Maverick

The Maverick is a helicopter in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories and Grand Theft Auto IV. The Maverick has also appeared in Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories but is not intended for the player to use.

Overview
The Maverick is based on the Bell 206 L Longranger, but the GTA IV rendition features four blades on its main rotor, similar to the Bell 407, but retaining the body design of previous Mavericks (pre-release material such as television footage, suggests GTA IV's Maverick was originally intended to retain its two blade rotor).

Overall, the Maverick is a good choice of transport in GTA: Vice City, but GTA: San Andreas has many better options. In GTA IV, most helicopters are just variants of the Maverick, so for style go for a different variant (like a Helitours Maverick). However, for function, go for an Annihilator as it has weaponry and is the fastest helicopter in the game. Since GTA: Vice City, the police has their own version of the Maverick called the Police Maverick.

GTA Vice City — GTA Vice City Stories
In GTA Vice City, the Maverick is a fully accessible vehicle, available in quite a few places. It has a moderate maximum speed, can survive some damage, and it is the only helicopter that is available in a variety of colors. There is also another smaller two-passenger version dubbed VCN Maverick that is used by the Vice City News Network.

In GTA San Andreas, the Maverick is essentially the same helicopter, but with slightly altered handling, and a new sound. As in GTA Vice City, there is also a news helicopter version of the Maverick, the News Chopper, that can be seen flying along with the Police Maverick once the player reaches a 4-star wanted level.

In GTA Vice City Stories, the Maverick is used in some missions. During the mission High Wire, a magnet is attached to the Maverick to act like a sky crane, which is not available outside the mission. Lance also owns one, which is seen occasionally in the game.

The Maverick in GTA Liberty City Stories is not intended to be obtained by the player. However, it can be obtained by the player during the missions Calm Before the Storm given by JD O'Toole and False Idols given by Ned Burner. The Maverick can be obtained more easily by using this trainer for the PSP version of the game. It is so fast that the camera zooms out when going at max speed. Moving the camera moves the helicopter (because the right analog stick was to alternatively control a helicopter in Vice City.) The blades are used of that of an AI-controlled Police Maverick, and the blades renders transparency incorrectly when they are viewed through the blades (i.e. trees.)

GTA IV


In GTA IV the Maverick has been changed slightly, including new crash animations, new sound and better design, although it still remains similar to the previous Mavericks. In GTA IV, the Maverick is the only civilian helicopter, and it may be found at either Francis International Airport, some of the helipads or on skyscraper helipads, the Alderney Heliport above the Booth Tunnel or even during Brucie's Heli Ride activity. Since this is an unarmed helicopter (unless a passenger is shooting a weapon), this is not advised for chases or any fighting in general.

When the player unlocks Brucie's Chopper ability, or visits Higgins Helitours, the player can spot this humorous message on the "A" pillar while in the passenger seat: "This helicopter might crash but we really don't care if it does, refer to flight manual for help."

In addition to the aforementioned difference in rotor design (a two-blade rotor replaced by a four-blade variety), pre-release materials also depict earlier forms of the Maverick as having shut rear doors, as opposed to slid open doors in the final version.

Variants

 * Police Maverick, Mavericks adopted for use by the police.
 * VCN Maverick and News Chopper, Mavericks modified into news helicopters.
 * Helitours Maverick, a Mavericks for use in helitour.

Trivia

 * Even though the Maverick in GTA Liberty City Stories is not meant to be obtained, the controls from previous games still work. It also lacks an in-game name.
 * On rare occasions in GTA IV, a Maverick will spawn flying with the colors of the Weazel Chopper 4, however, it is very difficult to obtain because shooting it down will cause it to explode. It is best to use a helicopter such as the Annihilator to knock it off balance with the rotors to that it lands, with the only damage being a missing main rotor blade, however this can easily be repaired with the Health Cheat Code.
 * In The Ballad of Gay Tony, Mavericks are scripted to be flown by civilians, and can be found flying around the coastline of Francis International Airport.
 * A special Golden Maverick is used during The Ballad of Gay Tony Drug Wars. However, you cannot keep it.
 * The Maverick made an appearance in Manhunt 2.

GTA Vice City

 * Roof of the Hyman Condo safehouse.
 * Roof of the Vercetti Estate after the mission Rub Out. If the Sea Sparrow is unlocked, there is a less chance of the Maverick spawning.
 * Uniquely-colored Maverick in the mission Loose Ends.

GTA San Andreas

 * Easter Bay International Airport, near the Dodo hangars. Oddly, the doors are not locked even without a pilot's license, allowing it to be used if the player can get into the airport.
 * The top of the Los Santos Tower in Downtown Los Santos. The tower has a star-shaped top. The Maverick may not be there, it spawns more when you fly there.
 * San Fierro Police Headquarters Helipad in Downtown San Fierro. Spawns there after Toreno's Last Flight, the mission where you have to stop Toreno with a rocket launcher.
 * Bayside Marina helipad (note that a Sea Sparrow often also spawns here)
 * On the roof of San Fierro Medical Center, Santa Flora, San Fierro (note that a Raindance also spawns east of here)
 * Helipad at The Emerald Isle (If it does not spawn, walk to the very west of the building and walk back and it should be there).

GTA Liberty City Stories
Much like other helicopters in the game, the Maverick in GTA Liberty City Stories is unobtainable, as the game's developer may had been unable to adapt the entire city for player-controlled helicopters, such as adding solid boundaries on building and roofs, setting a ceiling height limit, or a crash animation.

However, the helicopter is, along with the Police Maverick, the only helicopter to appear proper during mission, although the player is normally unable to obtain one in any of its appearances (unless otherwise stated):


 * During "Calm Before the Storm", an indestructible Maverick is used as Massimo Torini's mode of transport, sporting a uniquely jet black color with two white stripes. The helicopter can be obtained in the PSP version as the helicopter makes a stopover at Chinatown.
 * During "The Passion of the Heist", when a fireproof Maverick is flown by a gang that stole diamonds.
 * During "Caught as an Act", which features a fireproof "Secret Service", pure black Maverick.
 * During "False Idols", when a Maverick is used to transport actress Faith W. to the Liberty City Free Radio station. The helicopter is obtainable.
 * During "Cash in Kazuki's Chips", which features a bullet/explosion-proof Maverick belonging to Kazuki Kasen.
 * During "The Sicilian Gambit", when a Maverick is used by Massimo to launch an assault on the player at the Portland Rock lighthouse is required to be shot down. The helicopter is vulnerable to damage.

Other than the aformentioned missions, the Maverick can otherwise be obtainable by using cheat devices or third party trainers.

GTA Vice City Stories

 * On the helipad near Hyman Memorial Stadium.
 * On the helipad in Escobar International Airport (activates Vice Sights mission as you enter).

GTA IV

 * Alderney City heliport, above the Alderney exit of Booth Tunnel.
 * Private helipad at a mansion in Westdyke, Alderney
 * Roof of the MeTV skyscraper in Star Junction, Algonquin. Its roof can be accessed via a window-cleaner's lift on the west end next to Kunzite Street or by flying there using another helicopter. Only spawns occasionally. Replaced by the Annihilator after killing all 200 Pigeons
 * On a helipad in front of a waterfront tunnel ventilation tower on the western edge of Purgatory, Algonquin. Only spawns occasionally.
 * Helipad of the Tudor, Alderney fire station in south-west Alderney.