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Flightdeck Air Combat Center
Category: Active Life Amusement Parks Amusement Parks
1650 S Sinclair StAnaheim, CA 92806
(714) 937-1511
Announcement
We've just added a Boeing 737-700 Flight Simulator. An EA-6 Intruder and F-111 are next. Stay tuned!
- Hours:
Tue-Sun 11:30 am - 10 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
96 reviews for Flightdeck Air Combat Center
Review Highlights
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"Control tower keeps watch, gives advice, and guides lost..." In 7 reviews -
"...questions you may have about the simulator experience." In 12 reviews -
"...would be the next best thing, a F16 fighter jet simulator." In 3 reviews
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96 reviews in English
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Review from Allen L.
San Gabriel, CA
4/8/2012 Purchased a Yelp Deal
I bought a yelp deal and used it today (Easter) for 4 people. Got my inner Top Gun on.
You get suited up in a flight suit, go through a mission briefing, sit in an actual cockpit and dog fight against other people. You also get to wear a basic headset and you can trash talk all you want (keep it clean, you're on speaker in the lobby). The instructors were awesome!
Go here. Become a pilot. Use missiles and UNLIMITED ammo on the guns. Rub it in when you beat everyone.
I went 24 kills and 20 deaths. -
Review from Mark V.
Fontana, CA
Continuation from previous review:
Post-Flight Briefing
Just like any training session the post-flight briefing concludes the session. Explaining what we went through, the steps done along the way - and what's next? Well there are other flight plans to take, inclement weather to be had, as well as the occasional in-flight emergency.
Raul ended it with handing me a certificate of flight, dawning my name and date. A nice touch to say you made it back. And a childhood dream fulfilled. Raul: "I hope it started up that bug again." - Raul, it did. From start to finish the experience was fantastic and I hope to be able to visit again, maybe have you be a real-world CFI someday. Who knows. I encourage anyone who ever has had that itch to fly, take the opportunity to take a session - it will definitely give you a respect for pilots for what they have to do. Thank you Flight Deck. And, thank you Raul. I'm off to find my Jeppesen logbook..1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/7/2012
REVIEW FOR THE 737-700NG SIM
This is going to be long. I apologize in advance.
Before I start. I've… Read more »
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Review from Hannah K.
3/7/2012 Purchased a Yelp Deal
Alright, that was pretty cool.
I bought a yelp deal awhile back and finally got the chance to redeem. My friends and I all had a great time. You get to wear these Top Gun jumpsuits sans ray bans.
The instructor could have been a little friendlier, but everyone else there was awesome.
You actually step into a cockpit which was unexpected. There's a huge screen that simulates the flight. And then... you go at each other in a dogfight.
15 kills... but I got killed 15 times also... so not that great. haha.
It's a bit out of the way for me to go again, but a really cool fun activity for a unique date.
That said... there were some serious OC redneck types when we got out of our session. You know what I'm talking about. -
Review from J B.
Anaheim, CA
5/27/2012
Fun times. Basically a video game with realistic controllers. I would do it again. I flew the F-16. I would like to try some of the others.
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Review from EBRU A.
Cypress, CA
5/26/2012 Purchased a Yelp Deal
Awesome ! My kids loved every minute. Huge exciment great place to run away from routine.
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Review from Tammy T.
Los Angeles, CA
5/22/2012 Purchased a Yelp Deal 1 Check-in Here
got the yelp deal for $29. Wearing the outfits was fun, but the simulation itself is only 15 minutes. it felt like playing video games in a box. The instructor wasn't too enthusiatic during debriefing.. Maybe I'm bummed because the simulators didn't even move..
Comment from Paul W. of Flightdeck Air Combat Center 5/22/2012
I'm sorry your flight felt like it was only 15 minutes long,… More » -
Review from Stephon F.
Los Angeles, CA
3/6/2012 Purchased a Yelp Deal
I had a Yelp offer for this and it was a great time. There is a lot going on in the cockpit with trying not crash, not get shot, shoot others and control the aircraft. it was a blast. i look forward to going back and doing it again.
