Shoot

In hindsight all that was required for the system to work was a need. The heavy duty multiple rail line, the electric traction motors and the experience of launching air-craft from air-craft carriers. The Cape Canaveral rocket carrier, capable of moving huge weight on a multi-rail system, admittedly at very low speed, was a guide.

The high speed electric trains with multi-hundred kilo-metre speeds,needed motors with both slow and high speed capability, a starting point. Lastly the cargo aircraft that kept the vast carrier ships supplied, which were assisted launch off the carrier deck, just not with the glamour of the jet fighters.

Pilots waiting in their huge planes on taxi ways in cold weather, for a flight clearance, hoping that the de-icing would hold, must have wished for a faster take-off. The problem of any new system is, who is going to pay for it and who is going to make it, who will take the risks and the over-sight.

A start is a commuter air port with every part of the launch platform being smaller. A winch system instead of steam power, similar to a glider tow but hooked onto a platform. A commuter weight air craft probably could be launched from a rubber tyred platform. The point of taking off is to get up to a speed so that the wings can support the weight of the air craft, the faster the sooner the better.

A large jumbo jet can be on a run way for a considerable time getting up to speed, with jet engines that ideally should operate in the hundreds of knots bracket. The run way is closed until the jumbo is safely air bourne.

These huge planes with their many hundreds of passengers do make for a reduced take-off and landing regime, but also limit the air port to virtually those air-craft only.

A light air-craft needing to take-off from a mountain runway in hot weather would be a candidate for an assisted launch. The incredible acceleration of dragsters along with specialist designers, given the chance to work on a launcher, a start for a rubber tyres platform.