Parachuting

Silk and Nylon Canopies

A couple of points that need making -- Parachuting while it is technically a sport activity in the game, is organized like a job in the sense that it has a number of rank-based scenarios that are set out for the player, each having a slightly different goal (though all of them have the same basic goal, which is to jump from a specific point, use your chute, pass through markers, and land at a designated target).

One of the more elusive points for a lot of players is how you win these. As odd as this may sound, it is not the first person to reach the ground on target who wins -- these are NOT races per se -- but rather it is the person who manages to stay as close to the center of each of the marker points as possible and then lands as close to the center of the target area as possible who wins!

Missing markers will cost you points -- hitting markers on the edges will also cost you points. Trying to go too fast will naturally result in not hitting the center and thus, will cost you points.

That being the case, the best approach is to take your time and be as accurate as possible.

The other thing that should be pointed out is that the devices that are used here are NOT actually parachutes -- a parachute is a canopy-like sheet of silk or nylon whose sole function is to slow the fall so that the person using it will survive that experience.

The devices that are used in the game are actually airfoils -- or wings -- and their purpose is to not simply slow down the person so that they survive the fall but actually provide a controllable vehicle by which the person can select and fly a specific path, control their rate of descent, and pick the spot on the ground they actually want to land at rather than being forced to land wherever it is that they end up.

Special Forces use the airfoil for HALO drops - often gliding as many as 15 miles to silently deploy at target locations so that the sound of the plane that they jumped from is never heard!

That is good for you, because the airfoils or wings that are used in the game provide a lot more control -- which is necessary if you want to score well -- you just need to learn how to fly them to the best of your ability!

Now how cool is that?

Ranked Parachuting Distribution

The following are the Parachute Jobs in GTAO for Ranks 1 thru 50.

Adrift

Created by: Rockstar

Rank: 20

Players: 1-8

Type: Parachuting

Area: Del Perro Beach

Get spiritual, face your fears, soil yourself... this one has it all. A jump from 7870ft that combines a rapid descent with some challenging turns.

Hints and Tips: This is a helicopter-jump from a very high-altitude, with the landing target to the right of the pier, in the sand. Care should be taken to ****** the descent after the last air-marker to ensure that you have enough height to clear the obstructions on the pier in order to reach the landing target in the sand.

Air Current

Created by: Rockstar

Rank: 25

Players: 1-8

Type: Parachuting

Area: San Andreas

The question isn't why you would want to freefall into Los Santos from 4000ft, it's why not? A descent with fast, sweeping turns to ensure that you arrive in style.

Hints and Tips: This is a very high-altitude helicopter jump that eaves it s way through, over, and between the tall buildings of downtown. Considerable care must be taken not to allow your descent to put you below the obstructions on the rooftops of the buildings still under construction.

The landing target is on the roof of a building under construction.

Air Power

Created by: Rockstar

Rank: 15

Players: 1-8

Type: Parachuting

Area: Palmer-Taylor Power Station.

Make your own decision about the impact of global warming with this steep, winding jump over the Palmer-Taylor power station from 4120ft.

Hints and Tips: This is a high-altitude copter jump with a fairly steep and brisk marker path. The landing target is in the parking lot of the Power Station.

Beach

Created by: Rockstar

Rank: 15

Players: 1-8

Type: Parachuting

Area: Vinewood Hills

There are so many posers in Del Perro, you need to up your game to stand out. This descent onto the beach from 4970ft with wide sweeping turns should get you noticed.

Hints and Tips: This high-altitude copter jump features an aggressive marker path down to the beach where the landing target is found in the parking lot just across the highway but before the beach.

City Glide

Created by: Rockstar

Rank: 10

Players: 1-4

Type: Parachuting

Area: San Andreas

Cash in on your bailout with this jump over the financial center of Los Santos. A leisurely descent from 1385ft, with shallow turns.

Hints and Tips: This moderate-height copter jump offers a brisk set of markers that are relatively close together, and a landing site on a wide building plaza.

Cliffs

Created by: Rockstar

Rank: 20

Players: 1-8

Type: Parachuting

Area: Procopio Beach

Take a steep dive from 4155ft down the craggy North side of Mount Chilliad, glide in over a homeless camp to remind you why you live each minute like it's your last, then land on a spectacular beach to remind you why you live on the West Coast.

