Flying in City
Fire and Ice RP is one of the unique FiveM cities that allows its citizens to get a pilots license and fly in the city. In order to ensure that this is effective, clear guidelines must be set for flight.
In order to fly an aircraft, you must either have a pilots license for the type of aircraft you are flying or have a trainee license and be flying with a certified flight instructor. This rule applies to everyone including members of the Police and Fire/EMS teams. Anyone caught flying without the proper licensing can face suspension or banning from the city.
Flying is a privilege and not a right. If you abuse this, it can be taken away.
FLIGHT RESTRICTIONS
While piloting an aircraft, the pilot must always be in channel 999 and communicate their aircrafts intentions including take off, landing, and other critical information that others would need to avoid potential accidents.
Example: Air One departing Sandy Field
Example: Air One nearing Fort Zancudo for a full stop landing
Example: Air One nearing Los Santos International for touch and go
Flying in the downtown area is restricted to licensed Police and EMS only. If you are traveling past the downtown area, you must fly around it and not through it. ( Don't be flying in the main city where sky scrapers)
Flying over and landing at Fort Zancudo is also restricted. Government approval is needed to utilize the military base for any air activities.
Police and EMS flight restrictions
Police and EMS are not to use aircraft to do general patrols. They are only to be used for specific scenes and then returned.
PD Example - Chases when there are 2 or more vehicles on the ground
PD Example - A raid scene where you need to get in and out fast
EMS Example - A rescue mission in the hills where the average vehicle is not able to access
No units should use helicopters just to get to a normal scene faster. The ground vehicles go faster than average so that you are able to get on scene. They can also be adjusted if needed.
Training flights are only authorized when the person being trained has their full license for the aircraft they are training in and there are 2 additional units on duty to answer calls.
GETTING YOUR PILOTS LICENSE
To get your pilots license, you must pass a written test and then a practical exam. The going price is $85,000 for a helicopter license which includes both tests and aircraft rental. The flight school is located at Los Santos International Airport.
FLYING AN AIRCRAFT
It goes without saying that the elevation in GTA V is not coincident with real world altitudes. 500 feet above the ground in GTA V is equal to roughly 1,000 feet above the ground in the real world. The ratio between GTA V and realism increases with altitude. 1,000 feet in GTA V is equal to roughly 3,000 feet in the real world, and so on. For the sake of simplicity, I'll be using GTA V altitudes in my examples.
HELICOPTERS
You should operate your helicopter at no less than 500 feet above the ground, unless you are taking off or landing. 500 feet obviously does not clear the multiple skyscrapers downtown, nor does it provide adequate clearance from the mountainous terrain around the map. So, try to stay 500 feet above whatever you're flying over. Example: Mirror Park is roughly 200 feet in elevation, so you should overfly Mirror Park at no less than 700 feet. This gives you adequate clearance from trees and other obstacles, also clearing you of a "flying too low" violation. You'll be safe at this altitude!
Helicopters are very versatile aircraft. You can take them pretty much anywhere, which is a beautiful thing. You've paid enough for your new toy, so you should be able to do with it what you please. I agree with this, but, there are some realistic restrictions you must keep in mind. Landing in a backyard in Mirror Park is NOT acceptable, nor is it realistic by any means. You can, however, land on a secluded beach on the Eastern seaboard of the map. Considering a beach like that isn't a populated area, and you have adequate space to safely land your helicopter, you should be in the clear! Always keep in mind the following:
1. Can I land here safely?
2. Will doing so disturb anybody or anything?
3. Will landing or taking off here cause harm to anyone, including myself and my passengers?
4. Could I articulate and justify this landing to a staff member, should they inquire?
If you've answered "yes" to all of these questions, you can probably proceed to land. Use sound judgment, and don't jeopardize your asset or good standing with the community.
FIXED WING AIRCRAFT
You should operate your fixed wing aircraft at no less than 1000 feet above the ground, unless you are taking off or landing. 1,000 feet obviously does not clear the multiple skyscrapers downtown, nor does it provide adequate clearance from the mountainous terrain around the map. So, try to stay 1,000 feet above whatever you're flying over. Example: the Vinewood sign is roughly 400 feet in elevation, so you should overfly the Vinewood sign at no less than 1,400 feet. Considering fixed wing aircraft cannot "stop" in the sky like a helicopter can, you should ensure your flight path keeps you clear of obstacles such as buildings, mountains, and populated areas. Always have a way to "get out" of undesired flight paths, such as flying too low near downtown. Your ability to escape these situations increases with altitude, so fly high!
Fixed wing aircraft aren't as versatile as helicopters. You are restricted to only a handful of airports and landing strips. You should be thoughtful in how you approach these airports. Consider some of the following:
1. Do I have reasonable clearance from all obstacles on my approach?
2. Can I make it to the airport if my engine fails?
3. Will I come too close to any buildings or mountains?
4. Will I be flying too low over a populated area to make a landing?
You must always consider all variables in a takeoff or landing. For example, taking off directly over the Vespucci neighborhood might not be the best idea. Consider taking off over the water, gaining altitude, and then fly over the Vespucci neighborhood at a reasonable altitude. That way, if something happens to your aircraft, you have enough time to make a turn back towards the airfield and land safely.
Speaking of safe landings, let's talk about those for a moment. You are allowed to descend below minimum safe altitudes to make an approach and landing. One of the more complicated approaches to a landing is to runway 21 at Los Santos International. If you're flying a faster aircraft, like a Buckingham Nimbus, your turning radius is restricted and you need more room to fly a safe approach. I've attached a video on how to properly approach and land on runway 21 in a high speed aircraft. As we've discussed, you can descend below a safe cruising altitude to land at an airport or airfield. We do that in this video. In a smaller, slower aircraft such as a JoBuilt Velum, you could easily turn over the beach and land on runway 21 that way. However, that isn't the case for an aircraft such as the Nimbus. In the video, we keep adequate distance from buildings and mountainous terrain. As we descend lower, we are near the Downtown area. However, if we needed to abandon the approach, we could easily turn to the right and fly out over the water. This allows us the opportunity to avoid the buildings downtown should we encounter an emergency.
COMMUNICATIONS WHEN FLYING
We have set radio channel 999 as the FAA channel to communicate with other aircraft. While flying, you must always be on that channel so that you are able to communicate with other pilots and they can communicate with you. When you're moving your aircraft in any way, you should broadcast what you're doing over this channel. For example, if I intend on taking off from Los Santos International from runway 33R, I would say something similar to this: "LSI traffic, Mammatus 123 departing runway 33R, turning to the Northeast". You should include in your broadcasts the following:
1. who you are,
2. where you are,
3. what you're doing.
There's no need to speak a novel over the radio. Keep it simple and concise. All you're doing is alerting other aircraft of your position, and in turn, avoiding a collision with other aircraft. You should communicate takeoffs, landings, and prolonged activity over a particular area. Additionally, you should pay attention to what others are saying so you can avoid their location. If you are ever intercepted or interrogated by a law enforcement aircraft, acknowledge them over the radio and follow their direction. They could be instructing you to avoid a particular area, or to land for violating aviation regulations. Simply put, do what they say and you won't have any problems.
PURCHASING AN AIRCRAFT
You can purchase a helicopter at any of the aircraft dealerships. Fixed wing aircraft will be available at a later time. The prices for an aircraft are on the higher side with the lowest being around $500,000
AIRCRAFT GARAGES
There will be a garage at every airport that you can park your aircraft at (excluding Ft Zancudo). When you are done with your aircraft, please make sure that you are parking it in one of these so that it does not get stolen.
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