[Myrddin]

This reminds me of the lesson learned by the tuna seiner industry. The boats in San Diego ranged from family owned 400 ton converted banana boats to 2200 ton super seiners with a helocopter and airplane aboard. The 400 ton boats were always profitable and manageable. 1200 ton boats could go on longer trips (more fuel) and seemed to be an optimal size. At 2200 tons, the first fish caught during the trip was beginning to rot before the vessel could be filled. A odd thing happened. There was a succession of terrible accidents resulting in all of the 2200 ton boats sinking. I suspect this new monster aircraft will have something in common with the 2200 ton tuna seiner. Too big to be economical (you have to keep the seats full to cover the payments. Partially filled won't do). Too slow to load/unload. Too much to lose if it gets attacked.

[xm177e2]

Could they be used for other purposes, aside from transporting people? If they are less expensive to fly than smaller planes, they might do well for cargo transport.