GTA San Andreas Walkthrough: Part 3, the Desert and Las Venturas

Part 3 of our GTA San Andreas walkthrough starts after Yay Ka-Boom-Boom, when the desert opens. You'll work for Mike Toreno out of an old airstrip, pass the flight school, then head into Las Venturas to help Woozie's casino and deal with the Mafia. It ends with Madd Dogg on the casino roof.

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The whole walkthrough

The desert missions and the Las Venturas missions open around the same time, so you can switch between them. We cover the desert first because the flight school there is needed later in Las Venturas.

1. The desert: Mike Toreno

These take place in Tierra Robada and Bone County.

1. Monster: a test from Toreno. Drive a monster truck through a checkpoint course in the hills. Take jumps slowly, the truck flips easily.
2. Highjack: team up with Cesar to hijack a truck on the highway. Match the truck's speed and stay close so the hijack can happen.
3. Interdiction: fly a helicopter to find a dropped package and protect it until it is collected. Stay low and use the chopper's view to spot enemies.
4. Verdant Meadows: Toreno tells you to buy the abandoned airstrip at Verdant Meadows. You need enough cash to buy it, so earn some first if you're short. It becomes your desert base.

2. Required: Learning to Fly (flight school)

The Flight School at Verdant Meadows is the one school the story demands. You must pass every lesson before Toreno's next missions and the later Las Venturas flying missions open.

• Lessons cover take-off, landing, turns, a loop, a barrel roll, helicopters and a parachute drop. You only need a pass, not gold.
• Go slow on landings. Line up early, cut speed and touch down gently on the runway.
• For loops and rolls, start level and use small, steady stick inputs. Big jerky moves fail the test.

3. The desert, continued

1. N.O.E.: fly a plane under the radar to a drop point. Keep very low but watch for hills and power lines. Rise only when you must.
2. Stowaway: ride a motorbike up into a moving cargo plane, plant bombs inside and parachute out. Hit the ramp at full speed in a straight line.
3. Black Project (The Truth): break into the secret base and steal the jetpack. Use a silenced pistol, avoid searchlights and don't trigger the alarm.
4. Green Goo (The Truth): use the jetpack to steal cargo from a moving train, then fly it back. Land gently on the train roof.

4. Las Venturas: Woozie's casino

1. Fish in a Barrel (Woozie): a short scene at the Four Dragons Casino that sets up your work here.
2. Fender Ketchup (Woozie): scare a man into talking by driving with him on the car bonnet. Drive fast and close to traffic to fill the fear meter.
3. Explosive Situation (Woozie): steal explosives from a quarry. Watch for falling rocks and grab each box quickly.
4. You've Had Your Chips (Woozie): hit a factory that supplies the rival casinos and deal with its manager.
5. Don Peyote (The Truth): find Kent Paul and Maccer in the desert and bring them back.

5. Las Venturas: Salvatore and the Mafia

1. Intensive Care: a job for Salvatore Leone involving a rival mobster in hospital.
2. The Meat Business: a meeting goes wrong at a meat plant. Fight your way out and get your people clear.
3. Freefall: skydive out of a plane, catch up with a second plane in mid-air, take it over and land it. Steer your fall directly at the plane's door.
4. Saint Mark's Bistro: fly a jet to Liberty City, shoot up a restaurant, then fly back. Needs the flight school done.

6. C.R.A.S.H. and Madd Dogg

1. Misappropriation (C.R.A.S.H.): another job tied to Tenpenny's cover-up.
2. High Noon (C.R.A.S.H.): a desert meeting with Pulaski turns into a chase. Catch him before he gets away.
3. Madd Dogg: Madd Dogg is about to jump from the roof of Caligula's. Drive a truck with boxes into place to catch him, then rush him to hospital.

7. Optional: the Caligula's heist

Woozie's heist strand is optional for the story but needed for 100%: Architectural Espionage, Key to Her Heart (dating Millie for her keycard), Dam and Blast, Cop Wheels, Up, Up and Away! and the finale, Breaking the Bank at Caligula's. It's one of the best runs of missions in the game, so I'd do it anyway.

Tips for this part

• Save money before Verdant Meadows. Buying the airstrip is a big expense.
• Practise flying between lessons. Take a plane up and just fly around; it makes N.O.E. and Saint Mark's Bistro easier.
• Use the parachute early. Pull it with time to spare on Stowaway and Freefall.
• Buy a silenced pistol before Black Project.

My take

The flight school is the wall that stops a lot of players, but once you pass it, this part is a blast. Black Project and the jetpack feel like a different game. Which flight lesson took you the most tries?

FAQ

Is the flight school required in GTA San Andreas?

Yes. Learning to Fly is the only school you must finish to complete the story. The driving, boat and bike schools are optional.

Do I need gold medals in the flight school?

No. A pass on every lesson is enough for the story.

Is the casino heist required?

No. The heist missions are optional for the ending, but they count toward 100% completion.

Where do I get the jetpack?

You steal it in Black Project from the secret base in the desert.

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