Project Zomboid: Surviving the Helicopter Event
It is the sound every Project Zomboid player dreads. The faint thwap-thwap-thwap growing louder in the distance. The Helicopter Event is a meta-game mechanic designed to migrate zombie populations and punish players who have become too comfortable in their starting base.
The helicopter flies overhead, making massive noise. If it spots you, it will hover over your location, drawing every zombie in a huge radius directly to you. If you are inside your base when it arrives, your safehouse will become a death trap.
When Does It Happen?
By default settings (Apocalypse/Survivor), the helicopter arrives once between Day 6 and Day 9. It typically appears between 9:00 AM and 7:00 PM.
The Warning System: You can predict the exact day. Find a radio (or Walkie Talkie) and tune it to the Automated Emergency Broadcast System (AEBS) frequency. You must find a radio that already has the preset or find a specialized magazine to learn it. Every hour, it broadcasts the weather. If it ends with "Air Activity Detected," the helicopter is coming today.
Survival Strategies
The Bunker Strategy (Hiding)
If you are inside a building before the helicopter arrives and you stay
away from windows (curtains closed), the helicopter will not spot you. It will fly over
the map randomly. It might draw zombies near your house, but it won't hover
over you specifically.
Warning: Do not go outside. Do not peek. Read a book and wait it
out.
The Nomad Strategy (Driving)
The safest method. As soon as you hear the chopper, get in a car and drive. Drive to a rural area or a highway away from your base. The helicopter will follow you, drawing zombies away from your town. Keep moving in loops until the event ends.
The Pied Piper (Advanced)
Veterans use the helicopter as a weapon. If you want to clear Rosewood or Muldraugh, stand in the middle of the main street. Let the helicopter spot you. Then, slowly walk/jog out of town into the forest. You will drag thousands of zombies out of the loot zones, leaving the town relatively empty for looting later.
What If I Get Caught?
If you are caught in the open without a car: DO NOT RUN HOME. Bringing the helicopter to your base is suicide. Instead, walk (don't sprint, save endurance) towards a wooded area or a tall fence. Break line of sight. Loop around buildings. You need to keep moving until the pilot loses interest or runs out of fuel (usually a few hours).
Comments
I forgot to check the radio and it came while I was farming. Had to sleep in a plastic chair in a shed for 2 days.