Burn and Lap - San Andreas Driving School Tips

This was the one I had the most trouble with - it took me hundreds of attempts and got me very mad before realising the trick to make it easy.

What you have to do is change the camera angle. If you go to the third view (looking out of the windscreen like a real car) you get a much better feeling for the turns and can control the car far more instinctively. Also you should make the turn when the last central cone goes off the screen.

Helicopter and Plane Challenges - Bet You Can't do this

Here is a fun post. I've came up with a few challenges for you to try and do with a helicopter.

With a Helicopter

1. Fly under a bridge 
2. Land in the restricted area 
3. Take off in one of the helicopters located in the police departments 
4. Kill pedestrians by using the rotor blades. 

With a Plane 

1. Fly under a bridge 
2. Fly upside down in the hydra metres from the sea and then get back up without crashing 
3. Do a barrel roll and loop the loop in an AT-400
4. Land a Shamal in Grove Street 

How to get the Pilots Licence before Learning to Fly

It is possible to get a flying licence at the very start of the game. Once you have a pilots licence the airport gates will open. The licence is obtained by increasing the flying skill and can only be done by flying (obviously). If you wait until the third island you can get it by completing the Toreno mission entitled Learning to Fly (get bronze in all Flying School challenges).

Getting in

The first problem is getting into the airport when the gates will not open. To get into Los Santos International Airport all you have to do is get a car, park it against the wall of the airport, get on top of the car and jump over the wall. You don't even get a wanted star for this.

Improving Flying Skill

Since it is early in the game you may want to explore the area north of Los Santos but don't fly to other islands as Hydras (fighter jets) will shoot you down and you will get a five star wanted level.

The fastest way to improve flying skill is to do tricks such as barrel rolls and loop the loops.  The videos below give a good demonstration of these tricks.


 

Maximise Carl's Sex Appeal in San Andreas

This makes the boring job of dating a little bit easier. If you have a full sex appeal bar you will be able to start  dating any girl you find without worrying about her particular tastes such as muscle or fat.

To maximise you must do the following things:

1. Buy your clothes only at Didier Sachs and buy one of every category of item - focus on the Tuxedo. 
2. Get tattooed all over 
3. Get the Cornrow hairstyle or Groove cut. 
4. Build up your muscle and don't get fat
5.  Drive an awesome car such as a Bullet, Super GT or Cheetah etc

You can notice your sex appeal changing if you get out your car, press L1. Then park the car in the garage, run away and when the door is shut press L1 again. Watch the sex appeal bar plummet. 

Alternatively, you can collect all 50 Oysters and this will protect against low sex appeal effects. 

How to Get and Fly the AT-400 in San Andreas - Biggest Plane in the Game

The At-400 is incredible. When you open the hanger door and get it out you cannot believe the size of the thing. You know the plane that you get when you fly Junk Air? Well you can fly this plane yourself. You will have to be a pretty skilled pilot to even get it on the runway.

AT-400 Location

 The AT-400 does not always spawn so you will have to keep going away and coming back again. It can be found at the airport at Las Venturas in a massive hanger. Just enter and follow the fence along. The door will slowly open if you stand near it.

Getting it out

Not intended to be rude but anyway. To get the plane onto the runway (a must) will take some skill full use of the rudder. First you will need to back all the way out of the hanger without any manoeuvring. Then go back and forward by moving the rudder when reversing and steering while going forward. Remember the button you press to move the rudder in the correct direction.   

Landing

If you are familiar with flight simulators this will be simple.

You must use the map to make sure you are coming in the right direction. To do this make sure the arrow on the map points in the direction of the runway long before attempting to land.

Upon landing point the aeroplane upwards so that it lands on its back wheels and then bring it's nose down.

The video below demonstrates very good flying of the AT-400.

How to Increase your Gambling Skill to Play the Big Money Tables

Your not going to get very far if you are simply playing for a dollar. You want to have some fun on the 100,000 or 1 million tables. No soft resets mind you. You wouldn't consider that would you?

