For the character in Grand Theft Auto 2, see Dodo (GTA 2).
The Dodo is a small airplane appearing in Grand Theft Auto III, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Grand Theft Auto V and Grand Theft Auto Online, and due to appear in Grand Theft Auto VI. It is manufactured by Mammoth in the HD Universe. It is also present in Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories, although it does not normally appear in the game.
Description[]
3D Universe[]
The plane appears as a small fixed wing plane, partially controllable in GTA III but later fully controllable in GTA San Andreas.
Grand Theft Auto V and Online[]
The aircraft returns as a seaplane in the enhanced versions of GTA V and GTA Online.
Grand Theft Auto VI[]
The plane can be seen twice in the first trailer. It is first seen in the trailer's establishing shot (0:13), where it is seen towing a NINE1NINE banner. It is later seen swooping into view in another aerial shot (0:34).
Design[]
3D Universe[]
In all of its appearances, the Dodo strongly resembles a Cessna 152 or Cessna 150, given the semi-monocoque fuselage, the high-wing setup and the conventional Tricycle landing gear, as well as a two-blade propeller on the nose and a traditional empennage/tail assembly with the corresponding control surfaces.
- The Grand Theft Auto III rendition of the Dodo has short, stubby wings that appear to have been sawed off at the midpoint in order to make it virtually impossible to fly (hence the name). It is explained in the story that the Dodo was the plane that dropped packages in A Drop in the Ocean, but had since been seized by federal agents, and was being stripped as part of a warrant to search the plane. The plane is only available in a white and red livery with the registration code "Y-ME369". The Dodo also exists in Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories, but is never used within the game, therefore it cannot be obtained without modifications. It can seat only a pilot and a passenger in both of these games.
- The Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas rendition retains the inital design and features from the GTA III model, but features a complete wing span with functional ailerons, and retains the similar white and red livery, albeit with the red paint on the lower portion of the fuselage and bearing a different registration code, reading "RB904L". Interestingly, the files indicate it spawns in a variety of primary colors with two shades of white as the secondary color, but they have no effect in the model due to the permanent livery (it is indeed copied over from the Bullet, the Jester and the Oceanic). Again, it can seat only a pilot and a passenger.
Grand Theft Auto V and Online[]
In Grand Theft Auto V and Grand Theft Auto Online, the Dodo returns as a seaplane based on a de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver. This varies from the traditional Cessna-based design, as the Mammatus takes that role.
The Dodo is depicted with a similar design to the cut high-wing plane found in the files, albeit with pontoons that gives it a similar functionality to the Skimmer from the 3D Universe. The aircraft assumes a relatively long fuselage with a rounded front/nose, housing a three-bladed propeller on the front and dual exhaust pipes below. The main section consists of the cockpit with the wings mounted on top (high-wing setup) and the access doors, while the underside mount the large pontoons with retractable landing undercarriage and access steps on the support frames. The tail boom and empennage are relatively basic, having large stabilizers.
The interior of the cockpit features a wide panel with the corresponding flight instruments, which are reused from aircraft such as the Maverick, the Police Maverick and the Mammatus, and only has a single control stick for the pilot sitting on the left-hand side of the aircraft (in contrast with most aircraft in the game that have dual sticks for the front occupants, though the right one has no purpose). While the interior has four dedicated seats, the rear ones are not used, and instead, the rear occupants stand on the pontoons and hang from the sides in a similar manner to the Granger, the FIB and the Sheriff SUV.
The Dodo is only seen in a white color and bears the registration code "N-L24921" on the tail boom, with four different liveries around the fuselage, pontoons, wings and stabilizers. It also uses plain industrial wheels derived from the Velum.
Performance[]
3D Universe[]
As the GTA III rendition of the Dodo evidently features shorter wings, the plane is considerably difficult to control; often, a normal pitch or roll may send the plane plummeting out of control, and the thrust of the engine alone cannot be relied on to aid in lift. The Dodo in GTA III is thus intended to only remain in the air for short periods of time, but it is possible for the plane to continuously stay airborne.
Takeoff alone requires an unorthodox method of "sling shooting" the aircraft upwards using the suspension of the front landing gear of the plane by performing the following:
- While accelerating down a long, flat surface, gradually increase the downward pitch of the plane (usually by holding up on the left analog stick in the PS2 version and the "Dodo down" button that is set in the PC version).
- When the pitch of the plane is low enough that sparks from the propeller scraping the ground are visible and can be heard, release the left analog stick in the PS2 version or the "Dodo down" button in the PC version. The plane should shoot upward, and the player must quickly stabilize the plane by keeping it level.
