Highwind ( Final Fantasy VII ) The Highwind is the player ' s primary airship in " Final Fantasy VII " . It can land on plains in the overworld and only patches that are big enough for it to fit . The player can board the airship while riding a chocobo , in which case the bird will be in the stables inside the airship ; this way , the player can transport their chocobo to different areas . There is a man in the command room that acts as a save point who can fully heal the party for no cost . The " Highwind " can be used to ram into Ultimate Weapon to make it stop fleeing and fight . In some battles with the Ultimate Weapon the deck is used as the battleground . The airship is also used as a part of Cid ' s Limit Break Highwind , in which the " Highwind " rains 18 missiles down on random targets . Story . The " Highwind " was designed and built by Cid Highwind , Shinra Electric Power Company ' s chief aeronautical engineer . A poster of the newly constructed " Highwind " is on display in the Showcase Room of Shinra Headquarters in " Crisis Core - Final Fantasy VII - " . The airship was confiscated from Cid after the failed launch of Shinra No . 26 rocket and would serve as Shinra ' s main flagship from then on . Cloud can spot the " Highwind " stationed in Junon airfield while first passing through during Rufus Shinra ' s welcome parade . President Rufus Shinra takes command of the " Highwind " during the hunt for the rogue SOLDIER member , Sephiroth , and commandeers it to the Northern Cave inside the North Crater . The time taken to arrange the mutiny of the " Highwind " crew takes roughly seven days . Cloud ' s party runs into Shinra at the cave , and the " Highwind " takes off when the Weapons sleeping in the crater awaken . It is not explained how Cid avoided capture during this time , but Tifa Lockhart and Barret Wallace are taken away on the " Highwind " during the Weapons ' rise . The " Highwind " is docked in Junon where Rufus plans to execute Tifa and Barret as scapegoats for the Meteor crisis . The other party members infiltrate Junon and rescue Barret , while Cid convinces the airship ' s crew to abandon Shinra and return to serve him . The airship thus stolen from Shinra , Tifa jumps off the Mako Cannon onto the " Highwind " , and from then on the ship serves as the party ' s main transport and headquarters . Before the party descends to the Northern Cave for the final battle , the " Highwind " reveals two jet boosts at the back , replacing the two propellers . After defeating Sephiroth , the party is stuck deep within the Planet , and the " Highwind " dives into the crater to rescue them ; the cause of the nose - dive is not explained , and Cid ' s consternation implies the crew acted on their own , or that the ship , tethered near the crater entrance , was pulled down . As the ship is blasted out of the crater by Holy its tails fall off along with some of the shell . Cid pulls an emergency lever that jettisons the rest of the load and transforms the " Highwind " into its final form as two long wings unfold from its sides . The final " Highwind " model is propelled by a single engine , and appears to be an emergency measure for when the ship takes too much damage . " Highwind " soars the skies as the Meteor crashes into Midgar and the Lifestream wells up to save the Planet . It is unknown what became of the " Highwind " afterward , as Cid replaces it with a new airship , the " Shera " . Locations . Bridge . The Bridge is located forward of the airship ' s gondola and can be seen from the outside through a large curved window supported by metal grid - work . The deck contains three work stations , including the pilot controls ( located top right and manned by Cid ) , communications and radar post ( located left ) , and a station for various other stats and controls ( located bottom right ) . The Bridge is accessible via the Machinery Room . Most of the player party can be conversed with here . Talking to the pilot gives the option to return to the world map where the player can take control of the " Highwind " . Inside . The Machinery Room links all other areas . The room covers two floors . The ground floor is entered from the Bridge in the bottom - right . If Yuffie is in the party , she resides in the bottom - left of the screen , suffering from motion sickness . On the northern door of the ground floor is the entrance to the Operation Room . On the right of this is the entrance to the Stables . A set of stairs lead to the second floor , which contains another set of stairs out onto the Deck . The Operation Room links to the rest of the " Highwind " via a door to the Machinery Room . The Operation Room has a table and a screen which occasionally displays the position of the " Highwind " on the World Map . A crewman found here will allow the the player to replenish HP and MP , save their game and change