i'm writing an article for a post-apocalyptic roleplaying game setting, and one thing i haven't been able to easily find out is whether aircraft larger than a 737 could operate off of unpaved airstrips. i know that various militaries have operated things like C-17's off unpaved airstrips, but i'm pretty sure those were specifically designed to do so.
the main thing i've had trouble finding out is whether something like a 767 or similar can be fitted with an unpaved strip kit like the 737 can use, allowing it to be flown off dirt or grass airfields. and if such could be fitted, what other issues and limitations would such aircraft face trying to operate off of such rough fields? (for example, would they need modified landing gear to deal with ground pressure issues? modifications for better STOL performance? etc.)
the game setting is more of a 'post-post-apoc', where there are a multitude of developed city-states in a partly developed wilderness, and while it's set far enough in the future that there is some fairly impressive advanced tech around, the typical city-state is stuck with mid to late 20th century level tech for most things. so i'm intending to use real world aircraft to determine the general performance of the aircraft i'm writing. before i start adjusting the stats for the fictional stuff, i'd like to have a better understanding of the real world issues those aircraft would be facing.
the main thing i've had trouble finding out is whether something like a 767 or similar can be fitted with an unpaved strip kit like the 737 can use, allowing it to be flown off dirt or grass airfields. and if such could be fitted, what other issues and limitations would such aircraft face trying to operate off of such rough fields? (for example, would they need modified landing gear to deal with ground pressure issues? modifications for better STOL performance? etc.)
the game setting is more of a 'post-post-apoc', where there are a multitude of developed city-states in a partly developed wilderness, and while it's set far enough in the future that there is some fairly impressive advanced tech around, the typical city-state is stuck with mid to late 20th century level tech for most things. so i'm intending to use real world aircraft to determine the general performance of the aircraft i'm writing. before i start adjusting the stats for the fictional stuff, i'd like to have a better understanding of the real world issues those aircraft would be facing.