Flyer Nerf Feedback (long)

[Silk]

Here are my thoughts on adjustments to the flyer nerf that I think will help make them more viable/useful while making considerations for both balance and differentiation between them.
 

General Flight Dynamics:
    Currently flying consumes a static amount of stamina based on whether it's sprinting or not.
    
    Adjustments:
    Add a glide mode that is slower than standard movement but regenerates stamina at a slow rate.
    Hovering consumes a normal baseline level of stamina.
    Movement upward consumes more stamina than hovering scaled by horizontal movement (aka lift).
    Movement downward consumes less stamina than hovering scaled by horizontal movement (aka lift).
    Scale stamina consumption by actual speed.

Terror Bird
    Arguably useless as a flying/gliding mount. It's too slow on land and air.
    
    Adjustments:
    Bumping up its speed significantly can make this mount much more viable and valuable.
    
    Balance Considerations:
    It's balanced by virtue that it can only glide.
    Allow movement speed increases via stat points.

Archaeopteryx
    A living parachute that is essentially useless since it's not shoulder mount and prevents use of any weapons while carrying it even on land.
    
    Adjustments:
    Make this a shoulder mount, and you will make it much more useful.
    Increase it's horizontal speed (scaled through the movement speed stat) and make control over it's direction more responsive to user input. (less a parachute, more of a hang glider that can't elevate).
    Allow faster descent without having to fall to your death.
    
    Balance Considerations:
    It's balanced by virtue of it being simply a parachute.
    Incorporate stamina into its flight capabilities.
    Allow movement speed increases via stat points.
    
Lymantria
    Essentially a useless mounted flyer because it's unbelievably slow, has no offensive capabilities, defensively weak, and can carry barely any weight. It has no advantages at all.
    
    Adjustments:
    Increase its flying speed dramatically.  Keep it weak, but make it a really fast scout, viable for stealing wyvern eggs but easily killed.
    Allow fart cloud to fertilize crops.
    Allow fart cloud to have a refertilizer effect.
    
    Balance Considerations:
    Keep it's weak base stamina to counteract the benefits of an extreme speed buff.
    Allow movement speed increases via stat points.
    
Pelagornis
    Wonderful jet ski due its unique ability to land on water and skim accross it.  Very slow flyer making it useless to take advantage of its organic polymer harvesting buff.  It can't pick anything up, so it has very low utility as is.
    
    Adjustments:
    This should be a fast scout.  Boost it's base speed past that of a pteranodon or tapejara.
    
    Balance Considerations:
    It has the flexibility of landing on water to regain stamina, so lower it's base stamina significantly while maintaining an average stamina regen rate.
    Boost its stamina regeneration while on water
    Do not allow movement speed increases via stat points.
    
Pteranodon
    The staple flyer of the game.  It can pick up most small creatures (including humans), which is a highly valuable ability.  It's physically weak, but otherwise is the definition of average.
    
    Adjustments:
    Increase it's base speed to make it a fast scout.
    Increase stamina regeneration rate (possibly when at high altitude peaks to reflect a need to keep it away from ground predators)
    
    Balance Considerations:
    Lower its base health to reflect how weak it is.
    Lower its base stamina to reflect how weak it is.
    Do not allow movement speed increases via stat points.
    
Tapejara
    The apache helicopter of the ark flying fleet.  It's mobility is unparalleled and its weight is very valuable for transporting goods.
    
    Adjustments:
    Increase its base speed beyond the Pteranodon (but slower than the Pelagornis).
    Increase stamina regeneration when mounted vertically on a wall/cliff.
    Allow it to stay on the cliff/wall when unmounted (like a Thylo)
    Add an air-break mechanic.
    
    Balance Considerations:
    Remove it's ability to pick up anything (especially humans).  This feature is more or less usless in combat and redundant outside of combat due to its ability to seat three players.
    Do not allow movement speed increases via stat points.
    
Argentavis
    The only utility an argy has is by virtue of its speed and ability to pick up medium sized creatures.
    
    Adjustments:
    Increase its speed, but slower than a pteranodon.
    
    Balance Considerations:
    It's pretty balanced as is, the speed boost will bring it in line with the other flyers.
    Do not allow movement speed increases via stat points.
    
Quetzal
    Highly valuable for mining/farming the highest resources spawns.  Useful as a mobile crafting base.  Used in combat to position artillary, and act as a defensive bullet shield.
    
    Adjustments:
    Increase speed to be on par with an Argentavis.
    Increase base stamina, it's far too low as it is right now.
    When running out of stamina, allow for a graceful glide to the ground instead of a drop to your quetzal's death.
    Give Anklyos a 1/5th metal and obsidian weight reduction (which will benefit land use too).
    Give Doedicuruses a 1/5th stone weight reduction  (which will benefit land use too).
    
    Balance Considerations:
    Keep weight transfer as 100% for dinos on its platform, this is reasonable if the anky/metal-obs and doed/stone weight reduction is implemented.
    Do not allow movement speed increases via stat points.
    
Wyvern
    Highly valuable for its speed and attack capabilities.  Very weak due to its lack of saddle armor.
    
    Adjustments:
    Increase speed to be faster than any other flyer.
    
    Balance Considerations:
    Keep base stamina very low.
    Should have low to average stamina regeneration.
    Breath attacks should consume large amounts of stamina.
    Do not allow movement speed increases via stat points.