Area 69

Area 69, sometimes also refered to as No-Fly Zone or Restricted Area, is a highly protected and secretive government research facility that is located in the heart of Bone County, San Andreas. It sit to the south of Verdant Meadows Airstrip, west of Las Venturas, east of El Castillo del Diablo, and north of Green Palms.

Description
The base is based off of the real-life Area 51 in southern Nevada, but named after the 69 sex position. The in-game base differs greatly from the real life Area 51, evidenced by the lack of a runway, small in overall size, and different in layout. In the past, Area 69 was associated with the long-held rumor of aliens and UFO sightings. The base is considered to be restricted and off-limits to the player. The player will instantly recieve a 5-star wanted level if the player should enter or fly over the area. Flying over the base not only results in a wanted level, but also tracking an attack by SAM sites and pursuing Hydras. Flying too close to the edge of the base will also result in attack from the nearest SAM site, but won't result in a wanted level unless the player is close to the base's periphery. The base's four SAM sites can be destroyed using powerful weaponry, such as missiles from a jet or missiles from a rocket launcher, or a minigun. Furthermore, their heat-seeking missiles may be avoided using countermeasures (flares), if equipped on the player's aircraft.

The base is known to house various clandestine government projects, such as the Black Project Jetpack, a couple of weapon pickups and a couple of body armor and health icon spawn points. Echoing the conspiracy theries surrounding Area 51, it is implied that the facility may be tied to local housing of projects involving UFOs and extraterrestrial life, as suggested by the presence of the nearby Lil' Probe'Inn. Some dialogs on the base's PA system, which can be heard from the Black Project mission quotes "Would the personnel working with the alien body, please put it away.", or "Personnel found stealing alien technology will not be invited to the next employee outing." Much of the base consists of underground research labs, although the player can only enter this part of the facility is during the mission Black Project, or finding a way into San Andreas' "Blue Hell". Other than that, the above ground structures include a series of watch towers, a control tower, a small airstrip, and garages for military vehicles. These garages are the first area in the game where military vehicles will spawn.

Events in San Andreas
After making his way out to Bone County to meet up with Mike Toreno at the abandoned airstrip, Carl Johnson begins performing dangerous and difficult tasks for this shady government agent, whose "paymasters" remain unidentified (although it is speculated that Toreno may be working for the NSA or the CIA). After temporarily satisfying Toreno's wishes, Carl receives an unexpected visit at the airstrip from The Truth, who Carl hasn't seen since leaving San Fierro. The Truth, disturbed by Carl's allegiance to Toreno, makes his own request: to steal the Black Project from the nearby Area 69 military research facility. The Truth drops Carl off in front of the facility's main gate, and drives off in a hurry, leaving Carl to infiltrate the base alone. Armed with thermal vision goggles, Carl sneaks into the base, and down into the underground research labs. Carl is forced to shoot his way through soldiers and scientists alike, as he makes his way into the depths of the compound, where he finally locates the jetpack. Climbing into the jetpack's straps, Carl boldly applies thrust and escapes through the open sky bay overhead, and blasts off away from the facility as quickly as possible to avoid being shot down by SAM sites and military personnel. As he escapes, a voice over the loudspeaker can be heard frantically shouting, "Get General Mills on the line!", a tongue-in-cheek reference to an American cereal manufacturer.

Local Impact
Public relations for Area 69 have suffered from a great deal of distrust and suspicion from the people of Bone County. There have been reported over 30 deaths due to people attempting to trespass onto the base. Most of the front-page headlines from an issue of The San Andreas Times read, Over 30 people killed in Area 69, Demolish Area 69!!, and also Area 69 = Rubbish.

Pickups, weapons and inventory items

 * M4 - Behind the staircase leading to a watchtower
 * Night Vision Goggles - On a watchtower platform
 * Thermal Vision Goggles - Inside the control room
 * Combat Shotgun - In a dark hallway inside the base
 * Minigun - Inside the control room inside the base

Vehicles

 * Barracks - Parked on the airstrip
 * Two Hydras - Both parked on the airstrip near the tanks, spawns after completing Vertical Bird
 * Cargobob - Parked on the airstrip near the Barracks
 * Patriot - Parked on the airstrip near the Barracks
 * Two Rhino Tanks - both parked in seperate hangers in the airstrip, spawn after completing Black Project
 * Tug - Parked inside the underground complex of the base, only during Black Project

Trivia

 * The number 69 is a referance to the 69 sex position.
 * The underground facility of the base can be accessed by driving a Freeway into the air vents and getting off of the bike. Carl should fall through the vent and land into the control room, next to the Minigun. If the player follows the method that is used in this video, they can enter, explore and get out of the facility without having to kill themselves.
 * The SAM sites preformance is surprisingly poor against high-flying helicopters, with the missiles frequently missing several yards to the sides of the player's helicopter, as long as the player maintains the moderate forward momentum.
 * SAM sites are also known to target boats, as if the player drives a Vortex near the area, the nearest SAM sites will fire at the player.
 * The border of the base isn't clearly defined, so by the time the player reaches the fence, the player will already have received a wanted level. This may be based on Area 51's security, which the border is marked by orange posts which are hard to see.
 * The local police will come into the base to arrest the player if the player enters the base. In real life, Area 51 is patrolled by a private security company who will call the local sheriff to come and arrest trespassers.
 * On the map that usually comes with the game, this area is labled as "No-Fly Zone" rather than "Area 69" or "Restricted Area".