Clandestine Mission(s)

[HLJames 2,568]

Young pirates are doomed before takeoff when they only take enough fuel to fly directly to the destination.

 

Fearless Pilot

Pirate

Cargo Transported 25 Tons

XP - 1.5M

[enamel 4]

Got a nice 30nm hop that ran up the coast of the big island. I got busted within 10nm of takeoff on my first attempt, so I figured this would be a great mission for some law enforcement testing.

 

I did 5 runs, hitting "restart mission" each time I got busted. Each run I would spot the generic aircraft about 3.8nm away in the same spot. It would flash up and immediately disappear, which is the same behavior every time I have seen this aircraft. It flashes, the copilot tells you to steer clear, and immediately vanishes, with the copilot telling you to resume course. However that aircraft was law enforcement every time!

 

I also tested shaking him off my tail. I think it is possible to keep him far enough away long enough to get to the approach checkpoint. He flies large circles, attempting to intercept your vector. If you very quickly change direction against his circle you can put distance between you and him while he sets up another intercept, but I never got to a point where I actually lost him. I think someone with more skills than I have flying an overloaded Maule might be able to hold him off long enough to land, but I am not sure you can lose him once you are close enough to see the words "Law Enforcement".

 

So here is my current working assumptions regarding the law:

 

1) They are placed in a static position, possibly when the mission is created or accepted. Restarting the mission will not change this position.

2) They are placed close to the direct route between the start and end points of the mission. I was able to avoid the encounter by flying away from the direct route, then paralleling it.

3) Flying under 1000ft does not stop them from spawning

4) Flying away from civilization does not stop them from spawning

5) If your copilot spots another aircraft, assume this is the law and avoid the location it was spotted at all costs

6) If you copilot tells you all is clear and to resume course, he is lying. (I think the aircraft disappearing is a bug)

7) It is not possible to shake the law, however it might be possible to keep distance long enough to get to the checkpoint

[Dean_EGTC 57]

I've flown that same 30nm mission, and like you, get busted every time. I haven't found a way of evading the AI yet. It's the only Clandestine mission that has me beat.

[enamel 4]

To complete it I flew directly out to sea about 5nm from shore, maybe more, then flew down the coast and cut back in when I got close to my destination.

[LHookins 3,118]

Enamel, I want to thank you for the insights on the interceptors. I'd already figured out that flying a direct route gives you a higher chance of being intercepted. Anything else you learn, please post it here!

 

Hook

[enamel 4]

No problem Hook, to clarify the above are just my current working assumptions and may not be entirely correct :)

 

It is fun trying to figure this stuff out tho!

[LHookins 3,118]

Doesn't matter if it's perfect. It's more information than we had before. I haven't seen enough of them to realize they were flying a circular search pattern.

 

I avoid them the same way you do, by moving way off shore (usually where the water changes color from ocean to coast). I've only seen one, for half a second, when I forgot and tried to fly a direct route.

 

Hook

[rtodepart 761]

staying just under 100 ft from the water and not going direct to destination has got me to all the trips . 80nm plus over the water at low alt its a bit hard for some to do but it works every time .....

[jasonboche 7]

 

So here is my current working assumptions regarding the law:

 

7) It is not possible to shake the law, however it might be possible to keep distance long enough to get to the checkpoint

 

I disagree on this one. Spotting the law doesn't always end in failure. I have managed to evade the law in other runs such by putting a larger distance between me and the law. The law remainded in the picture for the rest of the run but was never closing on me. It was as if the law was flying away from me as I approached the destination.

[enamel 4]

Gotcha, I have never been able to put enough distance on to not be busted. Thanks for the info.

[Guest]

I have yet to see a clandestine job.... They show up on the Job board, right? At the top or below or before or after Light cargo or before or after passenger or....? I am getting sick and tired of checking out every freakin' airport's Job board and scrolling up and down every freakin' list. Isn't there another clue somewhere that tells you there is a clandestine job?

[dburne 2]

You will only see them at the smaller airports I believe ( the magenta ones on the map), so don't go looking at the blue ones.

And no they are not always available, you do have to just keep checking the magenta airports job boards till you see one.

Usually I can find one after checking 2-3 airports.

[RichLP 32]

Yes, they're on the Jobs board,... mostly, if not exclusively, on the magenta airports. I've had the best luck on the western islands, not as much on the big island. Just click from airport to airport, working your way across from left to right on the map, and you should find one.

 

They're mixed in with the regular jobs, so don't read TOO fast down the jobs list...

[Guest]

Well, I've checked them all but didn't find one up to now. But I understand they are rather rare so... maybe more luck tomorrow...?

[dburne 2]

Well think of them this way, if they were too dang easy to find they wouldn't be so clandestine.