Kings Island Central - Attractions

Adventure Express
Backlot Stunt Coaster
DiamondBack
Fairly Odd Coaster
FireHawk
Flight Deck
Flight of Fear
Invertigo
Little Bills Giggle Coaster
Rugrat's Runaway Reptar
Son of Beast
The Racer
The Beast
Vortex

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.:.Flight Deck

From 1981 until 1984, Kings Island was home to the first modern-day suspended coaster, The Bat. A design created by Arrow Dynamics, the suspended coaster featured cars hanging below the track, able to swing independently from the other cars in the train. Unfortunately The Bat, while safe, was too much trouble maintenance-wise, and was dismantled before the 1985 season.

Arrow Dynamics had long-since perfected the design when they were called upon to put together the 1993 addition for PKI, Flight Deck. Uniquely placed high on the side of a hill, the initial lift rises 98 ft. above the ground before the track turns and the trains barrel into a ravine, distinctly following the natural terrain of the coaster's location. Flying at speeds up to 51 mph, Flight Decktakes its guests on a dogfight through a half-mile of airspace before finishing the mission and banking hard back onto the aircraft carrier.

Although barely over a minute, this coaster is an intense ride throughout, and is a great coaster for weaning junior away from Hanna-Barbera. Be sure to check it out!

Central Tip: For an experience you can’t find on any other seat, sit in the front row of the train. You’ll notice a dramatic change in this coaster and will find a more thrilling ride that the other seats cannot provide.

Coaster Type: Steel, suspended, swinging
Seating Arrangement: 2-abreast, 28-passenger
Designer: Arrow
Manufacturer: Arrow
Opened to Public: April 9, 1993
.:.Statistics
Length: 2352 feet
Height: 98 feet
Drop: 98 feet
Inversions: 0
Speed: 51 mph
Duration: 1:30
Capacity: 1200 pph
.:.Additional Info
Average Wait: 5-15 minutes
Station Theming: John DeCuir

.:.Statistics

Coaster Type	Steel, suspended, swinging
Seating Arrangement	2-abreast, 28-passenger
Designer	Arrow
Manufacturer	Arrow
Opened to Public	April 9, 1993

Length	2352 feet
Height	98 feet
Drop	98 feet
Inversions	0
Speed	51 mph
Duration	1 minutes, 30 seconds
Capacity	1200pph

Average Wait	5-10 Minutes
Themed by	John DeCuir
Footer Depth	Up to 50 feet!
Amount of Concrete Used	2000 yards

Comments

Brian :

Posted 516 days ago

Personally, this is my favorite roller coaster at Kings Island, the speed and sensations are untouchable.

Randall Cook :

Posted 481 days ago

Always a fun and smooth ride! Top Gun is sweet! I only wish it were longer.

Kasey :

Posted 452 days ago

i love this ride!!
It is one of my favorite rides!!
i wish it was longer but it is really fun !
i rode it 6 time in one day!!
lol

Kristen :

Posted 449 days ago

This ride is okay.... not the funnest but definately the smoothest... they should really add some length and loops and maybe some corkscrews or something to jazz it up. But i guess it's exciting if your not up for a loop or some excitement of a rush and a great ride.

derrike :

Posted 444 days ago

why do you keep on dissing the rides at KI Kristen? and it is impossable to put a loop, corkscrew, ect., ect. in a suspended swinging coaster

tiggerow@bright.net :

Posted 433 days ago

i didn't really like the ride. too short and BORING! and kristien, derrike is right the things that u sit in would fall off and u world go 2 your death

c.j. :

Posted 427 days ago

not exactly face/off is suspended and it goes upside down.

derrike :

Posted 427 days ago

but face/off is not a suspended swinging coaster now is it

NCBucknut :

Posted 423 days ago

tiggerrow...proofread, or use proper english.
But Top Gun was indeed a great ride. If you've actually ridden a boring suspended coaster, a.k.a Iron Dragon at Cedar Point, then you'll be grateful for Top gun. It may be less than a minute, but a fun minute it is. If you want more of an exhilarating suspended coaster, go to Busch Gardens Europe in Williamsburg, VA. Big Bad Wolf is the best suspended coaster.
And face/off is categorized as an inverted shuttle roller coaster, plain and simple. Suspended roller coasters swing. So Derrike is 100% right. Congrats.

tiggerow@bright.net :

Posted 420 days ago

actually it is called an invertigo according to this web site. so non of u r right.

derrike :

Posted 419 days ago

but i never said what type of roller coaster face/off was all i said was it wasn't a suspended swinging coaster so ha.

c.m. :

Posted 418 days ago

derrike, you said it was impossible to put a loop, corkscrew, etc. in Top Gun. Maybe. But they also said it was impossible to put a loop in a woodie. They done it with the SOB. Nothing is impossible except the word!

tiggerow@bright.net :

Posted 418 days ago

derrike you said "but face/off is not a suspended swinging coaster now it is" it isn't. it is an invertigo

derrike :

Posted 416 days ago

they can't get a train to pick up enough speed to swing the trains strait out so if it did have a loop you would die because the the train would fall over and snap loose

angryemobeaver :

Posted 415 days ago

Top Gun is awesome, yes it is short but it's fun.
And there can't be any inversions on a suspended roller coaster.
Not even a barrel roll.
=]

dustin :

Posted 405 days ago

great ride you can ride it on the busiest day and there wouldnt be no wait a ride you cnt miss up if its a hot and crwoded day.....

tubaman :

Posted 405 days ago

Here is something kind of interesting.
If you watch some of the videos showing the Arrow Suspended Swinging Coaster small scale prototype, it actually featured a corkscrew.

mitch :

Posted 404 days ago

love it just wish it was longer

TransAm78 :

Posted 400 days ago

Where is the video, can u post a link??

tubaman :

Posted 394 days ago

I don't think a link will work, so you will have to copy n' paste the url.
... youtube ... /watch?v=GWjXBQKaueE
Like I said, it didn't make the full scale test, but it is in the small scale one.

Lana :

Posted 386 days ago

This ride rocks! it is soo much fun, i rode it over and over again, i only wish it were longer (it's alot like iron dragon @ cedar point).

Hannah :

Posted 384 days ago

Top Gun was very fun.

abbey :

Posted 372 days ago

Top Gun was my first steel coaster. I got off of it really happy that it wasn't rough like my first two coasters, Adventure Express and The Racer. It made me brave enough to face Firehawk, which made me brave enough for the rest of the rides :)
It would be much more fun if it was longer, but still one of my favorites, nice ride.

gerrard :

Posted 365 days ago

your rite derrike

Jeff :

Posted 315 days ago

Ride this in the front seat. It's a completely different experience. Spend the extra ten minutes to ride up front, you'll be glad you did.

eli :

Posted 265 days ago

I got front and it was awesome

kyle :

Posted 265 days ago

Fun, Fun, Fun in front middle in back!

unknown :

Posted 204 days ago

How old are you kyle?

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