diff --git a/include/game/game_handler.hpp b/include/game/game_handler.hpp
index 278fa7c5..3f795268 100644
--- a/include/game/game_handler.hpp
+++ b/include/game/game_handler.hpp
@@ -501,8 +501,8 @@ public:
     using TaxiPrecacheCallback = std::function<void(const std::vector<glm::vec3>&)>;
     void setTaxiPrecacheCallback(TaxiPrecacheCallback cb) { taxiPrecacheCallback_ = std::move(cb); }
 
-    // Taxi orientation callback (for mount rotation)
-    using TaxiOrientationCallback = std::function<void(float orientationRadians)>;
+    // Taxi orientation callback (for mount rotation: yaw, pitch, roll in radians)
+    using TaxiOrientationCallback = std::function<void(float yaw, float pitch, float roll)>;
     void setTaxiOrientationCallback(TaxiOrientationCallback cb) { taxiOrientationCallback_ = std::move(cb); }
 
     // Callback for when taxi flight is about to start (after mounting delay, before movement begins)
diff --git a/include/rendering/renderer.hpp b/include/rendering/renderer.hpp
index ae3a54cd..41adb8a7 100644
--- a/include/rendering/renderer.hpp
+++ b/include/rendering/renderer.hpp
@@ -129,6 +129,7 @@ public:
     // Mount rendering
     void setMounted(uint32_t mountInstId, float heightOffset);
     void setTaxiFlight(bool onTaxi) { taxiFlight_ = onTaxi; }
+    void setMountPitchRoll(float pitch, float roll) { mountPitch_ = pitch; mountRoll_ = roll; }
     void clearMount();
     bool isMounted() const { return mountInstanceId_ != 0; }
 
@@ -274,6 +275,8 @@ private:
     // Mount state
     uint32_t mountInstanceId_ = 0;
     float mountHeightOffset_ = 0.0f;
+    float mountPitch_ = 0.0f;  // Up/down tilt (radians)
+    float mountRoll_ = 0.0f;   // Left/right banking (radians)
     bool taxiFlight_ = false;
 
     bool terrainEnabled = true;
diff --git a/src/core/application.cpp b/src/core/application.cpp
index a1721fcc..65150b94 100644
--- a/src/core/application.cpp
+++ b/src/core/application.cpp
@@ -719,11 +719,13 @@ void Application::setupUICallbacks() {
     });
 
     // Taxi orientation callback - update mount rotation during flight
-    gameHandler->setTaxiOrientationCallback([this](float orientationRadians) {
+    gameHandler->setTaxiOrientationCallback([this](float yaw, float pitch, float roll) {
         if (renderer && renderer->getCameraController()) {
-            // Convert radians to degrees for camera controller
-            float yawDegrees = glm::degrees(orientationRadians);
+            // Convert radians to degrees for camera controller (character facing)
+            float yawDegrees = glm::degrees(yaw);
             renderer->getCameraController()->setFacingYaw(yawDegrees);
+            // Set mount pitch and roll for realistic flight animation
+            renderer->setMountPitchRoll(pitch, roll);
         }
     });
 
diff --git a/src/game/game_handler.cpp b/src/game/game_handler.cpp
index 5ead3cb5..dfc61b02 100644
--- a/src/game/game_handler.cpp
+++ b/src/game/game_handler.cpp
@@ -5195,12 +5195,17 @@ void GameHandler::startClientTaxiPath(const std::vector<uint32_t>& pathNodes) {
         glm::vec3 dir = end - start;
         float initialOrientation = std::atan2(dir.y, dir.x) - 1.57079632679f;
 
+        // Calculate initial pitch from altitude change
+        glm::vec3 dirNorm = glm::normalize(dir);
+        float initialPitch = std::asin(std::clamp(dirNorm.z, -1.0f, 1.0f));
+        float initialRoll = 0.0f;  // No initial banking
+
         playerEntity->setPosition(start.x, start.y, start.z, initialOrientation);
         movementInfo.orientation = initialOrientation;
 
