The RUST Scrap Transport Helicopter Guide

What is the RUST Scrap Transport Helicopter?

The RUST Scrap Transport Helicopter (STH) is a player-controlled aircraft with two seats and a large cargo bay in the rear, which can hold many players. It was introduced on September 5th, 2019, in the Transport Helicopter Update and is the sixth aircraft to be added to the game. It’s also the third aircraft to be officially pilot-able by players and the first to allow for transporting non-character objects, such as the Rowboat.

The primary defining feature of the Scrap Transport Helicopter is its ability to move multiple players through the air in its open cargo bay. Like the Hot Air Balloon, the rear cargo bay doesn’t require players to be mounted to fly inside.

Scrap Transport Helicopters, Hot Air Balloons, Attack Helicopters, and Minicopters can be purchased by players for scrap at the RUST Air Wolf Shop. Of the four vehicles, STHs are the bulkiest, highest player-per-vehicle capacity ride, boasting higher health and strength, and have shooting slats in the back bay to fight from. This extra capacity comes at a cost; however, the tradeoff is maneuverability and its off-balance frame, making it difficult for even seasoned pilots to handle.

Scrap Transport Helicopter Screenshots

How to get a Scrap Transport Helicopter

The RUST Scrap Transport Helicopter can be purchased by players for 1250 Scrap at the Air Wolf Vendor inside the Bandit Camp monument. Each purchased STH will have 100 Low Grade Fuel upon spawning in, so if you have a long distance to get back to base, be sure to bring extra fuel.

The Scrap Transport Helicopter can hold two players in the front fuselage: a pilot and a passenger. The passenger’s seat is on the right, with the pilot’s on the left. While flying, the passenger will have full control over their hotbar functions, including the ability to swing, eat, med, or shoot. The pilot will be limited to piloting while the vehicle is in motion.  Players may stand single file in the cargo bay area until no more can logically fit.

Although RUST Scrap Transport Helicopters use Low Grade Fuel to operate, a player can push the vehicle much like a Rowboat. Be warned, when pushing the vehicle up or down hills, once it starts rolling, the STH is nearly impossible to stop unless mounted, or it impacts something. Never be under one when it’s landing – you die without the satisfying squish sound from the cartoons.

Alternatively, you can acquire one of these helicopters by “borrowing” one from the roof of your enemy and cement your future offline raid status. The STH has no lock feature, so carefully guard your new acquisition.

Anatomy of a Scrap Transport Helicopter

Like any other vehicle type, there are specific names for the individual pieces that make up a whole vehicle. While some of these aren’t absolutely pertinent to the game or operation of the STH, they might be referenced at some point in this guide.

• Airspeed Indicator –  allows pilots to view the current speed of the aircraft
• Attitude Indicator – allows pilots to view the current altitude of the aircraft
• Cargo Bay – primary standing area for ‘passengers’ not directly seated in the front of the helicopter
• Fuel Gauge – allows pilots to view the current status of the fuel tank, which consumes low-grade fuel and cannot be accessed mid-flight
• Fuel Tank – deposit slot for fuel storage
• Fuselage – also known as the seating area, semi-protected from gunfire but with open window ports
• Heading Indicator – allows pilots to view the current direction the aircraft is pointing.
• Landing Gear – the wheels of the STH, one of the primary components that can cause an STH to get caught on a terrain feature
• Pylon – a vertical bar that connects the rotor blades to the airframe
• Rotor Blades – whirling blades that simulate the flight effect, cannot be damaged or damage players
• Tailboom – rear protrusion that is used to attach the tail rotor
• Tail Rotor – back-most rotor used to simulate real-world stabilization mechanism

Learn to Fall Before You Fly

Threats are looming everywhere in RUST, so knowing about and acknowledging those often most lethal and even avoidable is important. The Launch Site monument, in particular, comes equipped with S.A.M turrets (Surface-to-air missiles) that are deadly to STHs, and the APC Bradley is always keen to shoot down low-flying fruit.

