Feather Balloon

The Feather Balloon is an air-based ambulance, used to fetch patients calling in with an emergency. It is first made available to research in a Research room at the outset of Pointy Pass, which requires the Speedy Recovery DLC, as can two upgrades to its diagnosis power and speed. To compare its strengths and shortcomings with other ambulance types, please see the table below.

Appearance
The main carriage is the chassis of a bus, in the usual white colouring with red-and-white checkered patterning on the lower half, and a red roof and rear. A double-door-sized opening in the side reveals a vertical pole in the centre of the interior, surrounded by four two-seater benches.

Mounted on top is a giant, orange-billed, yellow rubber duck, proudly bearing an enormous emergency light on its head, held on by brown straps kept together by a pair of metal pentagonal rings. Its tail is adorned with three fins, each decorated in the red-and-white checkered patterning, and on the back is a large propeller, with a large red-and-white circular rim, black blades with red tips, and a red-and-white centre.

It has clearly already seen service, bearing, as it does, a large sticking plaster on its breast.

The Feather Balloon II and II add no cosmetic changes.

Function
Upon being dispatched to an emergency, a Doctor or Nurse with the Flying Qualification will enter the vehicle, and speed off to the scene. Their progress can be tracked on the Two Two Point Nav, and they will return with as many patients as possible (up to 8, in a Feather Balloon). If there are still patients remaining at the emergency scene, the ambulance will make another trip automatically.

On their return journey, diagnostic tests will be performed on the patients, who, upon arrival, will proceed straight to a diagnosis room, or to treatment if they have already passed the diagnostic threshold.

Maintenance
The Feather Balloon loses a portion of its maintenance gauge with each trip. Once the gauge falls below 50%, Gretchen Gearbox will automatically be called to repair it. She can also be summoned manually by the player by selecting the ambulance and pressing.

Should the maintenance gauge fall to 0%, the Feather Balloon will break down, and may not be sent to further emergencies before being repaired.

Upgrades
Upgrades are performed by Gretchen Gearbox, or a Janitor with the Vehicular Mechanics Qualification. The machine will not be accessible while this work is being done, although it can be interrupted and resumed without losing progress.

Staff
A or  with the  will be required to pilot the Feather Balloon.

In addition, Gretchen Gearbox is required to maintain the ambulance, and upgrades can be applied either by her or a with.

Trivia
Somewhat resemblant of the Battle Bus from Fortnite, by Epic Games.