Could you fly airplanes on Jupiter?

Perhaps you've flown in a plane on an especially cloudy day when all you can see are clouds beneath and above you. It's a beautiful sight, strata'd white all around. So what if the plane were flying on Jupiter instead and enjoying the cloud strata there?

There's a couple of assumptions here:

1. There are floating colonies for the planes to fly between.
2. Getting metals to supply an aviation industry is economical.
3. Fueling these airplanes is also economical.

Assume that the plane can be built or delivered into Jupiter's gravity well without difficulty.

At what altitude would this plane likely fly and how would it differ from modern airliners in terms of shape? If it's possible, try to minimize pressure differences between the cabin and surrounding atmosphere since more strength equals more weight. The propulsion systems are likely to be very different so I'm not worried about that part yet, though if you have thoughts to share on that then go ahead and include it.

posted about 9 years ago

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