Scrap Transport Helicopters should avoid the launch site in general at all costs. Players can deploy SAM turrets at their bases, so beware of large compounds or bases you notice with Wind Turbines or large banks of Large Solar Panels. If you’re unsure about a base’s anti-air capacity, scout before flying over whenever possible.

A Scrap Transport Helicopter flying by is an enticing target to any experienced RUST player. The quickest way to put one down is to shoot the pilot in the head or otherwise cause him to panic. The only way to avoid this is to pitch or roll away from where you think targets might be shooting so that the bullets hit the STH instead of your face. If you are in the passenger seat and your pilot goes down, hitting the X key will swap to the pilot seat to attempt to assume control.

More recently added, the Homing Missile Launcher is designed to take down flying aerial vehicles flown by players.  At least with this particular missile type, pilots are given warnings when locked onto, and passengers can throw Flares from the passenger seat or cargo bay to cause the Homing Missiles to miss entirely.  

Lastly, while flying the Scrap Transport Helicopter, players can press the SPACE key to eject from their seat in an inevitable collision or crash. Doing this at the last minute might save your life, so long as you don’t eject too early or too late. Jumping too early, you will experience tremendous fall damage. Jumping too late, you will be too close to the explosion of the crashing STH to survive the fire that will clutter the ground. If you’re in the back of the STH when this transpires, there is a better-than-average chance that you are already dead.

Cargo System

There are two seats located in the cockpit, which require the players to be mounted to the aircraft. The left chair is designated as the primary pilot seat, while the second seat is for the co-pilot. The second seat does not allow aircraft control; however, the co-pilot can wield and use inventory items while in flight.

Up to twelve players can comfortably fit in the cargo bay, while more than 20 players can creatively cram themselves in. Also important to note, players in the cargo bay cannot mount the pilot or co-pilot seats; this requires being outside the aircraft.  However, they can repair or refuel the STH while in flight from the back.

Fuel System

The RUST Scrap Transport Helicopter can hold up to 500 Low Grade Fuel on a standard Vanilla server. It will consume 1 Low Grade Fuel every 2.5 seconds, allowing you to stay airborne for a little over 20 minutes, consistent with the Attack Helicopter and Minicopter varieties.

The STH can be refueled while grounded. Be careful; if an active pilot isn’t seated, other players can open the fuel tank storage and steal its contents. They can also hop into the passenger’s seat if it’s empty or the back cargo bay, so re-fuel only in secured locations.

Refueling When Grounded

To refuel the Scrap Transport Helicopter while it’s on the ground, follow these steps:

1. Have the appropriate Low Grade Fuel in your inventory.
2. Position yourself outside the vehicle on either side of the fuselage.
3. Look between the pilot’s or passenger’s seat and back tire for a red fuel tank conveniently labeled “FUEL.”
4. Press the E key on the fuel tank to open the Fuel Storage screen.
5. Insert the Low Grade Fuel into the Fuel Storage slot.
6. You’ve now refueled the Scrap Transport Helicopter while grounded.

Control System

The large separator between piloting a STH and any other aerial vehicle is maneuverability – this thing operates like a flying tank and turns about the same.  It is much harder to fly at lower altitudes between objects due to its size and handling.  There also feels like a balance discrepancy every time you fly it, leaning towards being back heavy.  When landing, a more pronounced bounce is felt when touching down.  Keep these things in mind until you get a better feel for the vehicle.

Pilot Ground controls:

• Hold Left Ctrl + W, A, S, D to shuttle drive
• Press W once to start the engine
• Hold W to lift off
• Hold S to disengage rotors

Pilot In-flight controls:

• Hold W for lift and accelerate rotors
• Hold S to descend and slow rotors
• A to turn left
• D to turn right
• The Mouse controls pitch and roll
  • Mouse Forward / Mouse Backward to pitch
  • Mouse Left / Mouse Right to roll

Both Seats

• Hold Left Alt + Mouse to look around
• SPACEBAR to leave the vehicle
• X to swap seats

Repair, Decay & Durability Systems

Repair System

The RUST Scrap Transport Helicopter can be repaired 30 seconds after it last took damage. This requires using a Hammer and having Metal Fragments in your inventory. Each repair swing will repair up to 51 damage. The passenger can repair the STH in flight.

