AmidKnight

Helicopter Import Guide

Rotary-wing aircraft including attack and transport. Follow these tailored steps for helicopter imports including config inheritance, memory points, and in-game testing.

Create Checklist
Official BI Wiki References
Primary sources used to tailor this guide. Read these alongside each step.

Required Mods for Helicopter

CBA_A3 (Community Base Addons)

Foundation library used by most modern Arma 3 mods. Required for scripted features, keybinds, and compatibility macros.

Subscribe on Steam Workshop, enable in Arma 3 Launcher before your mod.

ACE3

Optional

Advanced Combat Environment — needed if your assets use ACE ballistics, medical, or interaction systems.

Only required when inheriting ACE classes or using ACE-specific config.

A3_Soft_F (Base Game)

Vanilla wheeled vehicles — parent for cars, trucks, and light MRAPs.

Use C_Offroad_01_F, B_MRAP_01_F, etc. as inheritance bases.

A3_Armor_F (Base Game)

Vanilla tracked and heavy armour — parent for APCs, IFVs, and tanks.

Use appropriate tank/APC parent (e.g. B_APC_Tracked_01_F).

A3_Air_F (Base Game)

Vanilla aircraft — parent for helicopters and planes.

Helicopters: Heli_Transport_01_F family. Planes: Plane_Fighter_03_F family.

A3_Boat_F (Base Game)

Vanilla watercraft — parent for ships and boats.

Use Boat classes for buoyancy and water simulation inheritance.

RHS (USAF / AFRF / GREF / SAF)

Optional

Optional but common dependency when retexturing or extending RHS assets.

Subscribe to the RHS packs your project extends; list in requiredAddons[].

CUP Weapons / Vehicles / Units

Optional

Community Upgrade Project — optional base for CUP-compatible retextures.

Enhanced Movement / RotorLib

Optional

RotorLib (RTD) is built into Arma 3 for advanced helicopter flight models.

Enable advanced flight model testing for helicopters and planes.

Step-by-Step Process

1

Install Arma 3 Tools

Install Arma 3 Tools from Steam. Object Builder, TexView 2, and Addon Builder are required for the full pipeline.

  • Steam → Library → Tools → Arma 3 Tools → Install
  • Verify Object Builder opens and can load .p3d files
  • Addon Builder packs and binarizes — formerly known as BinPBO
Arma 3 ToolsObject BuilderTexView 2Addon Builder
Creating an Addon
2

Create Mod Folder Structure

Organize as @YourMod/addons/your_addon/. config.cpp must sit at the addon folder root.

  • Create @YourMod/addons/ — packed .pbo files go here
  • Each addon source folder needs its own config.cpp at root
  • All model/texture paths use your addon prefix (e.g. mymod\data\texture.paa)
  • model.cfg lives alongside the .p3d (see Model Config wiki)
Creating an AddonModel Config
3

Configure Arma 3 Launcher

Enable your local mod and every mod listed in requiredAddons[] before testing.

  • Launcher → Mods → Add local mod → select @YourMod
  • Enable CBA_A3 and all CfgPatches requiredAddons[] entries
  • After each pack, restart the game or reload to pick up PBO changes
CBA_A3
4

Plan LODs & Selections

Before modelling, plan every LOD the asset needs. LOD resolution numbers only determine sort order in Arma 3 — not view distance.

  • Resolution LODs (0, 1, 2…): visual mesh — aim for ~50% triangle reduction per step
  • Geometry (1×1e13): collision — required for physics interaction
  • Geometry Phys (4×1e13): PhysX convex components for vehicles
  • Memory (1×1e15): axes, memory points, proxies, and animation pivots
  • View Geometry (6×1e15) & Fire Geometry (7×1e15): line-of-sight and ballistics
  • Hit Points (5×1e15): vertices for damage sphere placement on vehicles
  • Land Contact (2×1e15): ground contact points for placement
LODLOD Resolutions
5

Model & Export to P3D

Build meshes in Blender/3ds Max, export via Object Builder. 1 unit = 1 metre in Arma.

  • Triangulate before export; check face normals and UV seams
  • Named selections for hiddenSelections[], hitpoints, and glass
  • Memory LOD: place all axes and memory points here (not in resolution LODs)
  • Validate each LOD in Object Builder before moving to config work
Blender or 3ds MaxObject Builder
LOD
6

Write model.cfg

model.cfg links the P3D to cfgModels — sections, skeleton, and procedural animations. It takes precedence over config.cpp animation defs when both exist.

  • cfgModels: class name matches model filename; define sections[] and skeletonName
  • cfgSkeletons: skeletonBones[] parent→child bone hierarchy for skinning
  • Animations: type (rotation, translation, hide), source controller, selection, axis
  • Vehicle wheels use source="wheel"; dampers use source="damper" with offset0/offset1 ±0.5
  • Weapons: reloadMagazine hide/unhideValue, hasOptics for folding sights, ammoRandom for muzzle flash rotation
  • config.cpp AnimationSources (designer) maps user actions to model.cfg Animations (artist)
Model Config
7

Convert Textures to PAA

Arma requires .paa textures. Convert PNG/TGA with TexView 2.

