Learning to Fly can be one of the trickier set of training missions to master, but is useful practice for the Toreno missions to come.
You’ll need to pass each flying challenge to progress further in the game, no matter how frustrated you get with fiddly controls.
Takeoff
Takeoff is simple enough once you grasp the basic idea of gentle movements downwards when you reach the right speed to takeoff. You don’t need to even use the left or right controls, just down when the tail starts coming up and then gentle sweeps up or down to adjust the height. No sudden movements or you’ll be fighting the plane.
Land plane
You can’t just takeoff, you have to land the thing as well! Use gentle sweeps upwards to slowly lower the plane and taps on the brake to decelerate to a slow enough speed to avoid damaging the plane. Just before landing swipe down to level the plane up so it tilts slightly upwards and then use the brake to slow it down further and into the landing zone.
Circle airstrip
Now you’ve mastered up and down, it’s time for corners. As before, gentle sweeps are the order of the day or you’ll quickly lose control and be fighting the plane. Keep an eye on your height as well – when the yellow triangles turn to squares then you are level in height with the coronas. You shouldn’t need to accelerate again once you’re up to speed, so concentrate on gentle sweeps to get the direction right and don’t try and adjust too much for height. You can just clip the coronas and you’ll complete them.
Circle airstrip and land
Time to put it all together – takeoff, circling and landing! When its time to land, use the set of four yellow lights to line yourself up and remember to decelerate enough for a smooth landing.
Helicopter takeoff
Next it’s time to try out a new flying machine – the helicopter. The first part is easy, just press the accelerator until you reach the right height. Use the circular arrows to turn 180 degrees and then to move forward, tilt forward and accelerate into the corona. Thankfully, the helicopter is much more forgiving than the airplane.
Land helicopter
This begins with the helicopter already moving forward, so you just have to keep it steady and lean forward and accelerate a little to reach it in a reasonable time. When you near the landing area, lean back by swiping down to slow it down and then use the brake to take her down gently.
Destroy targets
Now this is more like it – time to use the helicopter’s rockets! Fly to the other end of the runway and tilting the helicopter forward start firing your guns at a consistent angle to blow up the three vans in one move. Try not to get too close to the blasts or you’ll damage the helicopter.
Next up are two moving cars. Get reasonably close and then watch the angle the cars are travelling in. They don’t move that fast so just use the circular arrows to keep firing in their direction and the up/down tilt to get the angle right and a well directed blast or two will get rid of them. Then it’s a case of landing it gently back in the red zone.
Loop the loop
Enough fun with the helicopter, it’s back to practice your flying acrobatics. Keep it nice and level to start with and accelerate to build up the speed. Fly through the first corona, pull down hard and keep it from tilting left or right as you do a full loop the loop. Level it out and you should find yourself in front of the second corona to complete the level.
Barrel roll
For the barrel roll, accelerate as you reach the first corona and then point the nose of the plane slightly upwards and push hard left until you’ve done a full roll. Level it out and fly through the second corona.
Parachute onto target
This one will come in useful later in one of the more fun missions. As soon as your start, push up to accelerate forward or you won’t make the drop spot. You should be at least level with the start of the runway before you’re told to open the parachute. Then tilt forwards and backwards to slow or accelerate your speed and rate of descent. Land inside the marker and that’s it, you’ve passed!
Woozie will then call you to offer you a business proposition at the Four Dragons Casino in Las Venturas. You’ve also unlocked the next set of flying missions for Toreno.
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