Solarpunk Airship: How to Build & Fly Between Islands
The airship is your mobile base in Solarpunk. With it, you can scout new islands, ferry resources, and rescue co-op teammates. This guide covers the full build, the cheapest fuel setup, and the three safest island routes for new pilots.
Materials You Need
- Hull Plank β 20 wood + 5 fiber
- Sail Cloth β 10 cotton
- Propeller β 8 iron + 4 copper
- Fuel Tank β 12 iron + 6 copper + 2 rubber
- Rudder β 6 wood + 4 iron
Total cost for a stock airship: ~120 wood, 60 fiber, 50 iron, 30 copper, 10 cotton, 2 rubber. You can craft the first airship by hour 6 if you focused on iron and cotton in the first 3 hours.
Build Order (Don't Skip Steps)
- Open the workshop and select "Airship β Standard".
- Place the 4 hull planks on a flat 3Γ3 platform (foundations count).
- Attach the propeller to the back-middle block.
- Place the fuel tank on the bottom-middle block (it powers the propeller).
- Add the sail cloth to the top β this is the visual indicator of direction.
- Add the rudder to the rear-bottom block. Test turning left/right before flying far.
Cheapest Fuel Setup
Each flight minute uses 1 fuel unit. The cheapest refuel is a small farm of 4 root veggies + 2 fuel condensers. It produces 60 fuel units per in-game day, which is enough for 2 round trips to the second island.
3 Safe Island Routes
- Starter β Verdant Spire. 4 min flight. The most-used route. Stay above cloud line.
- Verdant Spire β Old Forge Isle. 8 min flight. Bring 2 spare fuel tanks; weather shifts mid-flight.
- Old Forge Isle β Mistfall Crater. 12 min flight. Longest route; only attempt with full fuel.
What NOT to Do
- Do not fly during a storm β wind speed triples and you can crash into an island.
- Do not land on an unnamed island β they have no trader and no respawn anchor.
- Do not chain 3+ trips without refueling β the fuel tank auto-empties on the third leg.
Video: First Airship Flight
Next: Co-op Multiplayer
Once you can fly, you can play co-op. Read the Co-op & Multiplayer guide next.