Can you master it?
Adds a simple helicopter with realistic flight physics.
Flying takes skill, but everything else is deliberately kept simple.
With two seats, it's built for exploration and transport in survival mode. Control it with a keyboard and mouse or a gamepad.
Start the engine, use leads to carry a boat beneath your helicopter, and take to the skies!
Keep track of your airspeed, rotor speed, attitude, heading, altitude, and fuel with six working cockpit instruments.
While aboard, open your inventory and click the fuel gauge to refuel with lava buckets. Two buckets fill an empty tank. You can also refuel from outside by using a lava bucket on the helicopter.
Use leads to carry a boat and its passengers beneath your helicopter. Press X or D-pad down to release attached cargo. The leads return to your inventory; any that won't fit are dropped.
Craft a helicopter using 2 iron ingots, 1 regular lightning rod, 5 iron blocks, and 1 redstone block, arranged as shown below. The lightning rod must be unwaxed and unoxidized; waxed or oxidized variants won't work.
Place the helicopter item on the ground, then right-click the helicopter to enter the pilot seat. Press R while near the helicopter to enter the passenger seat. While aboard, press R to switch to the other seat if it's empty. Use your crouch key to dismount.
New helicopters start with an empty fuel tank in survival mode, so refuel before starting the engine.
You can change key bindings in Minecraft's settings.
Tested controllers (USB connection only):
Wireless connections have not been tested. Connected controllers are detected automatically, and you can use a controller alongside your keyboard and mouse. Other controller models have not been tested and are not guaranteed to work.
| Action | DualSense | Xbox |
|---|---|---|
| Climb / descend | Left stick up / down | Left stick up / down |
| Yaw left / right | Left stick left / right | Left stick left / right |
| Pitch / roll | Right stick | Right stick |
| Toggle the engine (pilot only) | Square (□) | X |
| Dismount | Circle (○) | B |
| Enter a nearby helicopter's passenger seat / switch to an empty seat | Cross (×) | A |
| Change the camera view | Triangle (△) | Y |
| Free look | Hold R1 and move the right stick | Hold RB and move the right stick |
| Release attached cargo (either seat) | D-pad down | D-pad down |
Release R1 / RB to return to the default view. The cargo-release controls are available when cargo is attached.
Minecraft Java Edition 26.3 and Java 25.
For multiplayer, install the same version of the mod on the server and on every player's client. Do not install multiple versions of this mod at the same time. Back up your world before updating.
The NeoForge edition follows the gameplay and features of Forge version 0.22.43, with additional shader compatibility work and an in-game shader troubleshooting guide.
Only the environments and combinations listed above have been checked. Other versions and combinations have not been verified. Iris and Sodium are optional.
For multiplayer, use the same NeoForge version and the same Simple Helicopter version on the server and clients. A connection attempt from a NeoForge 26.3.0.1-beta client to a 26.3.0.76 server failed during testing; the cause is still under investigation.
Multiplayer reports awaiting investigation in the NeoForge edition include mounted-player nameplate orientation and a crash when one player changes game mode.
Shader packs may cause visual issues, including ghosting on the helicopter, rotors or instruments during flight, unusually dark lighting, or uneven shading on curved surfaces. Results depend on the shader pack and its settings.
Use /heliguide to open the in-game guide. It explains ghosting reduction with BSL as an example and includes a link for reporting other issues. A clickable chat hint also appears when shaders are enabled or switched.
If the guide does not help, or you find another issue, please leave a comment on the distribution page. Include the mod and shader names/versions, when the issue happens, and an image or short video if possible.
For questions about these terms, please contact me through the comments section.
