types require at least two stops while crossing the Helenian Expanse, and that is with purpose-built fuel tanks. As such, aeroplanes are mostly used for VIP transport, exploration and short-range communication. Entertainment is another area where they have found great success. Air shows are a popular attraction across the world, and Aeteria's nations compete to bring forth the greatest pilots.

Military Use

By far, the biggest use of aeroplanes is as a weapon, however. With airships being the main form of troop transport, the idea to attack them in transit naturally became popular. From this idea came a veritable explosion of plane types. Fighters built to scout and intercept, attack planes made to target enemy formations and fortifications, and lastly, the "ship hunters", planes specifically designed to destroy airships. Every nation has its own versions, and a total of over two hundred different types are known to exist.

You will never get me to set foot in one of those flying coffins. It is death! Death, I tell you!

— Nicholas de Foch, Carolingian High Minister

Speed

120-210 km/h

Complement / Crew

1-4

by Morphling

Light Weapons

Light-based weaponry is not quite as dominant in the field of aerial combat as it is on land. Garnier Repeaters, fast-firing machine guns capable of nearly 300 shots a minute, and Reckless Puckle Guns, smaller variants capable of 50 shots a minute, have proven much more effective at dispatching enemy planes in the chaotic environment of an aerial battle.
More powerful plane-mounted light guns, especially the Brasier Broad Lance, are favoured when trying to destroy airships as they are most effective at breaking the reinforced hulls of the slow giants.

by Keshan Lam