Collective
Raises or lowers the aircraft. Near the ground, use small changes rather than holding full input.
PC · PLAYSTATION 5 · XBOX SERIES X|S
Hell Let Loose Vietnam Helicopter Controls Guide
Understand the four flight inputs before taking a Pilot seat, verify your current platform mapping in the tutorial, then learn a controlled takeoff, approach and landing sequence.
Reviewed Aug 16, 2026 · PC defaults recorded; console layouts require an on-device check
LEARN THE AXES FIRST
Every platform controls the same four movements
Pitch
Nose down builds forward movement; nose up reduces it. Pitch does not replace collective.
Roll
Banks left or right. Excess roll near the ground creates the sideways drift that ruins landings.
Yaw
Turns the nose left or right. Use it to align the aircraft without making a large bank.
PC DEFAULTS
Keyboard and mouse Pilot controls
These launch-era defaults come from the published keyboard catalogue. Check the Pilot section after changing bindings or installing an update.
ACTIONDEFAULTWHAT IT CHANGES
Pitch forward / backW / STilts the nose to build or reduce forward movement
Roll left / rightA / DBanks the aircraft for lateral movement and turns
Yaw left / rightLeft / right mouse buttonRotates the nose without relying on forward speed
Increase / reduce collectiveSpace / Left CtrlRaises or lowers lift; use gradual inputs near the ground
Auto-LevelLeft ShiftRecovery input for returning toward a stable attitude
Helicopter supply dropEMission action; confirm the drop location with the crew
PLAYSTATION 5
Verify the selected controller preset
The current indexed controller guide documents general layouts and sensitivity, but does not publish a reliable Pilot button diagram. Open the helicopter tutorial and confirm which sticks or triggers operate collective, yaw, pitch and roll before entering a live match.
- Identify collective before starting the engine.
- Test yaw separately from the communication wheel.
- Locate Auto-Level and the supply-drop action.
XBOX SERIES X|S
Use the same four-input check
Controller preset changes can affect more than the Pilot seat, so do not copy an unverified PlayStation diagram button-for-button. Confirm the displayed Xbox labels in Controls → Pilot and practise the tutorial with the exact preset you intend to keep.
- Move one axis at a time and watch the aircraft response.
- Check whether inversion matches your expectation.
- Do not carry passengers until a stable landing is repeatable.
Why the console section does not invent a button mapCurrent search results contain conflicting community descriptions and reports that presets affect multiple control groups. A current PS5 or Xbox Controls-screen capture is still needed before exact controller labels can be presented as verified.
FIRST FLIGHT
A six-step takeoff and landing routine
Before lift
Open Controls → Pilot, confirm every axis and complete the helicopter tutorial. Agree on the first landing zone before taking passengers.
Takeoff
Increase collective gradually, hold the aircraft level and clear nearby players, trees and structures before adding forward pitch.
Cruise
Use small pitch and roll inputs, correct heading with yaw and keep a route that leaves room to turn away from terrain or fire.
Approach
Reduce forward movement early. Arrive above the landing zone under control instead of trying to stop during the final descent.
Land
Level the aircraft, remove lateral drift, lower collective in small steps and keep correcting yaw until firmly on the ground.
Abort
If the landing zone is obstructed, contested or the aircraft begins to slide, add collective, regain a stable attitude and try another approach.
CREW CALLS
Say what changes the flight plan
- Landing-zone name, map mark and approach direction.
- Whether the zone is clear, hot or obstructed.
- Passenger count and whether the squad is ready to exit.
- Supply-drop location before the final approach.
COMMON FAILURE
Fix the approach, not the last second
- Too much forward speed: reduce it before descending.
- Sideways slide: level roll and remove drift before touchdown.
- Overcorrection: release the input and use Auto-Level when safe.
- Bad landing zone: climb away instead of forcing the landing.
WATCH THE AIR-GROUND LOOP
Developer-provided helicopter gameplay
This short showcase demonstrates landing-zone selection, pickup, marking and door-gunner context. It is gameplay context rather than a complete control tutorial.
QUICK ANSWERS
Helicopter control questions
What are the default helicopter controls on PC in Hell Let Loose: Vietnam?
The launch-era PC catalogue records W and S for pitch, A and D for roll, left and right mouse buttons for yaw, Space and Left Ctrl for collective, Left Shift for Auto-Level and E for the helicopter supply drop. Verify the current Pilot bindings after any patch or custom remap.
Are Hell Let Loose: Vietnam helicopter controls the same on PS5 and Xbox?
Both console versions use the same flight concepts, but button labels and selected controller presets can change the displayed mapping. Use the helicopter tutorial and the current Controls screen as the authority for your selected layout; this guide does not infer unverified button labels.
What does Auto-Level do in a helicopter?
Auto-Level is the recovery input recorded in the Pilot control list. Use it to help return toward a stable attitude after releasing aggressive pitch or roll, while still managing collective and terrain clearance. It is not a substitute for planning a gentle approach.
How should a beginner practise helicopter landing?
Use the tutorial, choose an open landing zone, approach into a stable hover, reduce forward movement before descending, make small yaw and roll corrections, lower collective gradually and be ready to abort if the aircraft starts drifting or the zone becomes unsafe.
SOURCES & EVIDENCE BOUNDARY
What this guide can verify
These guides separate first-party release facts, dated catalogues and observed gameplay behavior. Version-sensitive values or features remain unstated when the current sources do not verify them.
Official unit overviewHell Let Loose: Vietnam official game pageDeveloper-provided gameplay footageUS Helicopters gameplay showcaseOfficial launch tactics, issues and hotfix threadDev Comms Thread & Launch UpdatesLaunch-era PC control snapshotKeyboard and mouse settings catalogueLaunch-era controller settings snapshotController settings catalogue