I've played GTA SA on both PC & Mac, first when it was new & again last year, from scratch, no cheats.
Every time, though, I get stuck at the Freefall mission & spend days getting to the airport, flying for 5 minutes to find the airplane I'm supposed to jump to, only to never quite be able to catch it.
It gets a bit tedious after the 10th attempt & I give up.
Last time I gave up at this point is nearly a year ago, so I thought I'd see if there's any easier way to do this mission.
My flying skill is high, I've completed all the flying school missions (though I don't actually think I'm a great pilot)
Is there just some simple trick I'm missing?
Is there any sure-fire way to complete this level (quickly)?
I've tried flying higher than the plane & diving down to it, which occasionally gets me closer, but it's so hit & miss.
Anything, any way to be able to complete this one & one time be able to finish the game.
Best Answer
The Shamal is faster than the airplane you're given. To counter that, pay attention to the minimap (or open the world map), and predict where the Shamal is heading (it will not go always in a straight line).
This allows you to get closer to it , until you're right on top of it, and flying through the Corona is simply a matter of adjusting your position slightly. Ideally you should keep your height high since descending is easier than ascending.
Once again, the trick is don't follow the plane, intercept it.