Scheduling was easy and the instructors were great. -
Review from Grecia M.
Anaheim, CA
2/6/2012
Absolutely amazing customer service!
Great employees!
They treated my dad as a superstar and I could not be more thankful, you guys rock! -
Review from Laura S.
1/9/2012 Purchased a Yelp Deal 1 Check-in Here
Took the fiancé here for a date night! I got a great deal from yelp. $29! Instead of the $65.
We came in and checked in and we came when they were telling the stats of the other people's 'flight'. They stressed landing is hard. So after this class was done...
We suited up and prepared for our 10 minute class. My jumpsuit was huge. When we took photos, it looked like I was WAY overweight. I was sad. I wish I knew I didn't look cute in it... haha... yes... I think about that. I'm a girl. But the cool thing is that the jumpsuit was so big, I could had been a flying squirrel! Awesome.
Anyways, we sat down for the class and got a a flight stick to practice shooting and missiles. He explained everything basic.
* What everything was
* Altitude, Speed reader
* How to fly up
* How to turn
* How to shoot
* How to land
* How to not die (by crashing)
It was SO much information. I wish I had a notepad to write it all down. Yes... I'm one of THOSE students. I wanted stuff to review. I hate not knowing step by step and having a review card. Yes... the nerd in me.
So it was a quick process and we went to out planes. We were assigned the planes and my fiance was on my team. He was my Goose... or Maverick. Whichever works because we weren't in the same plane tho. But same team!
So we got into our individual planes and put on our headsets. I felt like I was playing a video game in a big giant plane - basically I was. The seats were comfy and I saw the gears and everything. They had us do a practice run and I took off smoothly. My hands were all clammy.
The great thing was that the head guy could talk to us and give us instructions. Thank goodness. We could ask him questions and the people in the other planes couldn't hear, so they couldn't hear my cries of "What do I do? What do I do?"
And yes, I asked the question that my fiance made fun of me... I asked where the horizon line was. My fiance said where the land and air meet... I MEANT THE LINE ON THE SCREEN (there were multiple lines and I wanted to be sure I was following the correct line to spin. I KNOW what a horizon is :P
Anyways... we pressed the grey button to communicate with your partner and control. Control was helpful and helped me land a kill... even tho I'm a pacifist. :D I only had one kill the whole time because I was busy just enjoying flying.
My hand was becoming tired from moving the joystick (control) around. It's heavy to move. I'm not weak... I just kept moving around trying to avoid being killed. They had us dog fight each other. I got killed twice... 308... I know it was you... So then I started to just fly away.
My fiance had a great time. He's the type to try to kill as many people as possible... in the game. Geez, I'm not in love with a crazy man. He's really a calm guy.
Anyways... it was fun. If you get killed, you just automatically get back in the air. It's not like when you are killed - that's it. No... you get to do it again! It was fun.
Landing - we get to have two attempts. My objective was just not to die. The first time I tried landing, I missed the landing and flew away (Abort)... second time, I was ejected from my plane... I forgot why. I didn't crash into anything.
At the end, we get our stats from the commander and he goes over it. No one in our group crashed and landing is hard.
It was REALLY fun. I liked it a lot because that's really how it's like in the air in a plane... I probably would never know because I'm not in the military and I'm afraid of heights. I rather fly in a simulation than in real life, thank you.
NOTES:
* Kinda hard to find. It looks like a regular work building, so look for FLIGHTDECK around the curve of the street.
* Plenty of parking
* Make sure to do reservations
* Pee beforehand
* Photo ops allowed
HOW TO FLY:
- When you get to speeds of 170-180, pull nose up.
HOW TO ACTIVATE MISSILES:
- click grey button (on right hand) left and then UP (to find a target) - once target says SHOOT, then hit red button to shoot!
HOW TO LAND:
- Speed of 200-250, aim for landing strip brown/black dot part
IMPROVEMENTS:
* I wish they would teach us how to better find your target because I would find my target but they were miles away from me (too far to shoot)... so I wish we had a better review of that.
