Transport Helicopter Guide

[Sabre_tooth_tigger]

On kashan dont forget to use cover, mountain ranges and theirs cloud cover at 800 alt for long trips.

Alot of the helis will take a sliding stop to landings now. try the PLA heli on qwai, it takes bumps very well now just so long as its flat ground and you make a very definate vertical move

[benjaminosauras]

That's why you fly low and hug the terrain. On Kashan it's harder, which is why you try to pick areas sparse in infantry/tanks.

Or if your eddie, you fly into buildings and hills cos you are trying to look at some emo chick go past your window.

[eddie]

Ben you gotta talk to me on MSN or Xfire.... I have a story you'll love

[benjaminosauras]

oh god......

[Masaq]

Some additional:

- It is possible to land a squad onto a steep slope that you are unable to land on, if you hover carefully at low altitude above the slope. Know your chopper's exit points if you're doing this - if you're in the PLA chopper or the Merlin for example, people may/will be exiting through the rear door. If you turn your rear to the mountainside, there is less of a drop than if you're nose-on.

- If you're dropping rather than landing, inform your passengers prior to take-off and suggest that ONE passenger jumps first and reports the surviveability of the jump to the rest of the squad before they all go.

- If squads want a pick from an impossible location - either you know it to be hot, they've just spotted a tank/APC, or they're on the top of a ridicuously steep hill - just refuse, explaining why and suggesting an alternative EZ.

- On maps with water, you can make a speedy insertion by hovering low over the water at the edge of the 'deep shelf' (the point at which a player will swim rather than wade), and getting them to bail out from ~ 5m. This is better than over land as the drop won't hurt them, however they will be expose and unable to return fire once in the water. However, you shouldn't be dropping them near to enemy fire in the first place, right?

-If you see a vodnik, hummvee, tank, APC or anything else that can hurt you - for the love of god *move* out of the area in *any* direction. Worry about the best route back to base / a different LZ once you're out of range!

[LeadMagnet]

With the Littlebirds come in fast and stick the skids at the last moment. They'll take alot of punishment and allow you to get those guys on the ground faster and you out there soonest.

[Chaosdragon001]

Some additional:

- It is possible to land a squad onto a steep slope that you are unable to land on, if you hover carefully at low altitude above the slope. Know your chopper's exit points if you're doing this - if you're in the PLA chopper or the Merlin for example, people may/will be exiting through the rear door. If you turn your rear to the mountainside, there is less of a drop than if you're nose-on.

This to me is especially important in Operation Ghost Train, as the hills are the only real places you can land. I tend to let one gear touch, and keep the thing steady while my team disembarks.

[Pomposh]

Thanks, a helping guide. I`m trying hard handle the Blach Hawk constantly save, but i got a problem thats confusing me. When touching ground (really slow and save) the heli often slopes slow but constantly to one side. Result is a crash. Even if the LZ is flat and in landing is on point. I feel like it got something to do with using "S" for slowing down.
Had anyone the same problem and got rid of it? Let me know..

I tried and tried and tried...

[Bonsai]

This is what i made for the chinese team (PELA) during the campaign, so its based on the chinese choppers and the team setup (all in one TS):

Pick up:

Requirements:

The CO has ordered a transport by air and a landing zone (LZ) has
been specified.
The ground units have confirmed the transport and are close-by the LZ.
The pilot has confirmed the transport.
The squad leader of the squad with the passengers has a shortcut in
Teamspeak to communicate with the squad leader of the airwing.

