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As the Proxima War prepared to enter its ground stage, the Terran high command saw the need for a small general-purpose transport craft that could operate in space as well as in a planetary atmosphere. In addition, this ship needed to be quickly adaptable to multiple roles, have a high weight capacity for its size, be able to take off and land in tight spaces, and be simple in design and easy to maintain in the field. Consolidated's design for the Ferryman was based on a rugged commercial transport design that had been proposed for operating in remote and wild areas but had been shelved due to the outbreak of war; this robustness would become its trademark as a modified version entered production in early 2166.
The Ferryman soon proved its worth to its crews and the ground troops it supported in a great variety of roles. At first, the Ferryman was utilized to deliver small, critical shipments to forward bases, as a medical evacuation ship, and as a personal transport for military brass. As it proved its utility, ruggedness, and ease of field modification, its role was expanded to include such tasks as forward scouting, artillery spotting, special forces troop transport, and even as a light gunship. Its boxy profile was a familiar and welcome sight to our front-line troops in need of supplies or evacuation, and its nimbleness and ease of operation made it exceptionally popular with its flight crews. The Ferryman's most famous exploit is doubtless the daring rescue of General Harding and his staff from their forward base, flying out under withering fire and less than a minute before the base was struck by a Proximan tactical nuke.

The Ferryman had a unique and very convenient method of loading; the entire front section, including the cockpit, would fold upward and out of the way, while the front landing gear would telescope downward, allowing cargoes nearly the same height and width as the entire ship to be simply rolled into the cavernous interior. This also made the Ferryman extremely easy to modify; self-contained modules with troop seats, medical theaters, or gunnery points could simply be exchanged for one another, making a change in roles possible in a matter of minutes.

After the war, the Ferryman continued to serve on Proxima in a more humanitarian role, aiding the rebuilding process as well as supporting small-scale operations to mop up pockets of resistance. Commercial versions on post-war Terra, with slightly downgraded engines and avionics, have proven as popular as the military versions and have served as couriers, surface-to-space shuttlecraft, and mobile medical stations for remote locations, as well as in their originally-intended role as general freight haulers and public transports. Consolidated and its licensees continue to produce the Ferryman today and they are common sights in and around the Sol system.