- The player is required to continuously press down on the D-pad or the "Dodo down" button (on PC) to keep the plane level to the horizon and also to ensure smooth flying.
The Dodo will continuously be in phugoid when in flight. After flying a certain distance and time (170 seconds to be exact) the Dodo is expected to pitch downwards, but will soon pitch upwards again after gaining momentum and lift from the fall, repeating the same drop-rise sequence over again. Because of this, the Dodo can be considered to be closely related to a glider. From takeoff onward, the player must be wary of the pitch of the plane, doing their best to level the Dodo to ensure the plane does not ascend or descend too quickly, as it will result in more violent fluctuations in flight and increases the risk of crashing. Rolling (steering) of the Dodo must also be done with care by softly tapping the directional controls of the plane instead of holding them, which results in violent rolling and leading to the plane dropping from the sky. Coincidentally, raising the nose up by pushing the "Up" button will cause the Dodo to stall and fall out of the sky.
If controlled properly, the Dodo can reach great heights, even flying over skyscrapers. The Dodo may also be used to reach inaccessible parts of the city, such as the Ghost Town, or the easter egg text on the edge of the map.
In GTA III, the Dodo was programmed to become unflyable; the Rockstar developers elaborated more on a QA session: "Because we were making a driving and shooting game - even that, as a combination of core gameplay elements, was very, very radical at the time. The Dodo was never meant to be flown very much at all, and it certainly wasn’t grounded as a result of 9/11 – it was just a fun thing that people then went crazy with when they figured out various bugs that let them fly it!"[2] Obbe Vermeij later added that "we had to make sure it didn't go too fast/far or the streaming couldn't keep up."[3]
The Dodo in GTA San Andreas is one of the smallest planes in the game, only larger than the Cropduster and the Stuntplane. The Dodo has a complete wing span and full functionality, greater stability and control, and has an engine far more reliable in keeping the plane airborne (using Flying School methods, rather than the GTA III method). However, with a range of superior aircraft available in the game, the Dodo remains an undesirable option, being one of the slowest and most underpowered planes in game (the other two being the Skimmer and the Stuntplane) although it is still considerably maneuverable, and remains superior over the Stuntplane. The Dodo is not seen flown by NPCs in the skies of San Andreas and has a different code from that of earlier Grand Theft Auto games. It is a good airplane for beginners in piloting, taking in account its stability and the fact that it can easily be obtained at the very beginning of the game, being available in Los Santos International Airport (which can be easily accessed by simply jumping over the entrance booth).
All renditions of the Dodo use a small piston engine, and use a relatively low-revving engine sound, with the GTA San Andreas iteration having its engine sound shared with the Skimmer.
3D Universe Overview[]
| Take-Off Speed (0-60 knots in Seconds) |
Top Speed (mph / kmh / knots) |
Engine Type | Engine Location | Mass (kg / lbs) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | 124 / 200 / 108 | Petrol | N/A | 2500 / 5512 (GTA III)
5000 / 11023 (GTA San Andreas & GTA Liberty City Stories) |
| N/A | N/A | Single piston engine, two-bladed propeller | Front | Cannot be observed |
Grand Theft Auto V and Online[]
This plane is described as being "highly versatile", evidentially because of its ability to take off and land on either water or land thanks to wheeled landing gear in the pontoons. This plane has a short take-off distance, shorter than the Titan and the Cuban 800; this, combined with good acceleration, makes the plane very versatile. It should also be noted that this plane can be driven on some roads (mostly in Sandy Shores) due to its landing gear and relatively high height, which allows the plane to avoid crashing into traffic cars. The airplane is also capable of carrying four passengers: the pilot and the co-pilot ride inside the plane, while the two other passengers hang on the pontoons, allowing them to use full-sized weapons such as assault rifles and light machine guns. The Dodo possesses a top speed comparable to that of the Duster and acceleration on par with the Mammatus. The speed and agility of the plane suffer slightly due to the two large pontoons, which add some drag and weight to the airplane.
Like the Duster, the engine of the Dodo engine appears to be a radial engine, evidenced by the eight cylinders seen behind the main propeller and mounted around the crankcase of the engine. It shares the traditional engine sound with the Mammatus and the Duster.
