The HVY Skylift is a large heavy-lift helicopter featured as a mission-only vehicle in The Ballad of Gay Tony, Grand Theft Auto V and Grand Theft Auto Online.
Design
The Ballad of Gay Tony
The Skylift is strongly based on the Sikorsky S-64 Skycrane/Aircrane, but with the cockpit bent down and the landing gears extended. The helicopter is unique as it has a large magnet under the rotor that allow it to lift large vehicles. However, this feature is, much like the Leviathan in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, mission-exclusive and may not be used in normal gameplay, unless specific mods are used. The helicopter is only available in a blue color with white markings.
The Skylift is one of the largest helicopters available in the game, as its general appearance is much longer, taller and wider than any of the traditional helicopters (on par with that of the Leviathan, a cargo helicopter from Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas). Its rotor blades have a black-white pattern with the same yellow color at the end of each blade.
Grand Theft Auto V
The Skylift returns in Grand Theft Auto V bearing its appearance from TBoGT, albeit appearing in a grey color instead of blue, as well as without markings. In the enhanced version, it also features a new interior with special dials and radar systems.
Current Design Gallery
Version History Gallery
Performance
The Ballad of Gay Tony
Due to its enormous weight, the Skylift is easily the slowest helicopter in the game. Its handling is stiffer and has low take-off and forward speed. The helicopter takes a lot of time in gaining altitude and easily loses altitude when descending too fast due to its mass, as well as having a slow movement when maneuvering the helicopter (by only yawing to approximately 90 degrees on a side takes roughly 7-8 seconds). Landing the helicopter in a busy street or an area surrounded by buildings is a challenge, due to the helicopter's sheer size and the rather large main rotor, which easily collides with street lamps and nearby buildings.
An advantage of the helicopter is that it can take a few RPGs or Buzzard rockets before catching fire. Similarly, the Skylift is too heavy to lose control when a vehicle hits the helicopter's blades, usually resulting in it being pushed away with ease, while the Skylift remains steady (except if the vehicle is another Skylift).
The Skylift is powered by two large turboshaft engines, powering the six-blade main rotor. The tail carries the large transmission shaft that is connected to the tail rotor. The Skylift's engine sound is very similar to that of the Annihilator, only heavier due to the large blades.
TBoGT Overview
| Take-Off Speed (0-60 knots in Seconds) | Top Speed (mph / kmh / knots) | Engine Type | Engine Location | Mass (kg / lbs) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | 99 / 160 / 86 | N/A | N/A | 15000 / 33069 |
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| N/A | N/A | Twin turboshaft engines, 6-bladed rotor | Middle | Cannot be observed |
Grand Theft Auto V
The Skylift retains its properties as in TBoGT. However, due to the game's physics, the helicopter's handling feels slightly responsive and lighter than in its previous appearance, since its mass has been decreased. As with every aircraft in Grand Theft Auto V, the helicopter may tend to become fragile after a few shots or crashes, leaving it with engine damage that becomes worse over time.
The engine sound is also the same with many transport helicopters such as the Maverick, the Police Maverick and the Swift, only with a faster pace due to the increased number of blades.
GTA V 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 | 99 / 160 / 86 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 10000 / 22046 | 100 |
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| N/A | N/A | N/A | Twin turboshaft engines, 6-bladed rotor | Middle | Cannot be observed | Cannot be observed |
 | Speed | |||||
| Acceleration | ||||||
| Braking | ||||||
| Agility | ||||||
Image Gallery
The Ballad of Gay Tony
Add a photo to this galleryGrand Theft Auto V
Videos
Prominent Appearances in Missions
The Ballad of Gay Tony
- The Skylift is first seen in the mission Caught with your Pants Down, where it is being used to transport an APC across Algonquin, in which Luis must shoot the chains holding it steady to send the APC crashing to earth in order to steal it for Yusuf Amir.
- It is also seen in the mission For the Man Who Has Everything, where Yusuf flies one in order to hijack a Subway Car from the subway system.
