| @Berkut: If you are looking at a planetary atmospheric plane, then yeah, the seat is usually leaning back (in some cases - like the F-16, it leans back a *lot*), this is because the primary gee force is acting vertically, they are pushed down into the seat during a turn, so you get your head low so that it is easier to pump blood to your brain during a 7g turn. But in a space ship, usually the primary direction of Gee force is from nose to tail, hence if you look at the seating in the Apollo space craft they are seated upright (actually leaning slightly head forward towards the nose)
However, as this is atmospheric in looks, probably better to go for an atmospheric plane type seat, and lean back a little.
@Kborak: Maybe if the plane has a sidestick controls, I'd consider having side control panels come down with the seat, but I would have nothing in front of the pilots legs, allow him (her?) to step off easy and to get in he just sits down and leans back - and his ground crew can strap him in, like real astronaughts do,
leave the front panel up inside the ship. This would also allow you to bring the panel up his thighs, closer to his chest and in easier reach of his arms.
Not sure if it is just my perspective, but the main gear looks a little far back to the rear, planes usually have their main wheels just behind the point of balance, I think the wheels as they currently are, will have too much weight on the nose wheel.
The deep keel in the front-on view looks great, very like that old german jet (ME 163 Komet? or something?) |