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airship

Airships were large, flying vessels used to transport heavy cargo in Metru Nui. They were powered by a complicated system of Kanoka disks with the levitation and increase weight powers, which controlled the rise and fall of the craft. Le-Matoran airship pilots were highly respected for their ability to master this complicated system. The Toa Metru used airships to transport the Matoran population of Metru Nui to Mata Nui during the Great Rescue.

Notes

Fleets of airships were used to transport huge statues from the Po-Metru Sculpture Fields to various parts of the city.1

Disks of levitation and increase weight were incorporated into Le-Matoran airships.2

Air transport in Metru Nui was used only for cargo. Huge vessels floated through the skies, carrying Rahi to Onu-Metru, solid protodermis blocks and tools to Po-Metru, and other bulk items to points around the city. Matoran airships worked thanks to a complicated system of Kanoka levitation disks and increase weight disks. When pulleys caused the Kanoka disks to strike the framework, the craft rose. For landing, a different set of pulleys caused the increase weight disks to strike, causing the ship to go down. It could take years for a Le-Matoran to master the system, so pilots were highly respected.3

Travelers were advised to take chutes or Ussal carts to get around Metru Nui. Travel via airship was forbidden unless authorized by a supervisor.4

Nuparu helped create the Le-Metru airships.5

Up front, the Le-Matoran pilots could trigger the vast network of levitation disks to make the airship rise.6

Phase dragons were often spotted flying alongside Matoran airships.7

Cable crawlers were known to nest inside the cargo holds of Matoran airships. This was not discovered until a shipment of Rahi bound by air for the Archives was found devoured by cable crawlers when the hold was opened.8

Airships were Matoran flying vehicles used to transport cargo in Metru Nui. Airships were operated using a complicated system of Kanoka disks with the levitation and increase weight powers. When pulleys caused the levitation disks to strike the framework, the craft rose. When another set of pulleys brought the increase weight disks into contact with the frame, the craft would lose altitude. Forward thrust was provided by a portion of chute capped at both ends, with only a small amount of liquid protodermis under high pressure allowed to jet from the back. Airships were built, maintained, and piloted by Le-Matoran. The Visorak destroyed all of the airships in the Moto-Hub when they invaded the city.9

Airships were used to ship parts to the remote assemblers' villages in Po-Metru.10

Airship pilots were reluctant to fly over Ko-Metru because of the presence of ice bats.11, 12

Levitation and increase weight disks were incorporated into the design of airships.13

Other Information

Airships were originally supposed to be propelled by air currents, but Greg Farshtey changed his mind and decided they were propelled by jets of protodermis squirted through small holes while under high pressure. He changed his mind because air current propulsion would provide very little control over the direction the airship traveled unless it had sails.14