Waiting for the chopper:
Even when the LZ is declared as safe we expect every passenger in the
LZ to look out for possible threats and to report any movement
immediately to the CO and the Squad leaders (SL) of his own and
the airwing Squad.
We recommend a circle or a square as the best formation whilst waiting
for the pick-up since it permits cover in every direction.
If the LZ provides cover (line of trees, bushes, houses, etc.) we
recommend to use the cover instead of the circle/square formation, but
do not move further than 30 feet of the marker.
To provide a quick pickup it is vital that there is a specified order for
the passengers to enter the chopper. We recommend the SL to use the
waiting time to specify the order.
The SL himself (if he is one of the passengers) will be the last soldier to
enter the transport. This gives him the possibility to observe the pickup
and as he is the one to report the squad as fully mounted which he can
do simultaneous with entering. And if the chopper gets shot down
during the pickup he is still alive and thereby still a spawnpoint.

Pickup procedure:
When the chopper is at an altitude of approximately 20 feet the SL
should begin to reduce the covering and start to send passengers to
run for the helicopter. We recommend every soldier to run for the
helicopter as the pickup procedure should not last longer than 5
seconds.
Do not wait for the chopper to touch the ground as we`re trying to
avoid contact and try to hover 1 or 2 feet over ground.
Remember that since 0.6 it`s only possible to get into the transport
chopper from the back and the Little bird from the side!
As soon as you entered the chopper report this to your SL (1 is in or
“Name” is in) and begin to scan the area again for possible threats.
(WZ-8: Passenger #1 and #2 board the PKM`s (F2 and F3), #3 the
rear position (F6) then the remaining positions.)
The last person that enters has to report the cargo as fully mounted.
This has to be reported immediately to the pilot.
The complete pickup procedure shouldn’t take longer than 10 seconds
from the moment the 1st passengers begins to run for the chopper
even if the LZ is declared safe.

If the chopper is taking fire it is the decision of the pilot to quit the
pickup. In this case the remaining passengers are advised to search for cover
and to wait for new orders from their SL.

Please do not complain about any pilot that breaks up the pickup as he
is the only person that can estimate the damage the chopper has
taken.

During the flight:
Scan the area for movements and report them to your SL.
Do not shoot your weapon (or the mounted guns) unless you have a
direct order. The choppers make a lot of noise so a lot of people will
recognize them, but we`re not planning to waste ammunition and give
them more hints on the position than that.
Do not jump out of the flying helicopter as the only class with a
parachute is the pilot.

The drop off:

Approach for drop off:
Depending on the LZ we`re going to spiral into the LZ and it will be
very hard to maintain orientation.
Only the last Couple of feets will be in a straight line.
Get your smokegrenade ready if your not a gunner.
Deploy one smoke grenade when the chopper is really close to the LZ
and switch to your main weapon immediately.
Whenever you notice an enemy spot and report it immediately, even if
it is 100 feet away.

Drop off procedure:
Equal to the pickup we`re not planning to touch the ground but to
hover 1 or 2 feet above ground.
The pilot will give orders when to jump out via Teamspeak to the SL of the cargo squad.
Concurrently he will use the commorose function to shout the order. If
the squad is not chattering they most likely will hear this and can react
much faster.
Once the order has been recognized the drop off shouldn`t last longer
than 3 seconds.
We recommend to use the inversive order from what has been used for
the pickup.
Report to your SL that you`re out at the moment you hit the button to
jump out. It doesn`t make any sense to wait until you hit the ground
or have found cover..do it at the same time as you hit the button to
leave the vehicle. Once all passengers are out the SL reports this to the pilot.
Our pilots will use their ingame hud and lift-off as soon as everybody is
out but we recommend to report it via Teamspeak so all involved SLs
have the information.
At the moment you hit the ground – go prone! Stay there until
the chopper has gone. 90% of all teamkills (during drops) happen
because the people are standing next to a chopper while he takes off.
There will be situations when the pilot will give the order at an altitude
of 5 or more feets. Every soldier that jumps out will be hurt. As every
squad contains a medic it will not kill you. So do not wait for the
chopper to reduce the altitude and jump out if ordered to. It has a
reason why the pilot isn`t going down further and the pilot is advised
to wait not any longer than 3 seconds after the 1st passenger has
jumped out.
We suggest every squad to formate as a circle once they are dropped
as it provides the most suitable view of field.
There is a possibility that you will get teamkilled for no reason when
you jump out the flying chopper from Position “7”. So the person on
this position has to change his position first. (Press F2 – F5).