Grand Theft Auto V
- The Skylift makes an appearance in the mission Sidetracked, where Trevor or Michael uses it to pick up train carriages to use in the obvious approach of The Big Score. The electromagnet mounted on it, unlike in TBoGT, can be used by pressing right on the D-Pad, with behavior similar to the hook on the Cargobob.
- The Skylift also appears in the Bank Bailout base jump where it transports a motorcycle to the top of the Maze Bank Tower for the player to ride on for the jump. It is unobtainable by normal means, such as shooting the pilot out of the helicopter, as weapons are disabled for the jump.
Grand Theft Auto Online
- Air Freight Cargo
- The Skylift may appear in Air Freight Cargo Sell Missions, used to carry a container to a drop-off point.
Notable Owners
Locations
The Skylift appears as a mission-only vehicle in all of its appearances, however the player can obtain it in some of its appearances through tricks or glitches.
The Ballad of Gay Tony
The helicopter can be obtained with a minor exploit involving chasing Yusuf Amir and retrieving the Skylift after the mission For the Man Who Has Everything. The easiest method to use for this involves spawning a Buzzard as soon as he says "have fun with it", chasing the Skylift, and shooting it down over a large area, where it can be stolen. A video illustrating this method can be seen here. If the player is quick enough, the Skylift would have the subway wagon still attached to it.
When the Skylift is obtained, it can be saved at a safehouse as long as it has a lot of space (at least two wheels in the yellow chalked spot, (the best one being the Middle Park East Safehouse). The magnet doesn't work, simply because it isn't intended to be obtainable, so there is no animation for it working (except during 'For the Man Who Has Everything').
Due to a 2012 patch by Rockstar, the Skylift is no longer obtainable in the mission For the Man Who Has Everything on the PS3 version of the game. The only way to get the helicopter on the PS3 is in the mission Caught with your Pants Down.
Grand Theft Auto V
- The player was originally able to obtain the Skylift in Sidetracked by saving it on the helipad, and reloading the save-game, however this was patched.[vague]
Grand Theft Auto Online
- The Skylift was originally found in the Content Creator, however it was removed.
Trivia
General
- "Skylift" is a parody of "Skycrane", the real-life counterpart's name.
The Ballad of Gay Tony
- In the Beta, the Skylift had much resemblance to the Sikorsky S-64 Skycrane, evidenced by the flat body depicted in the TBoGT trailer and a promotional screenshot. However, the cockpit had a different design as well, lacking the frames on the windshield and having larger windows below it.
- In the game, the Skylift has the registration code "LC2", but in the files for the decals, it reads "LC2-K". The ommited letter could be because of the changes on the vehicle, as the beta model had the full registration on the sides.
- The logo "Liberty Sky-Lift" might be a parody of "Erickson Air-Crane", the manufacturer and main operator of the S-64, so "Liberty Sky-Lift" might be the operator of the Skylift.
- As heard on the police scanner, the Skylift is manufactured by HVY.
- There are actually two models for the Skylift present during For the Man Who Has Everything, one which has the Subway Car held beneath it, and one without it. Only the latter is obtainable.
- One of the cinematic cameras seen in the Skylift is a first person view from the helicopter (similar to a standard camera view from a vehicle), but it will be slighty angled to the right.
- This also happens with the Yankee in The Lost and Damned (open bed variant).
Grand Theft Auto V
- In the mission Sidetracked, when attaching the flat car, a magnet extension appears from nowhere to accomodate the carriage onto the vehicle. This could be a scripted extra for the vehicle.
- Due to the height of the cockpit, the protagonist will not close the door when exiting it. The door itself is not solid and when walking below it, the player character's head will clip through it.
- The Skylift uses the same textures as the Cuban 800, albeit with the omission of the "CUBAN 800" stencil.
See Also
- Leviathan - A heavy helicopter used as a sky crane during a mission in GTA San Andreas.
- Cargobob - A heavy helicopter capable of lifting vehicles in GTA V.
