Flight Deck (aka Top Gun)

[selective]

Seeing how this ride is so far away from everything, it's a shame it doesn't last long.

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The Beast was extended with a second lift hill years after it was first made, so why not do the same with another coaster?

Edit: Sorry... I was wrong..... The Beast was all built in 1979! WOW, I love the internet. Before the internet, you had to go by word of mouth, very bad info indeed to have to go by what others say without any proof or evidence.

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Just my thoughts, and I'm curious if others think the same.

[luff]

Seeing how this ride is so far away from everything, it's a shame it doesn't last long.

The Beast was extended with a second lift hill years after it was first made, so why not do the same with another coaster?

Just my thoughts, and I'm curious if others think the same.

WHAT? O.K. I am going to ignore the 2nd line.

I have always thought from the first day I rode it that Top-Swoops-Deck has had tons of energy at the brake run. I could easily see a couple of elements added before the brake. How about a big swooping turn over the queue?

[chaddie]

I'd prefer a new coaster somewhere else in the park, but this is a great fantasy too.

[Dbfan]

The cost of extending an arrow coaster would be very high and very hard to do. It would be easier to just make a new ride...

[tycoonrebel7188]

Wow Selective, I'm sorry but did you really just say The Beast was "extended"??? The Beast has been 7,359ft long since the day it premiered to the media on April 13th, 1979. No portion of track has ever been removed or added to extend the length of the track.

As for Flight Deck, yeah it's a short ride, but it's fun. I think its perfectly fine the way it is.

[bkroz]

As was said, The Beast was not extended or lengthened with a second lift hill. There are those here who visited the park for The Beast's grand opening, and can attest to that. So if you ask me, we should refrain from addressing that again, because Selective either (1) was unaware and is now informed, or (and I wouldn't bring this up for every poster here...) (2) is trying to incite some sort of giant debate / attention-seeking moment. Either way, why don't we just let that particular point die?

As for extending Flight Deck, it won't happen. The manufacturer of that particular type of suspended coasters, Arrow, is no longer around in that form, and their suspended coasters are no longer made. In fact, Flight Deck was the last one built. Only four of the rides are still even around, and another seems to close every year as parts become rarer and more expensive. Flight Deck, I believe, is one of the few (maybe the only? But Vortex is similar, right?) suspended coasters with only one lift hill, thus making it one of the shortest... It really is a shame, because even by the end of the ride it still has a LOT of speed that could be burnt off with an extra 1000 feet of track or just an added helix.

I wouldn't hold your breath waiting for much work to be done on Flight Deck. One of the best suspended coasters ever to exist (in the opinion of many), Big Bad Wolf, was torn down last year because it "reached the end of its service life." In other words, it was probably just too much to maintain with so few parts scattered around. And consider that three of the remaining four suspended coasters are owned by Cedar Fair - don't you think that Flight Deck and Vortex will be sacrificed the very instant that Iron Dragon needs a spare part? Sure Vortex and Flight Deck are superior rides in most every way, but Cedar Point needs that 17 coasters!

[countess_of_tuscany]

I think that Flight Deck is fun just the way it is. My least favorite coaster at Cedar Point is Iron Dragon (probably because I got stuck on it and it freaked me out because I felt claustrophobic) My favorite suspended coaster of the sort is Vortex at Canada's Wonderland - that is such a fast coaster compared to Iron Dragon! Plus, I heard one of the funniest comments in line for Vortex - someone insisted that it "dunked you into the water" at one point!

[selective]

I'm researching The Beast to see when or if it was rebuilt. I know it opened in 1979 as the longest wooden coaster, but I grew up before the internet existed and it's always been a known fact handed down over the years that it originally opened a few years earlier and was not the longest so it had the second lift hill added to make it the longest.

More than one person has told me they remember riding it before 1979, and have told me the same thing about how the trains used to go right into the station without the second lift hill being there.

Since it's now known as the longest, this information (if true) seems to have either been forgotten or not mentioned for a reason. The internet itself is new, so when the information was being put on the net, it could have been left out.

I'm looking into it.

I guess I could be wrong. Not sure...

I'm still looking into it...

Edit: Sorry... I was wrong..... It was all built in 1979! WOW, I love the internet. Before the internet, you had to go by word of mouth, very bad info indeed to have to go by what others say without any proof or evidence.

[flightoffear1996]

They must be thinking of a different ride.

[KI FANATIC 37]

I would definitively like another hill!

[shark6495]

I'm researching The Beast to see when or if it was rebuilt. I know it opened in 1979 as the longest wooden coaster, but I grew up before the internet existed and it's always been a known fact handed down over the years that it originally opened a few years earlier and was not the longest so it had the second lift hill added to make it the longest.

More than one person has told me they remember riding it before 1979, and have told me the same thing about how the trains used to go right into the station without the second lift hill being there.