Hints and Tips: This is a high-altitude copter jump with a fast and steep set of markers. The landing zone is located on a small beach at a cove on the coast.

Construction Bail

Created by: Rockstar

Rank: 15

Players: 1-4

Type: Parachuting

Area: San Andreas

When you are standing on top of a skyscraper in mid-construction with no elevator, there's really only one way down. A technical descent from 880ft with several tight turns.

Hints and Tips: The BASE jump features some very tight and fast turns as you maneuver between buildings and fight the updraft to hit the center of the landing zone between two tall skyscrapers!

Cranes

Created by: Rockstar

Rank: 15

Players: 1-4

Type: Parachuting

Area: San Andreas

Drop in over Pillbox Hill from 1650ft and navigate sharp turns through all the unfinished construction projects from the good old days before the economy tanked.

Hints and Tips: A copter jump into a very tight cone of checkpoints that wend their way between the projects, requiring you to plan your turns ahead -- to reach the landing target on the parking lot across the street.

Delta

Created by: Rockstar

Rank: 15

Players: 1-8

Type: Parachuting

Area: The lights on the runway in the distance at Fort Zancudo will serve as a grim reminder of the importance of landing during this jump from 2570ft. A steady descent with mostly shallow turns and a couple of dives.

Hints and Tips: This copter jump features a tight and fast set of markers that bring you to a landing on the beach across the highway. Due to the speed you don't get to do a tourist view of the Fort but it is still pretty impressive!

Desert

Created by: Rockstar

Rank: 20

Players: 1-8

Type: Parachuting

Area: Grand Senroa Desert

Lonely at the top, lonely at the bottom... this jump starts above the clouds and ends in the desert, so lots of time for existential questions as you freefall from 7870ft, then navigate a series of tight, twisting turns.

Hints and Tips: This very-high altitude copter jump begins with a rather long freefall, and then a lazy set of target markers that curl around into a very tight set of markers until you end up at the landing zone on the desert airstrip.

Figure of Eight

Created by: Rockstar

Rank: 15

Players: 1-4

Type: Parachuting

Area: San Andreas

Base-jump off the top of the 1050ft-high Maze Bank building and avoid face-planting into some VP of Sales' corner office window as you navigate sharp turns through the skyscrapers of Los Santos' business district.

Hints and Tips: This BASE jump has you threading the needle all the way down as the checkpoints are very close together and require tight concentration to bring you to a solid landing on the front court of the building.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Created by: Rockstar

Rank: 20

Players: 1-8

Type: Parachuting

Area: Chilliad Mountain State Wilderness

After jumping from 4050ft, hurtle along the foothills of Chilliad Mountain State Wilderness, and try to avoid becoming part of the ocean detritus, as you land in Paleto Cove. It is possible to free fall through the first few checkpoints of this jump before opening your parachute.

Hints and Tips: The first few checkpoints of this copter jump are lazy and shallow, but the closer you get to the top of the mountain the tighter the checkpoints become, all the way to the landing zone on the beach.

From Sky to Sand

Created by: Rockstar

Rank: 20

Players: 1-8

Type: Parachuting

Area: Los Santos International Airport

Nothing helps sooth the body and calm the nerves after air travel like a dip in the ocean, unless you hit it at 124MPH. Descent from a helicopter at 4410ft above LS International featuring tight turns and a landing on Vespucci Beach.

Hints and Tips: This copter jump starts out a bit lazy as the first checkpoint is just a little below you and ahead, making for an easy entry even if a little late. The following checkpoints come reasonably quickly bit require some maneuvering to hit cleanly in the centers for maximum points. As you cross the canal the last two checkpoints are close together leading to a lazy left-bank to the landing spot on the beach.

From the Top

Created by: Rockstar

Rank: 10

Players: 1-4

Type: Parachuting

Area: Pacific Ocean

Don't worry about missing anything from the famous Mount Chilliad on this jump - you'll be hurtling close enough to touch it for most of the descent. Jump from 2850ft into a steep dive before leveling out over Paleto Bay.

Hints and Tips: This copter jump sets you up on a close parallel to the ground, with the hill right there as you exit the copter so you will want to be attentive to opening your chute. The checkpoints basically follow the nap of the hills until they take you to the last checkpoint, and a fairly long glide past it to the landing zone which is at the end of a short pier in the ocean!