If the chopper is taking fire it is the decision of the pilot to break up
and lift off.
Please do not complain about any pilot that cancels the drop as he is
the only person that can estimate the damage the chopper has taken.

[nidpants]

Your best defense against non-guided anti-air is your transverse speed, or the speed at which you are moving relative to the target. If you're heading straight toward an anti-air gun he's going to have a very easy time leading his shots, but move perpendicular to him, and he will have great difficulty in hitting you, even if you're traveling at a relatively low speed.

If your LZ is close to AA and you HAVE to confront it, circle around the AA as close to the ground as you can, and spiral inward toward your LZ. Land at a spot that puts an obstacle between yourself and the AA whether it's a house, a hill, even a smokescreen.

If there are interceptors flying overhead (a la Kashan), be sure to hug the base of slopes and stay as low as possible. If the slope's crest is between yourself and the fighter, the pilot will have to come in at a steeper angle - this makes evading him easier, and if YOU are between the slope's crest and the interceptor, he will have to pull up early to keep from smashing into the slope's face. Keep away from large flat expanses, as these make you a very easy target for AAM's.

If you get a lock ping and you don't know where the fighter is coming from, roll your helicopter onto its side and reverse direction 180 degrees by pulling up on the mouse/joystick. He was most likely to be on your 6, and you've probably severely shortened the amount of time he has to get a lock, and have made it much more difficult for him to track you.

Always head 45 degrees or less toward him (i.e. between going directly TOWARD him and going perpendicular to him), and reduce your elevation as much as possible.

When pursued in the open, zig zag unpredictably, and head for a slope to conceal yourself behind. If you're being pursued, that means getting back to base and under friendly AA cover is of the greatest importance, not dropping your load at the LZ.

For quick landing, approach an LZ by being as close to its elevation as possible - it's possible to fly helicopters with the wheels physically ON THE GROUND at 600km/h, so take advantage of this.

[Dunehunter]

For the record, you can make a waterdrop from a height of up to around 300 (which is usually in the grey zone), without starting to bleed. This can be a real game-winner, because you can really sneak a squad in behind enemy lines this way (especially for the US on Road to Kyong'yang Ni)

[Silvarius2000]

And I can safely say that its the most stable and forgiving Heli among the other heli's I flown (the blackhawk for being the most unpredictable and top heavy.).

Anyways. I've learnt a few lessons flying in AlBasrah and find myself using some old tricks from dropping people sneakily with a BH in Lost Village

1) Streets and buildings are your best friends. Streets for safe straight level landing zones. You can slide in and instantly get cover from buildings and walls. Easier to line up with.

2) Landing in the open is dangerous for you and your passengers. Make this the least priority in terms of picking an LZ.

3)When planning your route to the LZ dont plan to reach there in a straight line. Proceed in an S route (aka: bank left, right, left right) You'd be surprised how this saves your *** more than a few times. Upon arrival at the LZ you should approach it in a Perpendicular angle. Make sure the LZ is at least 45 degrees from your 12 o clock and when its directly at your 3 , rotate and proceed to descend. This gives you more situational awareness and bleeds your speed more steadily. Gives your door gunners more sweep too.

4) Always take requests from passengers regarding gunning from your side with a grain of salt. you WILL die hovering for your passengers to shoot things unless you're very confident he's gunning good.

5) Mounted weapons on the Heli Transports are for suppresion. Not for destruction

6) If you'd like to assist squads on the ground you could do flybys to draw fire. The tracers following you should be a good marker for troops on the ground. Most people cant resist shoooting at us transport helis.

7) Communications. Keep it short. You got not much time to reason things out. Yes/No. Hell No. Unless you're telling the squad leader he's a dumbass.

Comments are welcome