GTA V and Online Overview[]
| Take-Off Speed (0-60 knots in Seconds) |
Top Speed (mph / kmh / knots) |
Vertical Climb/ Descent Rate (ft/min) |
Engine Type | Engine Location | Mass (kg / lbs) |
Fuel Tank Size (litres) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | 155 / 250 / 135 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 2000 / 4409 | 65 |
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| N/A | N/A | N/A | Single eight-cylinder radial engine, three-bladed propeller | Front | Cannot be observed | Cannot be observed |
Rockstar Games Social Club[]
Grand Theft Auto V and Online[]
Modifications[]
Grand Theft Auto Online[]
Upon being converted into a personal aircraft, the Dodo can be repainted with a primary color (which is the entirety of the aircraft that is not covered by the livery) and have one of the four livery sets also available at random as a Pegasus vehicle. However, there is no way to remove the livery set or change its color other than the ones provided by the same.
| Category | Modification | Cost | Image | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Respray | Main article: Vehicle Customization in GTA V/Respray Colors | - | ||
| Livery | Stock Livery | $575 | ||
| Livery 1 | $625 | |||
| Livery 2 | $675 | |||
| Livery 3 | $725 | |||
| Remove | Remove Aircraft | |||
Gallery[]
3D Universe[]
Grand Theft Auto V and Online[]
Grand Theft Auto VI[]
Videos[]
Design[]
Detailing
Version History[]
Variants[]
Dead DodoGrand Theft Auto III & Grand Theft Auto: Vice City |
 |
The DeadDodo is an uncontrollable variant of the Dodo featured in Grand Theft Auto III and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. It is a full-winged Dodo, and therefore resembles the San Andreas rendition of the aircraft. |
SkimmerGrand Theft Auto: Vice City, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas & Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories |
 |
The Skimmer is a seaplane variant of the Dodo in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. The Skimmer is a Dodo with a pair of large pontoons instead of landing gears, which allow it to land and takeoff on the water as well as on ground. |
Static Variants[]
Main article: Static Planes
Cessna-based props similar to the Dodo can be found at the Francis International Airport in Grand Theft Auto Advance, with full wing span similar to the GTA San Andreas rendition.
Prominent Appearances in Gameplay[]
Grand Theft Auto III[]
- Two of Donald Love's missions involve the Dodo: A Drop in the Ocean requires Claude to follow a Dodo in a boat and pick up the package it drops in the bay; the other, Grand Theft Aero, requires Claude to enter the same Dodo (parked in a hangar) to retrieve another package. Another mission, S.A.M. (for Asuka Kasen), requires Claude to shoot one down with a rocket and collect the cargo it was carrying from the wreckage.
- Import/Export - The Dodo is one of the 23 vehicles wanted for the Portland Island portion of the Import/Export side mission.
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas[]
- In Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, during the mission "Freefall", Carl Johnson must fly a Dodo above and behind a Shamal jet in which some Forelli hitmen are being transported, to do a hit for Salvatore Leone.
Grand Theft Auto V[]
- Appears in the random event "Sea Plane", where it is guarded in a coveted cove by a group of random gangsters. The protagonist must steal the plane, either by killing or escaping from the gangsters, including an additional group encountered after leaving the cove.
Grand Theft Auto Online[]
Bikers[]
- Biker Sell Mission - Sea Plane - Used to deliver the products to the buyers.
The Cayo Perico Heist[]
- The Cayo Perico Heist - Two Dodo planes may spawn at the airstrip (one next to the hangar with guards nearby and another at the end of the runway with no guards), which can be optionally used as a getaway vehicle, provided the player disables the anti-air defenses first. If the player selects the airstrip as the exit point, they will be marked on the map.
Los Santos Drug Wars[]
- First Dose 3 - Fatal Incursion - Used to deliver the stolen Lost MC meth supply from Millar's Fishery Co in Blaine County to The Freakshop in Los Santos.
Locations[]
Grand Theft Auto III[]
- In the green hangar north of Francis International Airport (only after Grand Theft Aero).
- In the southwest hangar in Francis International Airport.
- In the east end of the runway in Francis International Airport.
- In Portland Import/Export Garage (once it is completed).
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas[]
- In the east side of Los Santos International Airport, near the entrance.
- One appears inside each pair of hangars in the southern part of the Easter Bay Airport in San Fierro, however they are locked until the completion of Learning to Fly.
- All around the west side of Las Venturas Airport.
Grand Theft Auto V[]
- Unavailable, until the requisite random event is completed, after-which it:
- Appears docked on Lake Vinewood, near Franklin's new house.
- Appears docked on the Alamo Sea near Galilee.
- Can be purchased for $500,000 from Elitás Travel.
- Can be spawned via cheat extinct, or by calling 1-999-3984628.
Grand Theft Auto Online[]
- Available for purchase for $500,000 or for free for returning players on Elitás Travel.
- After July 26, 2021, the vehicle was made free for all players, regardless of their "returning player" status.
- It is classed as a Medium vehicle when stored in a Hangar.
Trivia[]
General[]
- The aircraft is named after the dodo, an extinct flightless bird from Mauritius.
