Travel ABOVE the danger..

[fester_hicks]

I'm not familular with this type of transport but what are the chances of hot air balloon being used to travel with?

[Dagnammit]

Or perhaps using helium Larry Walters-style: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawn_Chair_Larry

Hot air and helium ballooning are not practical as a transport method as you don't have much control over where you land. But it might be a good idea to look for helium canisters and weather balloons when collecting supplies - it could be a clever method of escape from a besieged fortress.

[Victor Clark]

A hot air balloon might be a creative form of transport, but it's also very noticeable. What do you think a group of raiders and bikers will do when they see a huge hot air baloon in the sky? They know it wasn't just something left over from the past life, and they will chase your balloon (and since those balloons are both huge and slow, the bikers will probably win the chase) and take you down. Plus hot air balloons are hard to find, difficult to start alone, can only hold 2 people in their baskets, and can be destroyed literally by a slingshot! Unless there's no planes, bikes or cars in a vicinity filled with the undead, I doubt I'll take a form of flight that Wile. E. Coyote would only think of.

[mattifikation]

A blimp might be a better idea. I wonder if anyone's ever considered a solar powered blimp before?

[Dagnammit]

Originally Posted by Victor Clark

A hot air balloon might be a creative form of transport, but it's also very noticeable. What do you think a group of raiders and bikers will do when they see a huge hot air baloon in the sky? They know it wasn't just something left over from the past life, and they will chase your balloon (and since those balloons are both huge and slow, the bikers will probably win the chase) and take you down. Plus hot air balloons are hard to find, difficult to start alone, can only hold 2 people in their baskets, and can be destroyed literally by a slingshot! Unless there's no planes, bikes or cars in a vicinity filled with the undead, I doubt I'll take a form of flight that Wile. E. Coyote would only think of.

I still helium would be good as a last chance escape (read these articles: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cluster_ballooning and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rozi%C3%A8re_balloon). You couldn't carry much with you, just enough food and water to last a few days, and a weapon, but because it would be kept in reserve (on the roof) as an emergency escape method, it wouldn't matter anyway, as you'd only use it in a life or death escape.

It's easier to get a hold of than a helicopter and... well... do you know any helicopter pilots? When everyone else is grabbing gear and armour at the army surplus store, take the time to steal a few surplus weather balloons (some Army Navy stores sell them) and steal a helium canister from a greetings card store. No one will be looking for them, and it will only take a few minutes, but it might save your life. :P

[RogueAI]

Originally Posted by mattifikation

A blimp might be a better idea. I wonder if anyone's ever considered a solar powered blimp before?

I thought about living in a solar powered semi-rigid airship for a while. Not a Z-Day thing, I just like weird houses. I decided against it due to the size of the helium bladder required (Hydrogen is flammable, and only allows for 8% greater weight capacity) for a suitable living space. I think it could work, but I think it would be risky and expensive, even if you have mechanical engineering skills and built it yourself.

On a side note;
Airships have rigid or semi-rigid frames allowing them to be larger. A blimp's gas bladder does not have a frame.

[Barbara]

Ballon pants? Spongebob style?

[DarthJoe8]

Not being able to control where you're going sounds pretty scary....I like the solar powered blimp idea... Could it be done??

[manaketes]

Originally Posted by RogueAI

I thought about living in a solar powered semi-rigid airship for a while. Not a Z-Day thing, I just like weird houses. I decided against it due to the size of the helium bladder required (Hydrogen is flammable, and only allows for 8% greater weight capacity) for a suitable living space. I think it could work, but I think it would be risky and expensive, even if you have mechanical engineering skills and built it yourself.

On a side note;
Airships have rigid or semi-rigid frames allowing them to be larger. A blimp's gas bladder does not have a frame.

Kinda like Setzer's airship from FF3? sounds like a good idea...

[CAVU45]

What's the preventative maintenance like on something like that? Seems like it would be pretty steep for little payoff. I would think it owuld be better to have an armoured vehicle with an engineer blade on it for such an eventuality. It could carry more people and supplies and offer better protection.

[Dave Of The Dead]

Originally Posted by CAVU45

What's the preventative maintenance like on something like that? Seems like it would be pretty steep for little payoff. I would think it owuld be better to have an armoured vehicle with an engineer blade on it for such an eventuality. It could carry more people and supplies and offer better protection.

Well if my fictional knowledge of fictional engineering is right here, then I would assume all you would need is a level 40 blue mage so you could turn back time to before the thing even broke...

In my opinion, flying in the ZPAW is just an all around bad idea. Too many things to go wrong.

[CAVU45]

Originally Posted by Dave Of The Dead

Well if my fictional knowledge of fictional engineering is right here, then I would assume all you would need is a level 40 blue mage so you could turn back time to before the thing even broke...

In my opinion, flying in the ZPAW is just an all around bad idea. Too many things to go wrong.

I agree. I can't imagine someone actually trying to fill a balloon with zombies climbing the stairs.

[mattifikation]

Instead of a balloon, you could use a big rocket to launch yourself in the air, then detaching frm it and then using a parachute to guide your descent to a safer area. Good luck though.

[Dave Of The Dead]

Originally Posted by mattifikation

Instead of a balloon, you could use a big rocket to launch yourself in the air, then detaching frm it and then using a parachute to guide your descent to a safer area. Good luck though.

Okay Johnny Knoxville.

[mattifikation]

Seriously, if you had the right training it shouldn't be a problem. They already make wearable rocket belts. They already make hang gliders. Combine the two, and you should be able to make quite a fast getaway with a pretty good range.