Aircraft in the Zombacolypse

[CommonHighrise]

What better way to avoid the undead, than to be overhead?

Maybe not Cessnas or Pipers, but ultralight fixed wing aircraft may be a valuable asset when the dead rise. They can take off and land on very short improvised runways (I've seen ultralites land with a good headwind in less than 20' of field). This would allow them to land and take off even from rooftops of large buildings.

They are quiet, and offer good fly time for fuel used. Many run on regular pump gas, or 2-stroke fuel. They can have fly times of 4 hours or more, depending on the conditions/weight.

Might not be practical for personnel or supply movement, but would be an unparalleled scout/SAR tool. Since FAA restrictions wont be in place, they could fly above 1000 feet, keeping them well out of range of small arms on the ground, but equipped with good optics, could observe and radio back positions of interest.

Do we have any pilots or owners on board yet? Might be interesting to get a few recruited.

[BigCory18951]

I have very basic and crude understanding of how a plane flys, I have 20 hours behind the stick of a single engine cesna,

[MJFletcher]

I wouldn't discount the cubs and cesnas for short runways, couple years ago there was a show on discovery about alaska and one of the things they showed were cubs and cesnas with STOL (Short Take Off and Landing) kits installed for use as bush planes. If it works for getting in and out of remote areas where the closest thing you have to a runway is a small field or sandbar in a river it'll damn sure be useful after Zday.

[CommonHighrise]

I have very basic and crude understanding of how a plane flys, I have 20 hours behind the stick of a single engine cesna,

2 hours stick time in an old J3 Cubby here, with a buttload on Flight Sim.

[nepawolf]

I'd prefer a helicopter, personally. Several reasons, but the two most important to me are zero takeoff and landing, and I'm more familiar with operating them. I don't know why, but flying choppers was always easier for me. I just wish I could get my hands on an Osprey. A recon vehicle plus both operating crews will fit in it. It flies like an airplane and a chopper, so landing area and speed issues are both covered.

As a note, most flying vehicles are not very fuel efficient and procuring fuel will become harder and harder as time goes on until we can start making our own fuel.

[MJFletcher]

Depending on where you're at it may not be that difficult. We got Reading Regional Airport right here in Berks, the entire airport is surrounded by chainlink fence so there's already a barrier to keep Zeds out. Control tower already has a full array of communication equipment. Theres at least one runway large enough to land a C-5 Galaxy there(was one here at the air show when I was a kid and they've extended most of the runways since then). St. Josephs hospital litterally right across the road from it so it would simply be a matter of clearing out any Zeds in it and instant access to medical equipment and supplies.

This country is literally littered with small airports that have aviation fuel onsight so fuel for aircraft wouldn't be that hard to come by.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C-5_Galaxy

[chazman21]

I thought, I would share a concept of/for NEPAWOLF.
I posted it in a thread, I know it was off topic there. It should fit in here.

[Chazman321]

I know Lycanthrope can fly, he even walked away from a plane crash compliments of his instructor... Shouldn't an instructor teach you how not to crash? Not crash a plane into the trees themselves? lol

-Chaz

[andrewjs18]

I know Lycanthrope can fly, he even walked away from a plane crash compliments of his instructor... Shouldn't an instructor teach you how not to crash? Not crash a plane into the trees themselves? lol

-Chaz

usually that's how it should go. LOL

[fayettenamtrasnplant]

An AC 130 would be a great tool to be used on large groups but, the maintenance and fuel would do you in real quick. Now something along the lines of an ultra light or even something along the lines of an OH 58 or an MH 6 would work well for an elevated shooting/scouting platform. These would allow you to insert and extract members onto higher ground so that a multitude of tasks can be accomplished.