Flight Deck (Kings Island)

Infobox roller coaster
name=Flight Deck

---

caption=
location=Kings Island
section=Action Zone
type=Steel
type2=Suspended
status=Open
opened=April 9 1993
manufacturer=Arrow Dynamics
designer=
model=
track=Terrain
lift=Chain lift hill
height=78
drop=70
length=2352
speed=51
inversions=0
duration=1:52
angle=45
capacity=1200/hr
cost=
acceleration=
gforce=2.9
restriction=48
rcdb_number=73

Flight Deck is a steel suspended roller coaster at Kings Island in Kings Mills, Ohio. It officially opened during the 1993 season under the name Top Gun. Flight Deck simulates a jet fighter with its high speeds and cars that swing from side to side, narrowly missing elements near the track. The coaster is somewhat unique among the Arrow-designed suspended coasters in that it features only a single lift hill to carry it through its course rather than the pair of lift hills found on most rides of similar design. The station resembles an aircraft carrier and was designed by John DeCuir, production designer for the motion picture Top Gun, the original name of the ride. It was the last suspended coaster (not to be confused with an inverted coaster) ever built. No more have been proposed or constructed since 1993.

Flight Deck is Kings Island's second attempt at a suspended coaster after problems with the prototype The Bat in the early 80's.

Ride Layout

The ride begins with an ascent up the 78-foot chain lift. At the top, the track dips slightly and turns roughly 180 degrees to the right. The train then rolls down the initial drop into a valley, banking to the right at the bottom and climbing up into the banked horseshoe element. The cars swing up and around, then exit the horseshoe parallel to their entrance. Dropping back into the valley, the train makes a banked turn to the right, and flies by the exit path while making a slight turn to the left.

The second half of the ride carries the train through a series of banked turns, each sending the train swinging quickly from side to side. At the ride's farthest point, the track makes a quick turnaround, sending the train headed back toward the station. Here, optical illusion makes it appear as if the train will crash into the structure of the Son of Beast coaster. After this turn, the train navigates a few more banked curves before sliding into the brake run and back to the loading platform.