Star Trek: Voyager boasted a reasonably cool ship along with the present's titular ship, and the Delta Flyer has a captivating historical past. Whereas the bulk Star Trek TV reveals rely completely on normal shuttlecraft, which Star Trek: Voyager the solid had entry to an thrilling different that reworked the way in which they explored such a hostile a part of the galaxy. The vessel occupies a singular place within the Star Trek customas nothing comparable had been tried earlier than, nor has it occurred since. Nonetheless, there's a good motive behind its rarity.
Though the Delta Flyer could seem to have been current for a lot of the present, it truly solely made its debut in Star Trek: Voyager Season 5, Episode 3, 'Excessive Danger'. So whereas it wasn't a part of the story for each season of Star Trek: Voyager, the ship turned important for captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) and her crew on their lengthy journey again to Earth. With out the Delta Flyer, the Voyager crew may by no means have made it dwelling.
Star Trek: Voyager's Delta Flyer Defined
The USS Voyager crew got here collectively to create a custom-made area shuttle
The Delta Flyer was primarily a Starfleet ship. Regardless, it didn't precisely adhere to Starfleet specs. Not solely was it constructed aboard a stranded Federation ship, however the crew of the USS Voyager drew inspiration for its design and performance from an eclectic mixture of sources. Whereas the idea of its design definitely arose from different Starfleet ships, the contribution of Jeri Ryan's Seven of 9 meant the Delta Flyer additionally integrated Borg know-how into its designhowever it didn't cease there.
As an aficionado of retro know-how, Paris acknowledged that he was bored with what flying had turn into within the twenty fourth century and needed the choice to fly the Delta Flyer just like the pilots of outdated.
With Lieutenant Tom Paris (Robert Duncan McNeill) instrumental as a part of the Delta Flyer building group, Voyager's helmsman gave his mission a twentieth century contact This was maybe to be anticipated. As a substitute of unique use of Starfleet's signature touchscreen panels, Lieutenant Paris additionally built-in many extra tactile controls impressed by his beloved Captain Proton adventures on the holodeck. As an aficionado of retro know-how, Paris acknowledged that he was bored with what flying had turn into within the twenty fourth century and needed the choice to fly the Delta Flyer just like the pilots of outdated.
The Delta Flyer was usually way more maneuverableextra responsive and with larger affect by way of firepower when in comparison with different Voyager area shuttles. As a substitute of two seats for pilot and co-pilot as in a standard area shuttle, the Delta Flyer's bridge was extra just like a full-size starship. It had a number of stations specializing in particular elements of the vessel's operation, so it tended to want many extra crew members to be handiest. It may additionally attain speeds of as much as Warp 6, making it the quickest Voyager shuttle.
Why Star Trek: Voyager Wanted a Delta Flyer Shuttle
The Delta Quadrant offered dangers that Voyager's normal shuttles may not face up to
For nearly all the journey dwelling, the USS Voyager was the one Starfleet ship at her facet. There was, in fact, the USS Equinox, however that two-episode arc infamously ended with Voyager as soon as once more alone within the Delta Quadrant. So ultimately, Janeway determined that her ship's normal buses have been not enough when it got here to backup and more and more harmful distant missions. In consequence, she gave her crew an attention-grabbing activity - to construct, design and construct a brand new area shuttle - the Delta Flyer.
Star Trek: Voyager famously, it by no means tracked the attrition fee of its area shuttles very nicely. It has at all times been unclear what number of shuttles the ship had when it arrived within the Delta Quadrant, however it's extensively recognized amongst Trekkies that an unrealistic variety of them have been misplaced in fight. Both approach, the Delta Flyer was nonetheless superior to any of them. It was basically a hybrid of not solely completely different applied sciences, but in addition completely different capabilities. Though it was primarily used as a shuttlecraft, it was additionally an impartial mini-ship that doubled as an important vessel in Voyager's diminutive fleet.
There's additionally the difficulty of Starfleet not designing normal shuttlecraft with the situation in thoughts of being the one pleasant ship in mild years. Merely put, they have been for use to move personnel to and from a planet's floor, with any weapons on board solely supposed to supply sufficient firepower to cowl a retreat to the mothership. Clearly, Voyager's dire circumstances couldn't have been predicted, so it was as much as Janeway and her crew to right their ship's deficiencies creating a personalised bus particular to your wants.
Starfleet not constructed Delta Flyers after Star Trek: Voyager
The Delta Flyer stays particular to the present it debuted at
Outdoors of the world of the present, it is smart that the USS Voyager was the one ship to have a Delta Flyer. Making the ship distinctive to Star Trek: Voyager it made the present extra distinctive, and permitting the collaboratively designed shuttle to turn into a part of Starfleet's infrastructure would make it much less particular. Nonetheless, there are some in-universe theories that would clarify why the Delta Flyer has by no means appeared in different Star Trek present after Traveler.
In comparison with different Starfleet shuttles, the Delta Flyer is armed to the tooth, a lot stronger than its conventional counterparts. Due to this fact, it could undoubtedly ship the unsuitable message if a peaceable group that prioritizes exploration applied such a formidable shuttlecraft as normal. It was crucial within the Delta Quadrant, however it's not crucial within the Alpha Quadrant. Moreover, whereas Lt. Paris' retrograde design decisions may simply be eliminated, built-in Borg know-how will surely make Starfleet brass uncomfortable - and it's a giant a part of what makes the Star Trek: Voyager ship what's.