Since it's now known as the longest, this information (if true) seems to have either been forgotten or not mentioned for a reason. The internet itself is new, so when the information was being put on the net, it could have been left out.

I'm looking into it.

I guess I could be wrong. Not sure...

I'm still looking into it...

Edit: Sorry... I was wrong..... It was all built in 1979! WOW, I love the internet. Before the internet, you had to go by word of mouth, very bad info indeed to have to go by what others say without any proof or evidence.

were these the same people that told you that paramount snuck into the park killed some guests and did it to get a cheaper park.... man you are killing me today... funny funny stuff.....

[CoastersRZ]

And on the subject of parts for Flight Deck. S&S Sports now owns the assets from the old Arrow Dynamics/Development. As such, they also own the parts department for all Arrow coasters, so replacement parts are still theoretically being produced for the suspended coasters.

The Beast opened in 1979, with both lift hills in place. Originally quoted as being 7,400 feet long, a more accurate number of its length lists it at 7,359 feet. The only significant change made to the ride (other than the new braking system about five years ago), was the combining of two tunnels after the brake shed.

[The Interpreter]

The things I must have missed when I rode that coaster the first day it was open. It always STUNS me that some people think Internet information is more reliable than the memories of those who were there.

[CincyMan98]

Flight Deck shouldn't be changed. It's a perfect ride, no matter how short it is. They do have plenty of space - (the line for it) but once a roller coaster is complete, I don't think they should extend it. Before an extension, all we need is a paint job.

[goofywdw]

I love Flight Deck just how it is. I really wish it would receive some TLC though such as some PAINT please!?

But if anything were going to be added or changed I would love to see a new style train. Maybe something like this?

Flight Deck is a pretty intense suspended coaster and I am not sure how these trains hold up but I would love to something exciting like this added to such a great family attraction!

[bravo4460]

personally i dont enjoy flight deck as much I used to. It just doesnt excte me anymore. just my opinion

[BeastForever]

Extending the would be pretty awesome but I would much rather Cedar Fair give Kings Island a new ride altogether.

[rsipus13]

just saying that that will never happen

[KI FANATIC 37]

I love Flight Deck just how it is. I really wish it would receive some TLC though such as some PAINT please!?

But if anything were going to be added or changed I would love to see a new style train. Maybe something like this?

Flight Deck is a pretty intense suspended coaster and I am not sure how these trains hold up but I would love to something exciting like this added to such a great family attraction!

I like that style too, but (what I think) makes Flight Deck thrilling is how the trains turn around the curves. I don't think these can....

[Fear the Four]

 Um why can't they? Watch a pov of Vampire at World of Adventures. 

Look at the back of the train and look how banked it is and look at this.

There similar and I wish Flight Deck had those Vekoma trains too.

[Jasper]

I would love to see the queue line under the station open back up as well as see good ole Flight Deck receive some TLC and become a major ride at the park again. A train style like previously mentioned would also make the ride a lot more intense.

[coaster_junky]

The Beast opened in 1979, with both lift hills in place. Originally quoted as being 7,400 feet long, a more accurate number of its length lists it at 7,359 feet. The only significant change made to the ride (other than the new braking system about five years ago), was the combining of two tunnels after the brake shed.

another significant change was the re-profiling of the left turn coming out of the tunnel after the first drop. if i remember correctly the turn used to have little to no banking, and now you can see where it's degree of banking is larger.

[jlopez]

yea i hate the long walk

[CincyMan98]

I hope Kings Island is watching this forum right now, seeing that Flight Deck needs a paint job, and hopefully they will cater to our every need.

[TylerRider]

Flight Deck would easily fit into my top 5 rollercoasters at KI. (I've ridden them all) It is an amazing coaster that just needs some love. I also hope KI reads this! They need to take back this amazing coaster before it's to late.

[HTCO]

just saying that that will never happen

Agreed. Flight deck will either receive some TLC... Or be removed completely.

[KIfan73]

Flight Deck is easily one of my favorite rides. It is a little sad, though, because I remember riding it when it was new. It really was an "experience" back then.

[LordSkippy]

Should the ride be extended? No. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Gentle soaring or fast turns? Fast turns. Iron Dragon at Cedar Point is basically all gentle soaring, and that ride is as boring as watching paint dry.

And, I would just like to say Flight Deck is one of my favorite rides of all time.

[CincyMan98]

I as too love Flight Deck. No matter how short it is, it's still great. I think the whole extension thing is stupid. In no way would Cedar Fair think of extending it. It doesn't really make sense.

[KIfan73]

Sometimes I don't think its a coincidence that Flight Deck has been "let go" (cosmetically). Given Son of Beast's issues over the last few years and its proximity to Flight Deck, that entire area could be redone with a new attraction(s).