Here’s How to Control & Fly the Atomic Blimp in GTA 5

The Grand Theft Auto saga is infamous for the vast assortment of vehicles available to fans, including classic sports cars and much more – many of which involve some rather tricky controls and mechanics. As a result, a few players are eager to learn how to control and fly the Atomic Blimp in GTA 5.

GTA 5 players can control and fly the Atomic Blimp with the same controls used for helicopters. PlayStation players can ascend using “R2” while Xbox players can ascend using “R1”, and movement involves the left joystick on consoles. PC players can control the Atomic Blimp using “W A S D” as well as “4”, “5”, “6”, and “8”.

While getting the hang of the Atomic Blimp can initially feel frustrating, all it really takes is knowing the right keys and setup for the chosen gaming platform. Stick around to learn everything there is to know about the Atomic Blimp in GTA 5, including how to control it, fly it, and call it in at the player’s location.

The Atomic Blimp in GTA 5

The Atomic Blimp, manufactured by Atomic, is based on the Goodyear GZ-20 blimp manufactured by Goodyear Aerospace – the aeronautic subsidiary of the infamous tire company. It resembles its inspiration heavily, much like many GTA vehicles inspired by real-world vehicles, such as the Kosatka Submarine or the Galaxy Superyacht.

It was the very first controllable blimp featured in the GTA series, although most players would have only seen this vehicle flying over Los Santos in-game. The Atomic Blimp is only available for players who pre-ordered the game, and for players who have Special/ Collector’s Editions or the Enhanced version of the game.

Much like any classic blimp, the Atomic Blimp in GTA 5 features a floatation unit and a small cabin with the capacity for four players, topped off with a tricycle landing gear undercarriage. It’s powered by two engines, featuring two large control yokes and a flight deck.

Although blimps are infamous for being ridiculously slow, the Atomic Blimp is actually pretty agile and quick during operation. It has very low turbulence while in flight, with good maneuverability and decent acceleration power – making it the ideal choice for just about any GTA 5 fan who enjoys Flight School lessons.

That said, the Atomic Blimp is not as durable as one might expect – in fact, it’s extremely weak to collisions and minor damage, so players have to be really careful. The slightest bump into a building or vehicle will cause the Atomic Blimp to explode upon impact, and it cannot hold up under gunfire, but players still have the option to respawn the blimp in these cases.

How to Control & Fly the Atomic Blimp in GTA 5

Despite being technically classified as an “airplane,” the Atomic Blimp handles similarly when compared to helicopters and features the exact same control setup. Contrary to what many GTA 5 players expected, accelerating the Atomic Blimp results in it moving vertically rather than forward.

PlayStation users can ascend or accelerate the Atomic Blimp by pressing “R2”, and they can turn the blimp on the spot using “R1” and “L1”. Xbox users can ascend by pressing “R1”. From there, console users must tilt and move the Atomic Blimp using the left joystick while changing the camera angle using the right joystick.

On PC, players can ascend using “W” or descend using “S,” and steer left using “A” or steer right using “D”. The number pad will be important for proper steering as well – players can roll to the left using “Num 4” or roll to the right using “Num 6”, and pitch forward using “Num 8” or pitch backward using “Num 5”.

Some PC players have reported that it’s also possible to simply steer the Atomic Blimp by holding down the left mouse button and moving around with the mouse. If the controls differ for some reason, possibly due to key changes, it should still line up with whichever controls are used for flying helicopters in-game.

GTA 5: How to Call in the Atomic Blimp

Players who obtained the DLC for the Atomic Blimp would have gained access to an additional phone Contact named “Blimp,” which will put players in contact with an Atomic Blimp Services agent. Calling this contact will result in the Atomic Blimp being sent to a “Blimp Docking Station,” – which will be indicated by a “blimp” icon on the player’s map and minimap.

From there, players will need to track down the Atomic Blimp. For a quick look at how to call in an Atomic Blimp, check out the video below by Hec-x 000.

It usually spawns as close to the player as possible, although it may still be a fair distance away, and players may need to drive to the location. One can simply enter it in the same way as entering any other vehicle in the game.

How Do You Call a Blimp in GTA Online?

Blimps were introduced to GTA Online as part of the After Hours update, initially released in July 2018 during the Tale of Us Residency Week event. Players are limited as these blimps are Pegasus vehicles, but they can be customized with liveries.

After unlocking the blimp by completing 10 Nightclub Management missions and purchasing it from Elitas Travel for between $1,190,350 and $895,000, it will become available from Pegasus Lifestyle Management. Players cannot call it in, but blimps can spawn in the following locations in GTA Online:

• Los Santos International Airport (2 Locations)
• Sandy Shores Airfield (2 Locations)
• Del Perro Beach (3 Locations)
• Los Santos Sports Complex (ULSA in Richman)

That’s everything there is to know about the Atomic Blimp and how to control it in GTA 5, with images and stats thanks to the GTA Wiki. Flying this vehicle properly will take time and practice, but the controls are identical to flying helicopters in-game.