Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas/Flying School

Takeoff
Hold forward, and push slightly forward on the left analog stick to increase your traction. When the plane feels as if it wants to take off, release pressure on the left analog stick, press R3 to retract the landing gear, and pull slightly back on the left analog stick to gain altitude. Don't try to climb too fast, or you may stall. Just gently ascend until you reach the first corona. After this you must dive to reach the next corona by gently pushing forward on the left analog stick, and climb again to read the final corona. To get a gold certificate, you must do all this in 30 seconds with no damage. NOTE: First-Person View helps TREMENDOUSLY on this as well as the other flight school missions.

Land Plane
Hold forward, and head for the corona. Once you've passed through it, release X, press R3 to extend the landing gear, and start to slow down by holding Square. When you touch the ground, taxi your plane into the red marker and come to a complete stop. To get a gold certificate, you must do all this in 25 seconds with no damage.

Circle Airstrip
Takeoff as above, and head for the first corona. Bank round the coronas as it describes, but the key to success is being very gentle on the controls. There are two ways to achieve this. Either move the left analog stick to the side very slightly, and hold it, or quickly tap the stick all the way to the side, and release it. To get a gold certificate you must do all this in 60 seconds with no damage.

Circle Airstrip and Land
In order to get gold, a time of 80 seconds or less and 100% placement is required (no damage can be afforded). Take off and pass the coronas as regular while constantly holding forward (one might want to take the "inside curve", i.e. it's enough to touch the coronas, flying through them in the middle is not needed and not doing so will save time). If roughly 60 seconds has passed after the last corona then it's looking good. When landing, slow down slightly as to get aligned on the marker on the runway, gently land. The key is not to do it too roughly as to damage the plane and not overshoot the marker (either will rob you of gold). Touch down somewhat early enough in order to slowly tax to a halt in the middle of the marker, otherwise you will likely pass through the marker and blow the time limit (and placement score).

Helicopter Takeoff
You need to hold forward to lift off and go up. When the on-screen message asks to you rotate 180 degrees, hold L2 or R2 until you have spinned a half-circle. The nudge the left analog stick forward and head for the corona. Do this in 60 seconds to pass and 45 seconds to get a gold certificate.

Land Helicopter
Fly through the corona, decelerate and land on the red marker. 45 seconds to pass and 30 seconds to get a gold certificate on this one.

Destroy Targets
Fly forward and use the missiles and the minigun to destroy 3 stationary tankers and 2 circling cars. Do this in 105 seconds to pass and 80 seconds to get a gold certificate.

The minigun is auto-aiming so it is the best weapon to use on the moving cars.

Tip: Don't go for subtlety. You've got infinite ammo, so lay a heavy blanket of fire down, especially on the tankers

Tip: Make sure you are lined up with the run way when you land, took about 20 95% tries till we tried lining the heli straight with run way and finally 100!!

Loop the Loop
Fly the stunt plane through the first corona. As soon as you hit it, hold the left analog stick backward to point your nose upward and fly in a tight loop. Hold the throttle at all time and release the stick after finishing a loop. Then fly through the second corona to complete. Do this in 27 seconds to pass and 21 seconds to get a gold certificate.

Barrel Roll
This is similar to the previous exercise. Fly through the first corona, wait a few seconds. Then push the left analog stick left to perform a barrel roll and head for the second corona. If you try to barrel roll right from the first corona you will end up flying away from the second corona which is not what you want. Do this in 23 seconds to pass and 18 seconds to get a gold certificate.

Parachute onto Target
Let CJ fall while holding the left analog stick forward. Wait for a few seconds after the on-screen message asks to to open the parachute before doing so. The latest that you need to open it and still make it to the target is 23 seconds and that is what you should do if you aim for a gold. Then push the left analog stick backward such that CJ lifts his legs up to descend forward to the target. Do this in 70 seconds to pass and 55 seconds to get a gold certificate.

(incomplete)

Rewards

 * Bronze: Rustler spawns at the airstrip
 * Silver: Stuntplane spawns at the airstrip
 * Gold: Hunter spawns at the airstrip