The second fastest vehicle in the SR4 core book (the Cessna 750) is rated at 340 m/(3s) which is 408 kph or 253.53 mph.

But the GMC Banshee moves almost three times this fast at 1 km every three seconds which is 1200 kph or 745.68 mph.

This is insane as far as speed goes, even for a semi-advanced technology base. Why would a sports VTOL be able to move nearly the speed of sound (768 mph) when the aircraft in the core book doesn't even get close to that?

Hmm, not sure. I think the near speed of sound one makes more sense than the 250 mph one though. Seems awfully slow for an aircraft.

The descriptions might lend some kind of hint though *shrug*

It says recon and courier duty.

Which says what? I'd imagine couriers need to be particularly fast and that recon can afford to be slower.

yeah, the GMC banshee is only a "sport vehicle" in the sense that the desert wars are a sport.

the cessna is a propeller-plane, i would assume (based on the fact that cessnas today are propeller planes) and while you can get up to pretty high speeds with them, they are mostly not designed to fly at combat speeds.

Hah. A "sport vehicle" that costs over 2.3m and has an availability of 24.

Why the difference in speeds? Probably because the costs are different by an order of magnitude.

Oh, well if one is a prop plane and the other is VTOL then it is fairly obvious why one is faster than the other. One is using century old tech and the other is using modern tech to make it move.

I thought we were looking at similar vehicles. That's like pointing to a bus and then a sports car and asking why one is faster than the other. Or perhaps an old Model T and a modern day sports car tested on the Autobann and asking that question.

The P-51 Mustang had a never-exceed speed of 487 mph @ 25k feet ASL.

the O-2 Skymaster, which is probably a better comparison, has a max of 200mph @ sea level.

A-1 Skyraider: 322 @ 18k.

C-2 Greyhound: 343 @ 12k

the T-6 Texan, can do 208 @ 5k,

and it's younger sibling the T-6 Texan II, can do 363.

so no, it's not fast at all.

I don't really have a baseline to go on for the Banshee, as no one has really built a vectored-thrust cargo craft yet. or done any engineering studies that I have been aware of.

Well, in that case, we can look at the other VTOL which, as may be inferred by the plane being the second fastest that I mentioned earlier is a bit slower.
Speed 120m/(3s), 144 kph or 89.48 mph.

Same tech level, but it's a commuter, so it literally is like comparing a bus to a sports car.
Whereas a modern bus goes a tad bit faster than the super-tech version at up to 95 depending on the bus.

Though the C-2 does about cover it, my biggest problem is the massive discrepancy between the second fastest and fastest vehicles, not the sheer point of it's speed.

The Banshee is described as a 'sports vehicle' now ?! Previously, it's pedigree has always been military. Something like the V-22 Osprey, for example.

And for a more complete description of what the banshee is supposed to be:

Ground Effect Vehicle

Examples:
Lun-class ekranoplan
A-90 Orlyonok

It's just following the same path as the humvee. Some actor /governor modded one out and started a trend.

Nit pick: The GMC Banshee is not a VTOL...yes, it can do Vertical Take off and Landing, but it
is not like the Osprey or a helicopter. It is basicly souped up Harrier engine lifting it up, and then
a turbine propulsion system pushing it forward. It is as much a "vtol" as a rocket car is
"a racecar"

Jumbo jet average cruising speed is 600 odd miles. It's just a much smaller and slightly faster jet. The airbus does 945km/h.

Edit: From Wikipedia on 747:
The 747-400, the latest version in service, is among the fastest airliners in service with a high-subsonic cruise speed of Mach 0.85 (567 mph or 913 km/h). It has an intercontinental range of 7,260 nautical miles (8,350 mi or 13,450 km).[13] The 747-400 passenger version can accommodate 416 passengers in a typical three-class layout or 524 passengers in a typical two-class layout. The next version of the aircraft, the 747-8, is in production and scheduled to enter service in 2010.[

in other words, its a flying brick

Not quite, it's a flying bedstead

thats a t-bird without the armor plating

If you got everything worth having in the core book, how would they sell you Arsenal?

Great, now my poor chars will get the shakes whenever they ride a T-Bird...

My opinion can be summed up in a raspberry of insolence. Besides, I'm not allowed any more RP books until I can get a steady job.