How to Go Parachute Jumping in GTA V

Last Updated: September 1, 2020

Grand Theft Auto certainly has no shortage of extreme activities for you to participate in. From racing Jet Skis in the open ocean to drag races through the alleyways of Los Santos, there’s sure to be something to get your adrenaline pumping. If you’ve wanted to try sky diving in real life but fear a parachute malfunction, why not live out these dreams vicariously through GTA V?

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Unlocking the Parachuting Feature

1
Find the “Risk Assessment” mission. To unlock parachuting as a side activity, you will need to complete the side mission “Risk Assessment.” This mission will appear as one of Franklin’s Strangers and Freaks missions approximately 2/3 through the main story mode of the game.
- To locate this mission, open up the world map by pressing the Start button (PS3 and Xbox 360) or M key (PC). Once on the map, search for a green F icon in the Mount Chiliad area. Once you have located it with your cursor, press the X button (PS3), A button (Xbox 360), or Left Click (PC) to set it as your destination.
2
Follow the purple path on your mini map (located in the bottom left hand corner of the screen) until you reach the mission. You will come across a barking dog. Franklin is able to understand the dog and follows it along a dirt path, where a man is hanging out of a tree, his parachute tangled in the branches.
- A brief cut scene begins as Franklin helps the man out of the tree. This man, who introduces himself as Dom, calls his helicopter pilot to come get both him and Franklin. Dom pressures Franklin to try parachuting, to which the latter reluctantly agrees. After the cutscene, both Dom and Franklin will be in the helicopter, soaring over Los Santos. Dom will jump first, prodding Franklin to follow.
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3
Follow Dom out the helicopter. When ready, press the on-screen prompt to jump out of the helicopter. While free-falling, you can control the direction you move in by using the toggle sticks (PS3 and Xbox 360), or directional arrow keys (PC).
4
Deploy your parachute. When ready to deploy your parachute, press the X button (PS3), A button (Xbox 360), or left click (PC). Although it varies from jump to jump, it is always better to deploy your parachute sooner than later. The optimal time to deploy it would be about seven seconds after free fall.
- Once your parachute is deployed, you can control your descent speed by using the toggle stick (PS3 and Xbox 360), or directional arrow keys (PC). Pushing forward will cause you to descend more quickly, while pulling back will slow you down.
- To steer the parachute, press the R1 button (PS3), RB button (Xbox 360) or D key (PC) to turn right, and the L1 button (PS3), LB button (Xbox 360), or A key (PC) to turn left.
- Once you reach the ground, Franklin will automatically perform a roll to stop his momentum, and tug off his parachute pack.
5
Go on a bike race with Dom. After you land, Dom will challenge you to a bike race down the mountain. The bicycles will be marked on your minimap as yellow dots. Approach the bikes, and press the Triangle button (PS3), Y button (Xbox 360), or F key (PC) to hop on.
- Follow the race checkpoints on your mini map. Use the toggle stick (PS3 and Xbox 360) or directional arrow keys (PC) to steer the bike. To accelerate, repeatedly tap the X button (PS3), A button (Xbox 360), or Caps Lock key (PC).
- After the race is over, regardless of whether you won or not, the mission will end, and parachuting will be become unlocked as an activity.

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Parachute Jumping

1
Find a parachute jump area. There will now be a total of 13 parachute jump locations scattered across the map. They are marked by white icons that resemble parachutes.
2
Select a location. Do this by moving your cursor over the desired icon, and pressing the X button (PS3), A button( Xbox 360), or left click (PC). This will set the parachute as your destination.
3
Head for the jump area. You’ll find a purple path on the minimap after selecting a jump area. Follow this path to your destination.
4
Get in the helicopter. Once you have successfully traveled to your location of choice, you will see a helicopter waiting for you. When you approach the helicopter, an on-screen prompt will ask if you wish to go parachuting. Select the “Yes” option, and you will board the helicopter.
5
Get ready to jump. The pilot will take you to the appropriate altitude, and your character will be standing at the helicopter’s door. When ready, press the on-screen prompt to jump into the sky.
6
Deploy your chute. Wait around seven seconds from the jump before deploying your chute. This ensures that you’ll have a pretty safe landing.
7
Aim for the landing area. There will be a target area for your landing marked on your minimap as a yellow dot. As you get closer to the ground, you will be able to identify this area by the yellow circle. If you manage to land in the target area, you will be rewarded with a monetary prize, which increases the closer you land to the center. Parachuting is free, so this is a great and fun way to make money.