Gauntlet

Created by: Rockstar

Rank: 25

Players: 1-8

Type: Parachuting

Area: Mount Chilliad

Sometimes you have to dig a little deeper for those sweet dopamine, and this jump delivers. A rapid descent from 5970ft, leading through tight turns and treetops.

Hints and Tips: Another copter jump, your first checkpoint is a brisk dive and opening ahead of you, after which the checkpoints are regularly spaced on a shallow glide path that meanders to your right, before turning into a fast descent to the left along the ridge of the mountain and into a valley.

The route follows a mostly dry stream bed that is edged by trees -- and towards the bottom of the run you have to be very aware of the trees and how close you are because just brushing against one will end your glide, causing your chute to disappear and you to slam into the ground!

The landing zone is situated just past a campsite after the stream ends.

Gorge

Created by: Rockstar

Rank: 10

Players: 1-4

Type: Parachuting

Area: Mount Chilliad

Become one with nature as you plummet through Mount Chilliad Gorge from 3100ft, and pray that a gust of wind doesn't make you become one with the rock face.

Hints and Tips: This copter jump sets you at a point that is close to the mountain, so you want to remember NOT to freefall too long or it will make finding the best glide much more difficult than it needs to be for the first half-dozen checkpoints.

This is a fast jump, and you will reach the landing zone in the road much quicker than you might think BUT -- and this is a really important BUT -- if there is traffic on the road below you, you will need to engage the fine-aiming system (which has the effect of slowing down your descent while zooming in the point-of-view) so that you can time it so you land in the center of the landing zone AFTER the car or truck has passed.

Landing on top of a vehicle or being hit by it can end the jump as a failure.

HALO

Created by: Rockstar

Rank: 25

Players: 1-4

Type: Parachuting

Area: Los Santos International Airport

Give air traffic control a wake-up call with this rapid descent into Los Santos International Airport. Freefall from 3950ft and try to avoid a crash landing.

Hints and Tips: Part of the objective for this copter jump is to try to get as many of the checkpoints as you can BEFORE you open your chute. We were able to very comfortably get three checkpoints in a rapid descent before we opened the chute, but the fourth looked like it might have been possible.

The landing zone is on the tarmac at the airport - traffic should not be an issue.

Harbor

Created by: Rockstar

Rank: 10

Players: 1-8

Type: Parachuting

Area: San Andreas

What better way to take in the sights of Los Santos than by hurling yourself out of a helicopter? A 2355ft jump with wide, shallow turns, landing at La Puerta Harbor.

Hints and Tips: This copter jump is a brisk and fast set of checkpoints that takes you to the landing zone which is on one of the helicopter pads at the airport.

Note that if you have been following the guide and doing these jumps, not necessarily this jump mind you, you will unlock the Platinum Award called "Stayed On Target" which is awarded for using the "brakes" for an accurate and safe landing the required number of times. For a parachute landing to count for this you needed to have used the "brakes" (the fine-aiming mode activated by holding the right-and-left bumpers) while actually landing inside the landing zone target.

In addition to the Stayed On Target Award, there are additional Parachuting Awards -- Nick of Time, and Point Break. Nick of Time is awarded for deploying your parachute BELOW 130ft and landing safely, and Point Break is awarded for staying in the air for more than 3 minutes with the chute deployed. These two awards are probably not going to come naturally to you - you will need to actively work on them due to their odd requirements.

Hydro

Created by: Rockstar

Rank: 10

Players: 1-4

Type: Parachuting

Area: Vinewood Hills

Enjoy panoramic views that start off stunning and steadily deteriorate until you land at a power plant on the side of a freeway. A 2740ft jump that dives steeply over the hydro-electric power station.

Hints and Tips: This is a very quick and short jump above the dam, whose route follows the ejection pipes down the slope. The landing zone is across the highway from where the ejection pipes terminate, in a grassy clearing.

Industrial

Created by: Rockstar

Rank: 10

Players: 1-8

Type: Parachuting

Area: Terminal

From marveling at nature to wallowing in heavy industry, this jump is a metaphor for a lot of things that you won't care about when the ground is hurtling towards you. A steep descent from 2410ft with one sizable turn.

Hints and Tips: This copter jump begins over the container area of the port, and follows the container stacks through the port to the landing zone on the wharf area near the Container Ship Ocean Motion (seriously).

