The USS Ronald Reagan is your new base. Launch and recovery is the order of the day. During launch, powerful catapult gets you airborne in just a few hundred feet. And in recovery, your tailhook needs to catch the steel cable to bring your muscular aircraft to a screeching halt.

The new launch and recovery system is exclusive for Flight Deck 4 with easy to use catapult and cable.

From the flight deck of the new USS Ronald Reagan, you'll fly these seven aircraft: F/A-18C HornetTM F/A-18E Super HornetTM E-2C Hawkeye S-3B Viking SH-60 Seahawk C-2A Greyhound EA-6B Prowler

Flight Deck 4 uses an all-new simplified catapult launch and recovery system. You'll experience the thrill of authentic deck operations with AI traffic on and above the carrier. You'll see why cable recovery on the short flight deck is both thrilling and nerve-wracking.

Here are some comments from users of the earlier versions of Flight Deck series

Launch

Hurry onto the deck. It's launch time and you're next in line.

Taxi into position over the catapult. The launch team connects you.

The steam is flowing and now it's armed.

Set your brake. From his crouching position, the yellow jacketed shooter gives you thumbs up.

It's game time.

Shove the throttles forward. Release the brakes. The catapult slams you to the back of your seat.

Before you know it, you're hanging over the deck's edge.

Gear and flaps up. Pull back hard. You're up!

You can feel the sweat inside your helmet. Climb into the blue yonder.   

Recovery

Flying over the sea, Mama is barely perceptible over the blue water. Drop down and you'll see your home base.

The LSO orders you to lose altitude. Fly past and do a 180.

Flaps down and throttle back.

Your fingers tighten around the stick. You jiggle it back and forth as you line up with the swaying deck.

Drop your gear and tailhook. Stay up there; don't loose too much height.

The LSO gives you the green. Hold steady. Over the edge hit the deck and give it full power.

The tailhook catches the cable . You're jolted to a screeching stop.

Your helmut bangs against the back of your seat. You're down!

Throttle back. The cable is down. Look down for the thumbs up. Taxi off.

IFOLS "Meatball"

Here's a tool that you'll use when landing. The center light on the meatball lets you know if you're above or below the glideslope to the carrier. Click to see the IFOLS indicators,

Heads Up Display

You can also use the HUD display to guide you onto the deck. On the left you can see that the aircraft icon is above the "center" mark meaning that you need to lose altitude to stay on the glideslope.

Special Effects

Superb workmanship and special effects add to the realism of Flight Deck 4.

See the steam venting from the deck surface at the catapult and the engine afterburners ready to get the aircraft airborne.