GTA aircraft

Updated 2 November 2026 · Fan site. Not affiliated with Rockstar Games or Take-Two Interactive.

Flying arrived in Grand Theft Auto with GTA III (2001), whose Dodo plane had clipped wings and could barely stay airborne. Vice City added controllable helicopters, San Andreas brought a full air force of planes and jets, and GTA V and GTA Online carry the widest range, from crop dusters to fighter jets.

Can you fly in GTA?

In most of the 3D and HD games, yes. The first Grand Theft Auto had a helicopter in its files, but the GTA Wiki says it was cut and only behaves like a car if spawned with mods. Aircraft became part of the series in the 3D era and grew with each game. Flying is mostly a way to get around and a source of set-piece missions; in most games the pilot cannot fire a gun, so attacks from the air rely on aircraft with built-in weapons.

How did flying start in GTA III?

GTA III has one plane the player can take off in: the Dodo, a small Cessna-style plane whose wings have been cut short. The GTA Wiki explains that this makes it very hard to fly, so only short hops are normal. The game also has helicopters, but neither the police helicopter nor the one in the final mission can be flown. A radio-controlled plane, the RC Baron, rounds out the air list.

Which aircraft are in each game?

The table lists the main flyable aircraft from the GTA Wiki's vehicle lists for each game. Remote-control toys and most mission-only variants are left out.

What are the most famous GTA aircraft?

The Hydra is the series' signature jet. The GTA Wiki calls it the first military jet in the series, a vertical take-off fighter mostly based on the Harrier, introduced in San Andreas and brought back for GTA Online. The Hunter is the classic attack helicopter, an Apache look-alike that the GTA Wiki counts in five games.

The Maverick is the series' longest-running helicopter family. The GTA Wiki also observes that almost every main cover since GTA III shows a helicopter in its top-left corner. In the HD era the Buzzard, a small gunship with miniguns and missiles, became the go-to attack chopper after its debut in The Ballad of Gay Tony.

How did San Andreas and GTA V change flying?

San Andreas was the big leap. Wikipedia counts more than 180 vehicles in the game, including aircraft, and it added airliners, cargo planes, a seaplane and the Hydra. Its Dodo finally has full wings.

GTA IV stepped back to helicopters only, though the GTA Wiki says they could take far more damage than before. GTA V brought planes back with sharper handling, and its Cargobob can lift vehicles with a hook. GTA Online has added many more aircraft through updates; see GTA Online.