As the Scrap Transport Helicopter takes damage, different sections of the helicopter will appear to smoke or catch on fire.

• Around 70% damage, the rear rotor will begin to smoke
• At 65% damage, the rotor will catch on fire
• At 50% damage, the main rotor will begin to smoke
• At 35% damage, the main rotor will catch on fire

Ultimately, when crashing or being blown up, it will continue to burn as a scrap heap for about 5 minutes.

Decay Rate System

The Scrap Transport Helicopter starts with 1000 health and will slowly decay over 480 minutes while outside. If sheltered (roof overhead), it will take 2880 minutes before it finally decays beyond repair.  Housing this vehicle is probably the most challenging of all aerial vehicles in RUST, aside from the Hot Air Balloon. For convenience, we will include a diagram with a simple heli storage base later in the guide.

Durability Damage Chart

The RUST Scrap Transport Helicopter has 1000 Hit Points; all calculations were done based on this number. While fire-based ballistics are included, their damage is impact-based only, as this vehicle is immune to fire damage over time. All calculations were done using an LR-300, MP5A4, and Pump Shotgun for the assorted ammo types at point-blank range, where applicable.

Scrap Transport Helicopter Garage

As promised, we’re including a diagram of sorts for a very simple garage base concept that most players with a few blueprints and minor electrical experience can whip together with relative ease.

To keep things simple, we are including a materials list of everything that goes into creating what is depicted in the images.  You are free to change the layout in any way you like, so long as it has (most of) the key components specifically gone over. 

Due to the nature of the vehicle being housed, we have elected to present an open-concept design geared more towards occupying a space within a compound. If you’re in a position to be able to afford this type of vehicle, the assumption could also be made that you’d have most of the blueprints needed for deployables below.

WHEN BUILDING DISCLAIMER:

To achieve the stability necessary to place the roof structure properly, temporary thatch door frames might be necessary during construction. They should be easily removable after the roof is up and attached from both ends. Please see the following images for temporary placement, before and after.

Materials / Deployables List

• Resources
  • 12210 Stone
  • 2143 Wood
• Building Tools / Essentials
  • 1 Tool Cupboard
  • 1 Building Plan
  • 1 Hammer
  • 2 Garage Doors
  • 1 Strengthened Glass Window
  • 5 Key or Code Locks
  • Storage Containers (Optional)
• Electrical
  • 2 Auto Turrets W/Weapons & Ammo
  • 3 Root Combiners
  • 1 Large / Medium Battery
  • 1 Electrical Branch
  • 1 Splitter
  • 4 Large Solar Panels
  • 10 Industrial Wall Lights

TC Area With Door

Given the assumption that you have turrets up and have included this garage design as a part of your compound, there isn’t necessarily a need to have a functional airlock on your TC and electrical areas unless you intend to keep a lot of loot storage on hand.  That being said, a simple garage door and window setup should be adequate for keeping this structure standing and secure.

Electrical Area With Door

As with the TC area, a single garage door is probably more than sufficient for keeping your electrical safe and lights working.

Lights & Turrets

As far as lighting goes, you will want some in place to ensure that you aren’t accidentally blowing up your really expensive vehicles at night.  This landing platform is large enough to fit several vehicles at once, and some extra lighting might prevent nighttime collisions.  

Turrets are more than up to the task of keeping your lavish rides safe from those wall-jumping types hellbent on turning RUST into Grand Theft Auto. More than two may be added, but we certainly wouldn’t go with less than that. No sense in regretting a little extra electrical work when it could have saved you thousands in potential scrap.

Frequently Asked Questions

Admin Commands & Convars

Final Thoughts

As players further push the envelope of game progression methods, game mechanic exploitations, and game admin patience, you can be sure that Corrosion Hour will be right here detailing all of the tools that they are sure to use for these ends.  Be sure to check out our Discord for all of our most recent updates.  Be good to each other, always.