Jump Wings

Created by: Rockstar

Rank: 40

Players: 1-8

Type: Parachuting

Area: Grand Senora Desert

It takes a certain level of self-belief to jump out of a helicopter from 7870ft. This extremely challenging descent, with a series of tight dives, is guaranteed to satisfy your desperate need for exhibitionism.

Hints and Tips: This copter jump begins with a very long freefall (it seems to begin at the very top of the world in terms of accessible altitude) though once you reach the first checkpoint, the series that follow are very fast and close together.

The landing zone for this jump is in the parking lot of the Vinewood Bowl.

Lake

Created by: Rockstar

Rank: 20

Players: 1-8

Type: Parachuting

Area: Sandy Shores

At first you'll think it's the altitude making your eyes and nose water, but you'll soon realize that it is whatever you're breathing in from the Alamo Sea below. A literally mind-blowing descent from 3950ft with banking turns.

Hints and Tips: This copter jump has a brief freefall, then sets you on a fairly aggressive set of checkpoints that seem to require more than the usual attention in order to manage glide paths that set you up for center passes that will get you the most points per checkpoint.

As you approach the ground the landing zone is on the other side of the road from the hill, with a power line in front - you will need to avoid the poles for this.

Leap of Faith

Created by: Rockstar

Rank: 40

Players: 1-2

Type: Parachuting

Area: Paleto Forest

When you're standing on the peak of Mount Chilliad, there are two ways down -- a leisurely descent in a cable car or a freefall through the initial section of this 2600ft jump at breakneck speed. Time to decide which side of the midlife crisis you are on.

Hints and Tips: This BASE jump begins on top of the machine shed and requires you to almost instantly deploy your chute or end up face-planting into the rock face. Just saying.

The first few checkpoints are iffy because you are so close to the ground, but once you clear them, assuming that you got the chute open in time, the remaining checkpoints are easy and gentle, taking you to the landing zone in the woods below.

Ocean Flyby

Created by: Rockstar

Rank: 10

Players: 1-4

Type: Parachuting

Area: Mount Gordo

Enjoy breathtaking views as you glide in over the El Gordo Lighthouse and land on an island off the coast of the San Chianski Mountain Range... then wish you'd come up with a better plan for getting home. A 3595ft jump with shallow to medium turns.

Hints and Tips: This copter jump is a gentle and meandering route along the checkpoints that is remarkable for the lack of sharp turns, which would seem to make it suitable for beginners. The landing zone is situated on one of the small islands off of the cost -- very nearby a small building on the island that turns out to be a half-built abandoned shack!

Over the Globe

Created by: Rockstar

Rank: 30

Players: 1-8

Type: Parachuting

Area: Vinewood Hills

Either jump at night, or bring your factor 500 tanning lotion, because the sun shines a lot brighter at 7870ft. A technical jump with numerous tight turns and fast dives.

Hints and Tips: This copter jump begins pretty high up and at night, which offers an exceptional view of the world of Los Santos below, which is at first a painted abstract of street lights that slowly resolves itself into a crowded downtown of tall buildings and traffic filled streets.

The landing zone is reached via a checkpoint route that begins with a gentle and sloping glide before resolving in brisk turns that take you to the roof of the Daily Globe International Newspaper!

Reservoir

Created by: Rockstar

Rank: 10

Players: 1-8

Type: Parachuting

Area: Land Act Dam

Get a whiff of what your drinking water smells like before it hits the treatment plant as you glide in over the Land Act Reservoir. A leisurely jump from 1655ft with very shallow turns.

Hints and Tips: As the name impies this copter jump starts you out over the water of the Reservoir, for a short but fast route over the water and then the dam (raise your feet man!) to the landing zone just past the spillways.

Ripcord

Created by: Rockstar

Rank: 20

Players: 1-8

Type: Parachuting

Area: Chumash

Life's about chasing ever more illusive highs until you get old and realize it was all meaningless anyway, so no point fighting it. This is an exhilarating descent from 7870ft with several sharp dives and some tight, technical turns.

Hints and Tips: This copter jump starts very high, offering you a long view that at first is made up of dirty cotton-puffs of clouds with green peaking through. The first checkpoint is a short freefall away, after which the following checkpoints are a fair distance between them for a slow descent, so that when you finally break through the cloud cover revealing the countryside that leads to suburban Los Santos!