-        // Update mount rotation immediately
+        // Update mount rotation immediately with pitch and roll
         if (taxiOrientationCallback_) {
-            taxiOrientationCallback_(initialOrientation);
+            taxiOrientationCallback_(initialOrientation, initialPitch, initialRoll);
         }
     }
 
@@ -5281,15 +5286,24 @@ void GameHandler::updateClientTaxi(float deltaTime) {
         3.0f * (-p0 + 3.0f * p1 - 3.0f * p2 + p3) * t2
     );
 
-    // Smooth orientation based on spline tangent
+    // Calculate yaw from horizontal direction
     float targetOrientation = std::atan2(tangent.y, tangent.x) - 1.57079632679f;
 
-    // Smooth rotation transition (lerp towards target)
+    // Calculate pitch from vertical component (altitude change)
+    glm::vec3 tangentNorm = glm::normalize(tangent);
+    float pitch = std::asin(std::clamp(tangentNorm.z, -1.0f, 1.0f));
+
+    // Calculate roll (banking) from rate of yaw change
     float currentOrientation = movementInfo.orientation;
     float orientDiff = targetOrientation - currentOrientation;
     // Normalize angle difference to [-PI, PI]
     while (orientDiff > 3.14159265f) orientDiff -= 6.28318530f;
     while (orientDiff < -3.14159265f) orientDiff += 6.28318530f;
+    // Bank proportional to turn rate (scaled for visual effect)
+    float roll = -orientDiff * 2.5f;
+    roll = std::clamp(roll, -0.7f, 0.7f);  // Limit to ~40 degrees
+
+    // Smooth rotation transition (lerp towards target)
     float smoothOrientation = currentOrientation + orientDiff * std::min(1.0f, deltaTime * 3.0f);
 
     playerEntity->setPosition(nextPos.x, nextPos.y, nextPos.z, smoothOrientation);
@@ -5298,9 +5312,9 @@ void GameHandler::updateClientTaxi(float deltaTime) {
     movementInfo.z = nextPos.z;
     movementInfo.orientation = smoothOrientation;
 
-    // Update mount rotation to face flight direction
+    // Update mount rotation with yaw, pitch, and roll for realistic flight
     if (taxiOrientationCallback_) {
-        taxiOrientationCallback_(smoothOrientation);
+        taxiOrientationCallback_(smoothOrientation, pitch, roll);
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/rendering/renderer.cpp b/src/rendering/renderer.cpp
index d569680c..67e2b7b8 100644
--- a/src/rendering/renderer.cpp
+++ b/src/rendering/renderer.cpp
@@ -508,6 +508,8 @@ void Renderer::setMounted(uint32_t mountInstId, float heightOffset) {
 void Renderer::clearMount() {
     mountInstanceId_ = 0;
     mountHeightOffset_ = 0.0f;
+    mountPitch_ = 0.0f;
+    mountRoll_ = 0.0f;
     charAnimState = CharAnimState::IDLE;
     if (cameraController) {
         cameraController->setMounted(false);
@@ -659,7 +661,8 @@ void Renderer::updateCharacterAnimation() {
         if (mountInstanceId_ > 0) {
             characterRenderer->setInstancePosition(mountInstanceId_, characterPosition);
             float yawRad = glm::radians(characterYaw);
-            characterRenderer->setInstanceRotation(mountInstanceId_, glm::vec3(0.0f, 0.0f, yawRad));
+            // Apply pitch (up/down), roll (banking), and yaw for realistic flight
+            characterRenderer->setInstanceRotation(mountInstanceId_, glm::vec3(mountPitch_, mountRoll_, yawRad));
 
             // Drive mount model animation: idle when still, run when moving
             auto pickMountAnim = [&](std::initializer_list<uint32_t> candidates, uint32_t fallback) -> uint32_t {