  • Power-of-two sizes: 256, 512, 1024, 2048
  • Suffixes: _co (colour), _no (normal), _as (ambient shadow), _smdi (specular)
  • hiddenSelectionsMaterials[] paths must match rvmat and PAA locations
TexView 2
8

Write config.cpp

CfgPatches is mandatory. Token names in CfgVehicles/CfgWeapons are context-specific — always check the reference for your class.

  • CfgPatches: units[], weapons[], requiredAddons[], requiredVersion
  • CfgVehicles covers soldiers (Man), land/air/sea vehicles, backpacks, and statics
  • CfgWeapons holds guns/launchers; CfgMagazines holds ammo (separate since Arma 3)
  • CfgWeapons Items/Equipment/Glasses for NVGs, headgear, and facewear
  • scope = 2 for editor visibility; inherit from the closest vanilla parent
CfgVehicles Config ReferenceCfgWeapons Config ReferenceCreating an Addon
9

Pack with Addon Builder

Binarize converts configs and embeds model.cfg. Non-.cpp files must be listed to copy.

  • Source: addon folder containing config.cpp
  • Destination: @YourMod/addons/
  • Enable Binarize — catches config syntax errors during pack
  • Copy list: *.p3d;*.paa;*.rvmat;*.ogg;*.wss;*.jpg;*.png (as needed)
  • Project path should match source path — setting P:\ binarizes the entire drive
Addon Builder
Creating an Addon
10

Test In-Game & Diagnostics

Verify in Eden Editor. Use BI diagnostics for hitpoint spheres and PhysX on vehicles.

  • Check %localappdata%\Arma 3\*.rpt for binarize and runtime errors
  • Vehicles: run hitpoint diagnostics to visualize radius spheres vs Fire Geometry
  • Cars: epevehicle diag mode helps tune suspension and gearbox
  • Test all crew positions, damage states, and wreck transition
Vehicle Hitpoint Creation
11

Vehicle Hitpoints (All Types)

Shared rules from Vehicle Hitpoint Creation and Jets Hitpoint Configuration wikis apply to every vehicle.

  • Hit Points LOD (5×1e15): place vertices per hitpoint selection; config radius defines sphere size
  • Place HP vertices inside Fire Geometry — not on the visual surface (more durable, fewer verts)
  • Leave airspace between different FG types — overlapping armor/HP causes damage leakage
  • HP spheres should only contact ONE component type; standardize radius across all HP for easier layout
  • armorStructural divides passThrough; explosionShielding multiplies indirect damage (<1 = shielding)
  • Post-Tanks DLC: armorComponent links hitpoint to Fire Geometry selection for penetration calc
  • Use Arma 3 Diagnostics to visualize hitpoint spheres in-game
Vehicle Hitpoint CreationJets Hitpoint ConfigurationDamage EnhancementVehicle Configuration Category
12

Vehicle Sound Locations & Curves

Engine and impact sounds are 3D-positioned using memory points and distance curves — not played from model origin by default.

  • memoryPointExhaust + memoryPointExhaustDir — engine loop emitter on Memory LOD (place at tailpipe, not [0,0,0])
  • Gun/turret shots use gunBegin (usti hlavne) as spatial origin — same as ballistics
  • Modern: class SoundSets in CfgVehicles links to CfgSoundSets; playTrigger uses rpm, engineOn, camPos controllers
  • Legacy: class Sounds >> EngineExt { sound[], frequency, volume, cone[] } — still valid on older inheritances
  • soundGetIn/Out/Crash[] — one-shots: { "SoundSetOrPath", volume, pitch }
  • CfgSoundShaders: range + rangeCurve per layer; CfgSoundSets: volumeCurve on mixed output
  • Interior vs exterior: separate SoundSets with playTrigger = "engineOn * (1-camPos)" vs "engineOn * camPos"
  • sound3DProcessingType — Vehicle_Ext_3DProcessingType (Emitter) vs WeaponMediumShot3DProcessingType
Sound: SoundSetSound: SoundControllersSound: Sound CurvesCfgVehicles Config ReferenceCars Config Guidelines
12

Helicopter Config & model.cfg

Helicopters use RotorLib (RTD). model.cfg cyclic/rotor controllers drive mast animations.

  • Inherit Heli_Transport_01_F or attack heli parent from A3_Air_F
  • model.cfg: cyclicAside, cyclicForward, rotor controllers for mast/blade anims
  • Memory: pilot, copilot, cargo getIn/getOut; rotor hit memory points
  • Landing gear: gear controller (0=down, 1=up) in model.cfg Animations
A3_Air_F
Model ConfigCfgVehicles Config ReferenceVehicle Configuration Category
13

Helicopter Hitpoints

Jets Hitpoint Configuration applies to rotary-wing aircraft.

  • HitHull, HitEngine (HitEngine2 for twin-engine), HitHRotor, HitVRotor
  • Place HP vertices inside Fire Geometry — surface-mounted spheres over-damage to explosives
  • armorStructural affects passThrough; minimalHit discards chip damage
  • depends = "-" to clear inherited depends (empty string causes RPT warnings)
Jets Hitpoint ConfigurationVehicle Hitpoint Creation