Flight Deck was a Vekoma Suspended Looping Coaster (SLC) at Canada’s Wonderland in Vaughan, Ontario, best known for the years it spent flipping riders through five inversions above the park’s Grande World Expo section. It first opened in 1995 as Top Gun, themed to the 1986 film, before losing that branding when Cedar Fair phased out Paramount-licensed names at the park in 2008 — at which point it became Flight Deck.
As Flight Deck, the ride carried on the same Vekoma SLC layout that debuted in 1995: a chain-lift launch into a sea serpent roll, a sidewinder loop, and a double inline twist, all aboard suspended, swinging trains. The coaster operated under the Flight Deck name from 2008 through the 2025 season, after which it was refurbished with new trains and track refinements, reopening under a new name and theme, The DareDeviler, partway through the 2026 season — separate from Canada’s Wonderland’s May 3, 2026 season opening.
Stats at a Glance
- Park: Canada’s Wonderland, Vaughan, Ontario
- Manufacturer: Vekoma
- Model: Suspended Looping Coaster (SLC)
- Opened: 1995 (as Top Gun; renamed Flight Deck 2008–2025)
- Height: about 109 ft (33.3 m)
- Top speed: about 50 mph (80 km/h)
- Length: about 2,261 ft (689 m)
- Inversions: 5
The Ride Experience
Flight Deck’s suspended trains swung freely beneath the track, amplifying every turn as the ride climbed its chain lift and dropped into a sequence of five inversions — a sea serpent roll, a sidewinder loop, and a double inline twist among them. Two 10-car trains carried riders through the roughly 2,261-foot circuit, a hallmark of the Vekoma SLC design used at parks worldwide.
The ride’s rough, jerky trains became something of a signature complaint over the years, which was part of the motivation behind the refurbishment that replaced the original trains with new models and refined sections of track.
From Top Gun to The DareDeviler
The coaster’s identity shifted twice in its history. It opened in 1995 as Top Gun, complete with F-14 fighter jet props and a military hangar theme tied to the Paramount film. When Cedar Fair phased out Paramount-licensed branding at Canada’s Wonderland, the ride was renamed Flight Deck in 2008, dropping the movie theming while keeping the same Vekoma layout.
Flight Deck remained the name for 17 years, until the park retired it after the 2025 season for a refurbishment featuring open vest-style restraints, new trains, and an aviation-daredevil storyline centered on 1920s stunt pilots. Canada’s Wonderland opened its 2026 season on May 3, but the reimagined coaster itself was targeted for an early-summer debut and, after the reopening slipped during construction, officially opened to guests as The DareDeviler on July 23, 2026.
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Flight Deck FAQs
Is Flight Deck still open at Canada’s Wonderland?
The physical coaster still operates, but not under the Flight Deck name. After being retired following the 2025 season for a refurbishment, it reopened on July 23, 2026 as The DareDeviler, with new trains and track refinements — separate from the park’s earlier May 3, 2026 season opening.
What company built Flight Deck?
Flight Deck was manufactured by Vekoma as a Suspended Looping Coaster (SLC), the same model used at many parks worldwide.
How many inversions did Flight Deck have?
Flight Deck featured 5 inversions, including a sea serpent roll, a sidewinder loop, and a double inline twist.
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Photo: Svetlana Grechkina / CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.