party members . The Stables link to the rest of the " Highwind " via the Machinery Room . The Stables provide suitable accommodation for a chocobo . Accessible via the engine room , the stable contains hay , water and various chocobo feed . If the player boards the " Highwind " while riding a chocobo , it can be visited here . Deck . The Deck provides access to the airship via a staircase into the Machinery Room . Bugenhagen can be found here during the time he boards the " Highwind " . The deck is the first area of the " Highwind " visited by the party when Tifa first boards . At a number of times the Deck uses a series of ropes and ladders , which can be unfurled to provide access to the ground as well as a mooring to anchor the " Highwind " while " landed " . It is from the Deck the player can descend into Northern Cave . Quests . Date mechanics . " Final Fantasy VII " has a hidden affection value that determines whom Cloud will go on a date with in Gold Saucer . The value is determined by the dialogue and party member choices made prior to the date . Near the end of the game , the affection value for Tifa determines which version of the " under the " Highwind " " scene plays . If Tifa ' s affection points are 49 or lower , when returning to the " Highwind " , she will ask if the rest of the party had listened to her and Cloud ' s conversation under the " Highwind " , then walk into a corner , acting shy . If Tifa ' s affection points are 50 or higher , she will ask if the party has been watching the conversation , then walk into a corner and collapse in embarrassment . Enemy formations . Although no random encounters can occur while traversing the rooms of the " Highwind " , Ultimate Weapon can be fought on the deck for a number of battles , including the first battle above the waterfall in the Junon Area . The battles fought on the " Highwind " are the battle in the Junon Area , the battle above Mideel , the battle at Mt . Nibel , the battle above North Corel , and the final battle near Cosmo Canyon . As a vehicle . The player can steer the " Highwind " on the world map and land it on grassy areas . If the player tries to board the " Highwind " and a chocobo at the same time , the game freezes . If the player rides the " Highwind " backwards into the barrier around the North Crater , they can pass through it . However , if the player tries landing the " Highwind " within the crater , they will be knocked out by the barrier . It is possible to lose the " Highwind " as the party ' s vehicle and thus make finishing the game impossible ; if the player leaves the " Highwind " on an island and leaves the area on a chocobo , takes the chocobo to the Chocobo Farm and releases it to the wild , and then trashes the party ' s Chocobo Lure Materia , the player will never be able to recover the " Highwind " . The following buttons control the " Highwind " : Musical themes . The main musical theme of the " Highwind " is track 3 on disc 4 of the " " , " Highwind Takes to the Skies " . It is a stirring arrangement of the " Main Theme of Final Fantasy VII " and might have been inspired by one of " Final Fantasy V " soundtrack : " Searching the Light " . " Gold Saucer ~ The Highwind Takes to the Skies / X ' mas Edit " ( from Final Fantasy VII ) is a track on the " X ' mas Collections music from SQUARE ENIX " . " Highwind Takes to the Skies " is included on the fourth disc of " Final Fantasy VII Vinyl Limited Edition " compilation album . The rearranged version of " Highwind Takes to the Skies " is included in the fifth disc of " Theatrhythm Final Fantasy Compilation Album " . Wallpaper . When the player ' s party first visits Junon in " Final Fantasy VII " , " Highwind " is stationed on Junon airfield . Onboard the cargo ship Aeris confides in Cloud a desire to ride the airship . A wallpaper released by Square — also visible during the installation of the 1998 PC release of " Final Fantasy VII " and on the CD sleeve — shows Aeris watching the " Highwind " on Junon airfield . The wallpaper was one of the pretexts for the debate of whether or not it was possible to revive her in the game , as the " Highwind " isn ' t acquired until after she dies , yet in the picture she is standing next to the airship . Other appearances . A toy version of the " Highwind " appears in a scene . " Theatrhythm Final Fantasy Curtain Call " . " Highwind " appears in a Field Music Sequence . Non - " Final Fantasy " guest appearances . " Kingdom Hearts " series . In " , Riku challenges Sora to a race ; if Sora wins , he can name their raft what the player wishes . However , if Riku wins , he calls it " Highwind " . The name of the raft is used for the name of the Gummi Ship later in the game . " Highwind " is used in " for the default model of the Gummi Ship . Also , there ' s a special Gummi Ship model named " Highwind Alpha " which resembles " Highwind " .