In order to borrow more or play the bigger tables you need to increase your gambling skill bar. This is very simple to do: just spend money. The more you spend the higher the skill will become. For every 1000 you spend your skill will increase by 1 per cent. You will need to spend 100,000 (give 100 percent skill) in the casino to be able to play the million dollar table.  The other three levels require 1, 5 and 10 percent skill respectively.

It is also worth noting that slot machines do not contribute so are a waste of time.

Keep your Weapons after Going to Hospital (Wasted) or Getting Busted

This is one of the coolest things I found out that you can do in San Andreas. It is so simple to do and can save you a fortune especially when you are taking over hoods.

Keeping Weapons After Getting Wasted 

All of your hospital trips will also be free! To do this all you have to do is date Katie Zhan. You don't have to have any progress at all.

She can be found initially at Avispa Country Club in San Fierro just south of your garage. You will need to have at least 75% muscle so get yourself away to the gym to impress her.

Keeping Weapons After Getting Busted 

Again getting busted like wasted will not cost you any money. The process is the same as above. All you have to do this time is date Barbara Schtenvart. She can be found outside El Quebrados police station. Unless you have 100% sex appeal Carl will need to be fat to impress her so get eating (but don't throw up).  

Completing the Ambulance (Paramedic) Missions Tips and Tricks

This may not be the most exciting thing to do in the game but it is well worth doing. When you have done all 12 levels you will get a massive health boost not to mention a ton of money made during the mission. To start the side-mission simply get into an ambulance and press R3. You are best to do this mission near one of the countryside/desert hospitals rather than in the cities. I did this mission in Fort Carlson in Bone Country (third island). To successfully complete the mission with ease follow these steps:

1. Pick up an undamaged ambulance from outside a medical centre preferable in the countryside or desert. Look around to make sure there are no cops watching (you don't want to do side missions with a wanted star)
2. Before setting off to pick up passengers put up the map and work out the best way to collect them by travelling the shortest distance. Remember that the ambulance can only take 3 passengers. 
3. Keep track of the doors that passengers get in (two go in the back on in the side door). That way you can park so that the passengers have to walk the minimum distance. 
4. When stopping outside the medical centre press R1 and not square. That way you will stop in the red circle without reversing. 
5. When moving away from the medical centre don't worry about running people over. 

Note: you cannot pay and spray an ambulance so be careful not to set it on fire. Also you will fail the mission for killing the people you should be picking up.  

Desert Eagle San Andreas: When You Unlock It and Where to Find One

The Desert Eagle is a formidable weapon which often kills in one shot that is ideal for taking over hoods and doing missions.

It is unlocked after the mission Breaking the Bank at Caligula's (Wu Zi mission).

Locations

1.  Playa Del Seville at the corner of the wire fence (not far from Ocean Docks) 
2. Angel Pine Junkyard in Wheatstone 
3. Trailer park of The Lil' Probe Inn in Bone Country (end of one of the solar panels) 

(Jump to 2 mins in)

Prostitutes (hoes) In San Andreas: A Guide

This is quite a silly addition to San Andreas but it's pretty amusing anyway.

To pick up a prostitute in the game simply follow these steps:

1. Drive around Los Santos and look for scantly clad women.
2. Stop and blast the horn at them (R3)
3. When they ask "Do you want a good time honey" reply positively by pressing the right button. 
4. Let them get into your car and stop somewhere secluded. 

Instead of wasting money when she gets out you can just kill her and take the money back. However, if you complete the pimping missions they will actually pay you! 

Girlfriends Dating Guide - How to Have Hot Coffee in San Andreas

Girlfriends are in my opinion a pretty crap addition to the game and are very boring. However, you are at one point in the game required to take part in this crap so you might as well do it right and get it over with.

