Flight Deck (California's Great America)

This article is about the roller coaster at California's Great America. For the roller coaster of the same name at Canada's Wonderland, see Flight Deck (Canada's Wonderland).
Flight Deck
Previously known as Top Gun and Afterburn
California's Great America
Coordinates 37°23′53.10″N 121°58′18.63″W / 37.3980833°N 121.9718417°WCoordinates: 37°23′53.10″N 121°58′18.63″W / 37.3980833°N 121.9718417°W
Status Operating
Opening date March 19, 1993
General statistics
Type Steel – Inverted
Manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard
Designer Werner Stengel
Model Custom
Height 102 ft (31 m)
Drop 91 ft (28 m)
Length 2,260 ft (690 m)
Speed 45 mph (72 km/h)
Inversions 3
Duration 2:26
Capacity 1330 riders per hour
G-force 4.5
Height restriction 54 in (137 cm)
Trains 2 trains with 7 cars. Riders are arranged 4 across in a single row for a total of 28 riders per train.
Fast Lane available
Flight Deck at RCDB
Pictures of Flight Deck at RCDB

Flight Deck is a steel inverted roller coaster located at California's Great America in Northern California. Built by Bolliger & Mabillard, Flight Deck made its debut March 19, 1993 as Top Gun.[1] This was Bolliger & Mabillard's second inverted coaster behind Batman: The Ride at Six Flags Great America. The third inverted coaster from Bolliger & Mabillard opened a little under two months later at Six Flags Great Adventure. The inverted roller coaster has become Bolliger & Mabillard's most popular brand of coaster. Flight Deck at California's Great America isn't quite as tall, nor as fast or long (in length) as its partner, Afterburn at Carowinds. At the end of the 2007 season, the ride was renamed from Top Gun to Flight Deck, and renamed again in January as Afterburn, only to have the name reverted to Flight Deck.

Flight Deck was also featured in a commercial for Excedrin in 2007.

Ride experience

The ride begins with a small right-hand turn followed by the lift hill. The drop at the top of the hill begins with a sharp left turn. After the drop, there is a vertical loop. The ride then performs a 3/4 turn to the right followed by a Heartline Spin. There are a couple mild turns. After this, there is a small drop immediately followed by a Flat Spin. The ride features another 3/4 turn, this time to the left. Finally, the train turns right into the loading station.

Ride elements

References

  1. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Flight Deck (California's Great America)". Database Entry. Roller Coaster Database. Retrieved 5 April 2012.

External links