Ships So who is using the Orca for passenger missions in 2.2?

[Cdr Voorheez]

I just wondered with all this excitement with the Beluga Liner has anyone used the Orca for passenger missions yet? and if so how does it fare?

 

[Limoncello Lizard]

The main drawback of the Orca is its jumprange, which is pathetic. Otherwise, it's a fun ship to fly.

I haven't used mine with passengers yet, but I'm hoping to give this a go over the weekend.

 

[GJ51]

The main advantage of the Orca is speed.

I use mine for in the bubble Luxury Passenger transport.

 

[Kayin]

I use it. I do passanger missions casually and it works great for that. If I'm going to take an explorer out into the depths of space, I'll refit an exploration ship for that.

 

[DeRane]

There is no money in Orca as far as I can see. To me the real credits in passenger trade right now are in bulk tourists, who mainly use economy class seats. Luxury cabins are only for sightseers and explorers - good cr/job to be sure - but poor cr/time and by the time an Orca has finished one such mission, a Python or a T7 has made at least 10 times as much shuttling between two or three systems hauling cattle.

Orca could try to stack the explorers. There are often multiple explorer missions to same destination and if they are luxury requirement passengers, three or four 1000 ly jobs could be stacked into Orca. But there are also other class explorers, meaning if Orca stacks 4 "Center of Nebula" jobs, Python stacks 6 and finishes faster.

So I see no real point in Orca as a passenger transport and in my mind it stays as a curiosity at least for now.

 

[PanTast]

The Orca is a splendid ship.
It is fast and has an acceptable jumprange when engineered.
It is perfect for sneaking in wanted passengers.

It is fast and VERY maneuverable. No slipping and sliding in turns. Wonderful thrusters. Superb behaviour on planets.

~S~

 

[Hypothraxer]

I'm using it with luxury cabins, you can find some good paying missions (10/12M for a 50ly mission). You can't stack much of them, but it's a really great ship to fly ; loving it.

 

[Tim Crimson]

I'm still using my Orca as a fighter/ battering ram. Was going to use my shiny new Beluga as a luxury passenger liner, but have now ended up loading that too with HRPs and a fighter bay

 

[TERMINATRIXXX]

Never saw a player using it at all.
Its by far the the most exciting ship because of its shape but thats all.
Too expensive and too useless for longe range trips.
I've sold mine directly after i purchased it, couple of minutes testflying it....sold.

 

[Cdr Voorheez]

"Exciting shape.." (makes notes)

 

[InlineSix]

I am using the Beluga as the Orca's jump range is abysmal, even with engineering.

Sadly, the Beluga's a griefer's dream. I was promptly attacked by CMDR mod-relax-i-won't-name-and-shame who blew me into oblivion at SOL today. Sadly, he denied my friend request as I would have loved to tell him I don't care about the 11 mill rebuy as I'm filthy rich *muahahahahaha*

 

[Cdr Voorheez]

"Beluga, Open play, dead" (makes notes).

 

[Agony_Aunt]

Using one.

I made the mistake of fitting 2 luxury cabins. Will keep the bigger one. Will sell the smaller one and put in a something else for economy class passengers. Can then chop and change depending on what missions are available.

 

[chagnampra]

Yes, I am using an Orca, as well as a Beluga Liner. My Orca is built for stealth and speed (I call it my Storca). I have engineered it so it has a boost speed of 500, and a jump range of 26ly, or so. It has a tougher hull to make up for its basic shields (though they recharge quickly after silent running). It specialises in avoiding scans and avoiding a fight. If my Beluga is the equivalent of a luxury cruise liner, then my Storca is a private jet.

 

[Witzo]

Some factions that I'm allied with give me passengers that pay one or two million gold pieces for four jumps. I like that pay-out!

 

[Kuroshio]

Some factions that I'm allied with give me passengers that pay one or two million gold pieces for four jumps. I like that pay-out!

I'm running nothing below 3 MCr per mission (usually combining a one-way trip with two sight-seeing trips or vice versa) with mine and still haven't ever had a ship that has paid for itself this fast, all while slowly collecting exploration data, seeing some really beautiful sights. And even on with undersized D-thrusters, it handles like a charm.

 

[D6Damager]

I tried it, but its just too short of jump range for the good payout passenger missions which seem to be first class or business class (I have yet to find a luxury cabin mission that wasn't illegal). In the end I sold it and bought a python which has a better jump (about the same as the 7A FSD Beluga) and the same capacity minus the luxury cabins.

Honestly thinking about dumping the Python for an Asp Explorer to do the sight seeing missions as you really don't need much passenger capacity for those and need a serious jump range.

 

[jumpingclear]

I had planned to get one for passenger missions until I saw how low the jump range was. I have only done one passenger trip so far, 2 missions to the same place slightly over 6k from the bubble. I used my T6 which allows 2 cabins plus a scoop that will refill virtually as quick as my Asp with 6A scoop. I now just need to do a bit more engineering on the T6 to get even greater jump range and it will make a nice cheap long range passenger ship.

Why FD introduced a specialist passenger ship with such a low jump range? The Orca would have been perfect for me if they hadn't done that.