Changelog
V2.0 (release candidate: V2.0-rc1)
Version 2.0 is a complete rebuild of HelicopterOptions. The police helicopter
now flies and chases much more competently, almost everything is configurable,
and the whole mod is safer and better behaved. Compared with the original
release (V1.0.1):

Added
Chase-speed control that keeps the helicopter from crawling on straights,
with an optional minimum and maximum chase speed.
Movement prediction so the helicopter aims where you are going, easing off
when you brake or turn hard.
Stopped-player handling that holds a close position when you stop instead
of drifting off into the distance.
Sudden-turn recovery that re-centers the helicopter when you make a hard
U-turn or handbrake turn.
Stability protection that gently levels the helicopter if it ever rolls,
pitches, or spins too far, so it recovers instead of tumbling.
Configurable attacks: control attack frequency, angle, timing, and spacing;
a follow-only mode that never attacks; and an option to stop repeated ramming.
Optional aggression that can build up over a long pursuit.
A safety net that hands control back to the game if anything ever goes
wrong, so the helicopter always keeps working.
Extras: never lose sight of you, never run out of fuel, adjustable flying
height, turning, and acceleration.
Improved
The helicopter keeps up and corners with you far more naturally than before.
Motion is smoother and more stable, with built-in protection against the old
uncontrollable-spinning behavior.
Logging is clearer and written in plain language, and it never floods the file.
Fixed
Resolved the long-standing spinning/instability problems from the original
release.
Corrected many internal values that did not match the game's real behavior.
The mod now reliably recognizes the supported game version and starts up
cleanly.
Configuration
Settings are now split into fourteen topic-based .ini files under
scripts\HelicopterOptions\Configuration\, each with plain-English
explanations, recommended ranges, and default values.
Missing settings files are recreated automatically; existing files are never
overwritten.
Sensible defaults improve the helicopter noticeably out of the box, while
experimental and difficulty-increasing options stay switched off.
Compatibility
Only runs on the supported English PC v1.3 game version; other versions are
left completely untouched.
Works alongside other .asi mods: if another mod already changed the same
part of the game, the affected feature is skipped and everything else keeps
working.
Changes are applied only in memory and fully undone when the game closes.
Removed
The old single settings file (replaced by the fourteen topic files above).
The preset system.