Need help adding animation events to a spline-based path.

I'm overwhelmed with animation tutorials, and am having trouble finding documentation on switching between states. I don't need help animating a character, I need help creating events(?) to have that character change animations along a path. I know zero code.

Here's what I have:

• A fully rigged dragon with about 20 different animations
• Simple Waypoint System
• A 3D flight path constructed in my scene

I want the dragon to change between its looped animations while following a pre-determined path through the sky - like a scripted cutscene, with no input in runtime. As he dives, I want to initiate a "swoop" animation, as he climbs, I want to trigger the "flap_wings" animation, etc., to mimic a realistic change in the different states of flight.

Can anyone give me a quick step by step or point me to an appropriate tutorial, using either Mecanim or Legacy? (I have the read Animation Manual 2x and watched the official Unity videos, but still cannot grasp this concept!)

Thanks!

 

...Just to illustrate my line of thinking, I've tried to select various waypoints along the path and "Add Component>Miscellaneous>Animation," and selecting the appropriate animation. Nothing changes

 

Could I suggest maybe adding a trigger at the waypoint.
and as the dragon hits the trigger have a script on the trigger
which tells dragon to play said animation ?

With waypoints the dragon could fly near it and not through it so i would advise a fairly large Trigger area or a zero variance in wander if you are using Unity's sample assets waypoint system.