Helicopter/VTOL Ground Operations Script: Taxiing, Engine Management, and Propeller Thrust

This script mod adds several enhancements for helicopters and VTOL aircraft.

• Heli Taxi feature allows you to taxi wheeled helicopters and VTOL aircraft.
• Engine Management feature adds realistic helicopter/VTOL engine startup and shutdown, and keeps the engine running even when you exit the aircraft
• Prop Stop feature toggles pusher prop on aircraft.
• VTOL Control feature adds continuous VTOL angle selection

Default settings will work on any aircraft with the relevant features (e.g. VTOL, wheels for taxiing, etc.). Prop Stop requires model-specific configuration. All settings and each feature set can be enabled/disabled and configured in the INI files on a per-model basis.

The taxi feature opens up many opportunities, such as being able to move helicopters into and out of hangars, taxi to a runway or takeoff area, conduct running takeoffs, etc. It works automatically with any helicopter that has properly configured wheels, including all default wheeled helicopters in the game, and has been tested with multiple custom helicopters and has been tested with multiple custom helicopters . The taxi steering has been improved in version 2.0 to make the wheels actually rotate and turn.

Plugin requires RagePluginHook. Any recent version will work. All controls are bound to the default game controls for helicopter flying. A help prompt will appear in-game when you first enter an aircraft to remind you. Use the pitch forward/back keys to speed up/down, the yaw keys to turn, and the throttle down key to brake. To take off, just press the throttle up key like usual.

This plugin is free for personal, non-commercial use. Special thank you to all of the members who have generously donated to support my mods! Members get early access to my beta mods and updates. Anyone is welcome to use this Heli Taxi plugin in videos, but please make sure to link to this script in your video description.

Installation is simple, please follow the provided ReadMe file. If you have any problems, feel free to post in the comments here.

Please don't ask me to convert this to ScriptHook, or give it a low rating because it's RPH. RagePluginHook has certain API features which made the development of this particular plugin much easier than the other hooks, and I personally prefer developing in RPH. If you're an experienced developer and would like to make a port to SHV, you may PM me about it.