Customized courier vanships lined up for the Norkia Cup Race
Courier vanships, also known as racing vanships, are one of the main types of vanship featured in Last Exile.
Courier vanships are small and narrow with a single, high-powered thruster. Like any vanship intended to achieve high speeds, they have stub wings, far too small themselves to provide lift. They simply act as mounts for ailerons to provide better steering, as pivoting the thruster would put undue stress on the assembly at high speeds.
When not earning their keep as couriers for the Vanship Union, vanship pilots often keep their skills sharp by racing. Many of these are rallies, taking place in towns, underground waterways and canyons. Racing vanships are permitted to utilize "boosters" (akin to Nitrous in a race car), but mechanicly more like a pulsejet. The vanships that take part in these races are typically fancifully decorated to the taste of their pilot, giving them a unique appearance.
Notable Courier Vanship Pilots[]
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Notable Courier Vanships[]
- Spirit of Grand Stream, the vanship flown by Claus and Lavie in Last Exile. A specially modified courrier vanship, it is notable as the only vanship ever to successfully cross the Grand Stream.
- In Last Exile - Fam, the Silver Wing, Dio flies a courrier vanship, in contrast with the other Sky Pirates who all fly Vespas or Sky Pirate Medium Vanship. It is also notable that he flies alone, not having taken a new navi since Lucciola's death.