Towards the end the turns between the checkpoints get a lot sharper, before taking you gently into the landing zone on the sports field below!

River Valley

Created by: Rockstar

Rank: 30

Players: 1-8

Type: Parachuting

Area: Cassidy Creek

This 4420ft jump into Raton Canyon is full of dives, sharp turns, and moments of questioning what it really is that you are over-compensating for with this extreme sports obsession.

Hints and Tips: The copter jump starts with a brisk and rainy wind in your face, for a short freefall before you need to open your chute and begin center-punching the checkpoints which come fast and close together!

The checkpoint route takes you down into the river valley over the middle-bridge beyond which is the landing zone on a bald nearby!

Rocky Road

Created by: Rockstar

Rank: 15

Players: 1-4

Type: Parachuting

Area: Chilliad Mountain State Wilderness

Marvel at the untouched beauty of the trees and rock faces of the Chilliad Mountain State Wilderness at worryingly close range. A technical jump from 1630ft, with a slow descent and tight turns.

Hints and Tips: A copter jump with a fast opening and checkpoints that take you over the cult encampment, for some sharp turns and then a gentle glide down into the river valley, to the landing zone that is situated on the access road on the right-hand-side of the rover before you reach the highway overpass.

Skyscraper

Created by: Rockstar

Rank: 20

Players: 1-8

Type: Parachuting

Area: West Vinewood

At 7870ft, far above the clouds, this jump will tap right into your God complex. A descent with wide sweeping turns and multiple dives, landing on top of the Maze Bank Building.

Hints and Tips: Another copter jump from way high up near the top of the game world, offering a relatively short freefall before the fast and tight checkpoints begin.

You should be prepared to make instant decisions as to turns and diving in order to maximize the chances for making center-punch on each checkpoint for the highest points. Allowing your attention to wander here will cost you points due to the very tight distances and hard turns for the checkpoints in the middle-section of the jump.

The landing zone for this jump is a nice challenge in that it is the helicopter pad on the top of the Maze Bank Building, 132 floors up!

Spiral

Created by: Rockstar

Rank: 20

Players: 1-8

Type: Parachuting

Area: San Andreas

A jump that begins with stunning views of the city and ends with yelling abuse at bankers... does it get any better? A descent from 3900ft with tight spiraling turns around the Maze Bank Building.

Hints and Tips: This copter jump ejects you well above the cloud level, and once you break through you obtain a very nice view that thanks to the meandering path of the checkpoints gives a leisurely view of the downtown, Vinewood, and the hills that tourists would pay good money to see!

While the jump begins peaceful and relaxing once you reach the downtown area you are thrust among the skyscrapers and construction cranes, for some tense and technical navigation before finally circling the buildings to arrive at the landing zone that is partially obscured by a bushy tree.

Terminal Velocity

Created by: Rockstar

Rank: 15

Players: 1-8

Type: Parachuting

Area: San Andreas

Speed junkies, this is for you. No turns, no checkpoints. Straight dive from 3950 to the top of the Arcadius Business Tower. First to land in one piece wins. First to land not in one piece, the others call the ambulance.

Hints and Tips: This copter exit is interesting because hey, there IS no checkpoint anywhere in sight!

Freefall for as long -- and as fast -- as you can and, as soon as the landing zone comes into view on the white copter pad on top of one of the Arcadius Business Center - at which point you had better pull the ripcord because from the time you see the landing zone to the time you pass below it is pretty quick.

The Bridge

Created by: Rockstar

Rank: 20

Players: 1-4

Type: Parachuting

Area: Raton Canyon

This jump from 2680ft over Raton Canyon has it all. Peace, tranquility, idyllic views, bridge barreling towards you at 100MPH that you have to duck under to avoid decapitating yourself. What are you waiting for?

Hints and Tips: After you eject from the copter you have a brief period of rapid freefall before you need to open your chute to begin what turns out to be a short but steep glide path of checkpoints that take you under the bridge for a quick landing in the landing zone on the beach to the left after you go under the bridge.