Choosing a Car

Cars have sex appeal and affect the outcome of a date. A safe bet is to go for a sports car such as Alpha, Banshee, Cheetah, Super GT, Flash or Bullet. You should avoid crashing it and if it is damaged go and pay and spray. It is worthwhile storing one of these in a garage near your girlfriends house.    

Sex Appeal

Go to the gym and build up your muscle but not too high. Also keep up with the latest fashions as you unlock new clothes shops.

Also get the Cornrow hair cut which will increase sex appeal by 30%.

Listen

At the start of the date you will be given a hint at what they want to do or where she wants to go. Pay attention to this. Also, in general, avoid cheap fast food places.

What's the Point

For the mission breaking the bank at Caligula's you will need the key card. You can also get some pretty cool cars (the Monster Truck being the best) and some outfits.  

Hardest Missions in San Andreas (In My Opinion)

In order of appearance in game.

• Robbing Uncle Sam (Rider) - the forklift takes a bit of getting used to. 
• Mad Dogg's Rhymes - one foot wrong and your are dead. 
• Reuniting the Families 
• Farewell my Love - hate racing missions especially in the Badlands. 
• Jizzy- the preacher is a nightmare and it is boring to keep repeating the begining easy parts of the mission. 
• Stowaway - it is a nightmare getting into the plane. 
• You've had your Chips - you are under heavy fire - expensive on weapons to repeat over and over. 
• End of the Line - serious fighting, boss battle and very long mission. So much could go wrong

How to Take Over Hoods Fast and Effectively

Hoods are big money and can provide a substantial income along with your other assets. It is worth investing  in. You don't want to bother taking over hoods before the mission Home Coming because all your gains will just be lost.

Weapons

It is well worthwhile investing in some good weapons (you'll be able to make the money back in no time) but there is no need to waste money. If you have a lot of spare cash to burn you may as well buy a couple of M4's but you are better just taking the rival gangs AK-47's. You can get the former at the restricted zone just south of Verdant Meadows Airstrip.

You should also have a desert eagle handy which you can get at Ammunition.

Transport

The most efficient way to take over hoods is to use a Leviathan or Raindance helicopter to move about and transport gang members. Mark the location on the map and don't stray to far. It occasionally disappears which is annoying.

The limo and coach are also good to transport gang members around.

Tactics and Strategy

As a general rule stay as far away from the rival gang members a possible. You should fire at them while crouching to improve accuracy while they are far away. If they start to get too close stand up and fire at them while walking backwards.

In the event that they come from two directions at once and some of them get too close switch to the desert eagle. Use L2 and R2 to switch between enemys faster.

Money Tip

While moving from territory to territory take out drug dealers as they have a lot of money. The best way to do this is to stand behind them, look around and check there are no police near by and then go for a head-shot 

Helicopter Locations - San Andreas

Helicopters are one of the best forms of transport in the game. They are ideal for using when taking over hoods, doing the trucking missions and taking girlfriends on dates (less crashing and more choice of location).

Many of these helicopters will be locked until you have competed the mission Learning to Fly (bronze pass in all the flying school tests).  The Maverick in Easter Bay Airport is unlocked (pilots license required to open gates though).

Los Santos

1. On top of Mad Dogs Crib a Sea Sparrow can be found after the mission A Home in the Hills (often does not appear, go away and try again).
2. On top of the Los Santos Tower in Downtown Los Santos (the tallest bulding with a star on the top). Accessible from the ground later in the game. 
3. Santa Maria Beach just south of the Safe House

San Fierro 

1. Easter Bay Airport 
2. The Helipad in Downtown San Fierro 
3. The Roof of San Fierro Medical Centre (San Flora)

Las Venturas 

1. Bayside Marina Helipad (near boating school)
2. Emerald Isle Casino Roof on The Strip (far north)
3. Verdant Meadows Airstrip after Up Up and Away Mission 
4. Sherman Dam
5. Shack and dock north of Verdant Meadows Airstrip 

There are also three other helicopters located in the three islands police departments (the West one in Los Santos).