Canyon flight

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A canyon flight mission

A recurring gameplay feature in the Ace Combat games, a canyon flight refers to any instance when the player is forced to pilot their aircraft at very low altitude through a series of canyons or ravines in order to avoid intense enemy anti-aircraft defenses blanketing the airspace above. Unlike tunnel flights, canyon flights typically occur at random points throughout the games as opposed to at or near the climax of the storyline. Canyon flights typically only comprise a portion of a given mission, though mission 23 of Ace Combat 5 consists entirely of a prolonged canyon flight, culminating in a high-speed dogfight within the confines of Payavlenie Ravine.

Canyon Flights in the Ace Combat series

Air Combat

Canyon flight in Air Combat (Mission 07)

The player attacks an enemy radar base hidden in a ravine in Mission 07 "Suppress Radar Base" and flies through another ravine to reach enemy headquarters in Mission 16 "Strike!". The poor graphics make it very easy to crash due to being unable to distinguish between the two walls of the canyon when making turns. Trying to leave the ravines results in the player being shot down instantly by unavoidable SAMs.

Ace Combat 2

Scarface One attacking an enemy base hidden in ravines in the missions "Greased Lightning", "One Night Stand", and "El Dorado". "El Dorado" also introduces targets placed in tunnels that must be attacked by firing a missile directly into the tunnel mouth.

Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere

Nemo and Rena Hirose following a General Resource A/F-117X NAV Hawk through a canyon on a spy mission.

Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies

Mobius 1 egressing the Faith Park area through a series of ravines to evade attacks from Stonehenge.

Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War

Razgriz Squadron protecting Yuktobanian resistance members and engaging Ofnir Squadron in Payavlenie Ravine.

Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War

Galm Team infiltrating the Avalon Dam area via the canyon south of the dam in order to to reach the V2 launch site.

Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception

Gryphus One avoiding Gleipnir's SWBM and air-to-air missile & attacks in Stand Canyon.

Ace Combat Xi: Skies of Incursion

Falco One flying through a canyon to avoid anti-aircraft fire while destroying supply warehouses.

Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation

Garuda Team flying through Grageo Canyon on the transport route assault alongside Windhover Squadron during "Ragno Fortress" and Garuda Team flying across the Alma River during "Weapons of Mass Destruction".

Ace Combat: Joint Assault

Antares Squadron flying Andre Olivieri's personal 747 200B through a canyon around the old Mora jamming facility whilst evading attacks from gunboats and AH-64A Apache choppers.

Ace Combat: Assault Horizon

• Warwolf Squadron and Lion Squadron fly through a Canyon while fighting the rebel Big Bear Squadron after the latter squadron defects as part of the New Russian Federation uprising.
• Razor 1 flies through a canyon in the Caucasus Mountains, avoiding the early warning radar network.

Ace Combat Infinity

• Bone Arrow and the Ridgebacks must flee from the Stonehenge's line of fire in "Rescue".
• Bone Arrow and the Ridgebacks infiltrate Avalon Dam in Russia via the canyon.
• In an online co-op mission, players have to infiltrate Avalon Dam in Russia via the canyon during the beginning of the "Avalon Dam Invasion" mission or risk being shot down by the Air Defense Missiles.

Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown

• Spare Squadron must navigate through the narrow Yinshi Valley to locate and take out Erusean SAM sites and RADAR stations that were preventing Cyclops Squadron and Strider Squadron from safely returning to base in "First Contact".
• Strider Squadron must navigate through the ravine in Cape Rainy in order to reach an Erusean air base in "Cape Rainy Assault".