The Cove

Created by: Rockstar

Rank: 25

Players: 1-8

Type: Parachuting

Area: Pacific Ocean

Enjoy the stunning vistas as you rapidly descend towards Paleto Cove by Mount Chilliad... but not so much that you forget to open your chute. A long free fall from 7500ft followed by weaving and diving between checkpoints and the drop zone.

Hints and Tips: Dropping out of the copter you have a very long freefall before the first checkpoint - hitting Terminal Velocity very fast so you will want to spread your arms and legs to slow down a bit before you open the chute, right?

The checkpoints unfold as a series of smaller and smaller gaps, requiring you to dive hard after each in order to perfectly line yourself up to center-punch each for the max score.

The landing is atop the coastal hill but you will want to pay closer attention to it as it is pretty easy to clear the last checkpoint with your direction off a bit with the LZ approaching faster than you expect... Remember you want to hit this dead center for the most points! :)

The Shed

Created by: Rockstar

Rank: 25

Players: 1-8

Type: Parachuting

Area: Mount Chilliad

It's you and a flimsy piece of material against Nature as you weave down the side of Mount Chilliad from 3425ft.

Hints and Tips: This copter jump is spattered with a meandering course for the checkpoints that features a lot of sharp dives, making for moderate challenges. The LZ is on the beach.

Timber

Created by: Rockstar

Rank: 35

Players: 1-8

Type: Parachuting

Area: Paleto Forest

A jump like this is a true test of focus and mental strength. Don't allow any ideas to creep in about the slapdash packing of your chute or the odds on a faulty ripcord. No, don't, really. This 7870ft descent dives sharply, then twists through the Paleto Forest.

Hints and Tips: This copter jump has a very sharp descent before deploying your chute, after which the checkpoints are fairly close with a few sharp turns before taking you to the LZ in the Police Station parking lot!

Up in the Clouds

Created by: Rockstar

Rank: 10

Players: 1-8

Type: Parachuting

Area: Vinewood Hills

A mid-paced jump from 4100ft into central Los Santos with sweeping, shallow turns so, even if you're screaming like a baby in the air, you'll still look cool and graceful from the ground.

Hints and Tips: This copter jump has a short drop before you open your chute followed by a relatively long and meandering path along the checkpoints for a lazy arrival at the LZ in the park near the mall.

Vertigo

Created by: Rockstar

Rank: 20

Players: 1-8

Type: Parachuting

Area: Murrieta Heights

With a challenging, almost verticle, descent from 5590ft and many sharp twists and tuns, this is a jump to separate the men from the boys, the women from the girls, and your lunch from your stomach.

Hints and Tips: This fairly high copter jump offers a predictable glide path with a few sharp descents in order to line up a center-punch for a handful of the checkpoints, before taking you to the Los Angeles River for your LZ!

View from Above

Created by: Rockstar

Rank: 25

Players: 1-8

Type: Parachuting

Area: Pacific Bluffs

Arrive in Los Santos in style with a sweeping descent into the city center from 5419ft, and wave at all the drones in their office cubicles on the way down.

Hints and Tips: This copter jump was fairly high with a very sharp dive until near the end, when the path becomes an easy glide to the Park LZ.

View of Vespucci

Created by: Rockstar

Rank: 15

Players: 1-8

Type: Parachuting

Area: Del Perro Beach

Show some Vespucci beach bums the true meaning of 'spaced out' with this steep parachute descent from 2980ft. See how many checkpoints you can hit before opening your chute.

Hints and Tips: This copter jump is over before you know it despite its relatively high exit. The checkpoints are close together which requires some finesse in order to center-punch each for the best score. The LZ is near the beach.

Wind Turbine

Created by: Rockstar

Rank: 10

Players: 1-8

Type: Parachuting

Area: Grand Senora Desert

You don't need reminding of the importance of harnessing the power of the wind when you're crouched by the door of a helicopter at 3280ft, but this jump hammers the point home.

Hints and Tips: A medium-high copter jump leads to a very relaxing route from checkpoint to checkpoint, with the LZ at the wind farm winding up the jump.

That concludes the Parachute Jobs for Ranks 1 thru 50 -- we hope that you have enjoyed our more-or-less guided tour of these jobs, and we hope that you found our guidance to be helpful to you!

Everything below here is present for our convenience for cutting and pasting guides for new entries - you can safely ignore it :

Created by: Rockstar

Rank:

Players:

Type: Parachuting

Area:

Hints and Tips: