Cheat Planes are combat aircraft that are known to be non-realistic by four different variables:
- Supermanuverablity: Supermanuverability is not considered cheating, but to a certain degree. Aircraft that can turn at a unrealistic rate, are deemed cheatplanes. A classic example of this is Bucknasty's F-22.
- Speed: Combat aircraft that fly abnormally high speeds are usually regarded as cheatplanes. Examples of this are Bucknasty's F-22, the F/A-37 Talon, YS Major's UFO_LIGHT_DISC, or most infamously, the Hyperflanker.
- Loadout: Aircraft that have unrealistic amount of Missiles, Rockets, Bombs (I.E. 30 AAMs, 70 Bombs (Excluding Bombers), and 500 Rockets.) are deemed cheat planes. Good examples of this are the STB Superbombers.
- Strength: Aircraft that have more than 20 Strength as determined in the DAT file of the plane, is Considered a Cheat Plane. While not exactly regarded as a cheatplane due to its non-combat status, FAVAs pack is an example of high strength use (this is to prevent other pilots from shooting them down).
There is not much the player can do against a cheatplane online. Some Advice:
- Avoid Engagements: Don't Engage a Cheat plane. This is suicide, and will almost always result in death.
- If you are being Engaged, and do not want to be engaged: Begin Evading, or Run Away. Do Not Engage the cheat plane. Try your best to Lose altitude and get below the radar. if he is a new player, he will most likely think you died. If he continues to engage you, Fly as low as you can. if he runs out of missiles, he may leave the plane and take off and get more. this is your chance to leave the airspace and get away alive.
- If he is vulching: Contact a Server Administrator. The Server Admin may Ban the Player. however, cheatplanes are usually removed from servers by the admins to prevent issues such as this.
- Be Vigilant, Alert and Act Fast: Just like a earthquake, you never know when you may be at danger of attack, be it from a cheatplane or not. Practice Evasive manuvers in the planes you usually fly. doing that may improve not only your evasion skills, but may help keep you alive in future engagements. Also, remember: Flares, Flares, Flares. Flares can Easily Throw a missile off track. however, since the latest version of ysflight, missiles may try to retarget you if you are still in the missile's "Field of View". If this Happens, begin evading, and continue to drop flares. this will most often get the missile to become unable to regain a lock on you. Also, use your RADAR. if you detect a Hostile Aircraft, prepare to evade. the plane may or may not engage you, depending on the pilot's intentions.
List of Notable Cheatplanes[]
This list is based on cheatplanes that are notable due to the fact that they have played a part in the history of YS in some way.
- "Admin Aircraft" (generic term)
- Cheatplane (actual name of craft)
- UFO Light Disc
- P-1112 Aigaion
- Hyperflanker
- RPFS Su-30MKI Ivan
- VFA-49 Pack (everything before pack 5)
- J-10X
- 42South Admin Plane