- The cheat code for the Dodo in Grand Theft Auto V, extinct, further references this.
- The Dodo in Grand Theft Auto III and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (as the banner-pulling plane), bears the letters "Y", "M" and "E" at the beginning of the plane's registration number on the tail end of the fuselage, which reads similar to "Why me?".
Grand Theft Auto III[]
- The Dodo has abnormal crash mechanics. For example, hitting a sign or light post with one of its wings will cause the Dodo to spin around, often even bouncing it into the air a few feet.
- According to programming, the Dodo in GTA III is actually a "car" that has been modified to fly (in
default.ide, the type of the Dodo is set to car, not plane). This is why it has many car-like properties, such as its resilience to high-speed crashes and car-like behavior on the ground. This was changed in the subsequent games. - The Dodo can be exported, although it is very difficult to put the Dodo in any export garage. However, the Dodo can be driven as a car to Portland, providing the player keeps it undamaged.
- Similarly to emergency vehicles, the Dodo cannot be resprayed at a Pay 'n' Spray.
- The propeller always spins, even if the plane is destroyed. The propeller also resembles a minor-scale of the rotors in the static, unobtainable helicopters in the game.
- If the player pitches the Dodo upward, and then presses on the brake so the engine decelerates, the Dodo may swing back and start gliding backwards for a short distance.
- The Dodo seen flying over Liberty City has full sized wings, and is set to "plane" not "car" like the normal Dodo, and will explode violently if shot with a rocket launcher. This kind of Dodo also appears in GTA Vice City, pulling a banner in the latter case. Shooting down the plane leads to a wanted level: initially 3 stars in GTA III and 2 stars in GTA Vice City. However, upon the explosion of the plane, the wanted level will go up to 4 stars in GTA III and 3 stars in GTA Vice City. It also shares the in-game name with the normal Dodo.
- The appearance of the Dodo in GTA III could be a reference to the James Bond movie Live and Let Die. In the movie, 007 drives a similar plane (a red and white Cessna 140) through a set of closing hangar doors, resulting in the plane losing both wings at a similar length to those of the Dodo[4], making it unable to fly.
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City[]
- The model and handling for the normal Dodo still exists in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. The model remains the same, but the propeller does not rotate as the animation for the propeller remains the same, and does not match with that of GTA: Vice City. It is only obtainable through modding.
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas[]
Grand Theft Auto IV[]
- The Dodo was meant to appear in Grand Theft Auto IV, as evidenced by its handling line being present in the internal files [5] of the game.
Grand Theft Auto V and Online[]
- A similar seaplane can be seen on the first trailer of Grand Theft Auto V, flying on the background of RON Alternates Wind Farm.
- The Elitás Travel description is a direct reference to the Dodo's infamous handling in GTA III.
Oversights[]
Grand Theft Auto III[]
- Once the player has mastered flying the Dodo, which takes time and practice, they can fly anywhere on the map. However, a precaution must be taken into consideration to prevent a ruined flight. The player must avoid flying over unique stunt jumps, as flying over them will trigger a cinematic view (a normality when driving off a particular ramp in a car) and the slow-motion camera will not subside until the player crashes into the ground or ocean, almost certainly resulting in death. Because of the scattered jumps in GTA III, it is imperative for the player to know of all locations to avoid flying over them. This glitch makes flying the Dodo much more of a challenge.
Grand Theft Auto V and Online[]
- The Dodo may glitch at its Vinewood Hills spawn point, spawning upside down and rendering it impossible to be piloted.
- The maroon livery set appears to have its registration code partially offset (evidenced by the letter "N" on the left side being partially cut).
See Also[]
- Skimmer - A Dodo-based seaplane.
- DeadDodo - An unobtainable, full-winged variant flying around in GTA III and GTA Vice City.
- Mammatus - A spiritual successor in Grand Theft Auto V and Grand Theft Auto Online, based on the Cessna 172 Skyhawk.
- Unknown high-wing plane - An unnamed aircraft in GTA V. Sharing the same fuselage with the Dodo.
- Seabreeze - A Luxury seaplane released as part of the Smuggler's Run update for Grand Theft Auto Online.
References[]
- ↑
Only during First Dose 3 - Fatal Incursion.
- ↑ http://www.rockstargames.com/newswire/article/19981/grand-theft-auto-iii-your-questions-answered-part-two-911-the-gh.html
- ↑ https://twitter.com/ObbeVermeij/status/1762603397063102710?t=a-95-47yV74Um67GsUIphw&s=19
- ↑ https://youtu.be/bvqldWwbRcA
- ↑ common\data\handling.dat>planes>DODO
Only during 
