GTA 5 On Parade Tips Every U4GM Pilot Needs

On Parade starts like a polished aircraft demo and ends with Los Santos trying to tear your jet apart. That bait-and-switch is exactly why this GTA Online mission stands out: the F-160 Raiju must handle stealth, aerobatics, timed target practice, and a full air fight without a vehicle swap. Players still saving for the Avenger can weigh the usual grind against buy GTA 5 Money options, but cash won't replace good air control here. The mission rewards calm inputs more than flashy flying, and one rushed turn can ruin several minutes of clean work.

Before You Leave Fort Zancudo

On Parade is the third Project Overthrow assignment, started from the Operations Terminal inside an owned Avenger. It supports one to four players, though the solo version gives you the clearest read on your own piloting. Do a short free-flight warm-up first: climb, roll, level out, switch between normal and vertical flight, then practice a wide return turn. You're not trying to set a speed record. You're building muscle memory so the Raiju feels predictable once the mission begins.

The Test Flight Has Three Different Skill Checks

The opening route sends you through Raton Canyon toward Sandy Shores, where air defenses make early stealth timing matter. Activate the Raiju's stealth before entering the protected area, not after warning fire starts. At the airfield, the maneuver test asks for varied actions such as rolls, loops, knife flight, and inverted flight, with 15 points needed. Start high, perform one clear movement, hold positional tricks briefly, and recover before beginning the next input. Repeating the easiest move gives reduced returns, so clean variety beats frantic repetition.

Score Targets Like a Pilot, Not a Turret

The Sandy Shores exercise lasts three minutes, and the target colors tell you where your time belongs. Gold targets are the best payout, followed by red, blue, and white. Line up from distance, fire during a stable pass, and keep flying forward before making a broad return. Tight circles feel aggressive but often destroy your speed and aim. A useful rule is simple: take a lower-value target only when a high-value target would demand a messy chase. Stable DPS matters more than constant trigger pulls, and players managing their GTA Online budget may find Grand Theft Auto V Money useful elsewhere, but this section is won through route choice.

Okay, Let's Talk About the Air Battle

Once the test ends, helicopters arrive, fighter jets follow, and a hostile Avenger becomes the late threat. Don't lock yourself into a tiny turning circle. Extend away, regain separation, then return on a cleaner firing line. Remove fast, irritating threats before committing to the largest aircraft; enemies behind you can interrupt every attack run. The Raiju's vertical flight helps with fine positioning, yet hovering in a crowded sky is asking to be surrounded. From what I've seen, the safest solo rhythm is attack, extend, check the radar, then attack again. Recent official notes also corrected the hostile Avenger's excessive strength, so the finale should test positioning more than raw endurance.

The Landing Is Still Part of the Mission

Many failed attempts happen after the difficult work is finished. The Raiju must return safely to Fort Zancudo, so stop treating the trip home as free time. Reduce speed early, line up with the destination, and avoid a dramatic last-second descent. For a quick pre-flight checklist, remember.

Activate stealth before the canyon defense zone.
Climb before starting loops or inverted flight.
Use several distinct maneuvers for the 15-point test.
Prioritize gold and red targets during the timed exercise.
Create distance before re-entering the final dogfight.
Keep enough control for the return landing.

On Parade works because it keeps changing what "good flying" means. Stealth asks for restraint, aerobatics demand precision, targets reward planning, and the finale punishes tunnel vision. It isn't the easiest Project Overthrow mission to repeat, but once the Raiju's rhythm clicks, the assignment feels less like a grind and more like a proper pilot test.