WISH LIST:
* Since command center could hear the conversations between me and my fiance... I wish I prepared for him and I to do quotes from Top Gun.... That would had been AWESOME! The command control probably heard it all... but that'd be FUNNY!
PLEASE SOMEONE DO THIS!
Iceman: You two really are cowboys.
Maverick: What's your problem, Kazanski?
Iceman: You're everyone's problem. That's because every time you go up in the air, you're unsafe. I don't like you because you're dangerous.
Maverick: That's right! Ice... man. I am dangerous.
And then sing "you've lost that Loving feeling"Listed in: Want to go on a date?
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Review from Hillary K.
Burbank, CA
1/30/2012 Purchased a Yelp Deal
This was a lot of fun for the boy & I (I will say if I paid full price I'd give it 4 stars as it's pretty pricey).
You get a bit of training, a jumpsuit and you're then put in your own cockpit.
It's a bit tricky but the dogfighting was fun (and hard!!) but you will have a good time :)
Wish I could've nailed the landings though :(
There were 10 people in the 'class' and half were women so the whole 'wives/girlfriends can watch in the waiting area' (Thanks AJ R.) can jump off a bridge!
The girls did pretty good too, pats on the backs for all the chicas in this group!! -
Review from Michael H.
Huntington Beach, CA
3/2/2012 Purchased a Yelp Deal
[Top Gun Music in the background] F306 Falcon, you have the ball !!!
I must say that from the first phone conversation to scheduling was like clockwork. I bought the tickets using a groupon ad. The scheduling was flawless.
I do give the overall experience, ambiance, and staff a 5 star. The whole session goes by in a blink of any eye. From initial test flight to weapons hot, locked and fired, you have one hour to be at the helm of one of the coolest simulated jet experiences out there.
I am a simulation/computer hardware guy so this stuff was really wicked to see and use. Go with people that have similar interests and hands down you will not be disappointed.
You get to put on a flight suit, and hope in a real mock-up of an f16 with full working canopy, and controls.
I do wish we were able to do take-offs from the aircraft carrier. I will wait for the next time and I hope that will be up and running.
The comm units were crisp, clean and easy to use.. I could say "roger roger, what's your vector victor?? " All day..
If there was any need for a small improvement I would love to have force feedback on the throttle. You might have a better sense of the amount of power sometimes you are adding or taking away..
For almost 60 minutes you get to fly at 680Knotts, weapons hot, save the world and in the end you get the girl(if you win...)
P.S. This is a great please for corporate parties to.... -
Review from Khai N.
San Gabriel, CA
4/11/2012 Purchased a Yelp Deal
I bought a Yelp deal for this place ($23 instead of paying $69 or something at the door)
At a glance:
Pretty cool place. The receptionist was very nice though sadly, we were unable to fit a friend in without a reservation. The lounge had eight monitors in which you could see the cockpit views of those "in the air". Instructor and instructions were quite informal and helpful (the instructor was funny too). You also get to suit up for the flight!
The experience:
We pretty much had a 50 minute dogfighting session with other players though the last 10 minutes or so were for landing our aircraft. The graphics aren't supposed to be super realistic (think about the Flight Simulator games) but it was good enough. The controls and cockpit view make the experience what it is. It's like you're flying a real jet!
Verdict:
I'm glad I got in on that one Yelp deal; for $23, this is a pretty unique experience and was worth trying out. Will I come back again? Maybe, though probably unlikely. They also have other planes for you to fly if you're interested. As another review mentioned, it's fun...but at a cost. Worth it if you can get a deal on this -
Review from AJ R.
1/25/2012
this was a blast!
My wife bought me a coupon for this and I went down on a weekend that I had free. They put you in a flight suit, give you a rundown of flying 101 and put you up in the cockpit of an F-16!
The wives/girlfriends can even sit in the waiting area that is filled with the screens of the action (including audio....).
Super fun.... perfect for a bachelor party or just a group wanting to go do something fun and a little different. -
Review from daniel p.
Brea, CA
1/19/2012 Purchased a Yelp Deal
Great place! I really enjoyed my one hour here. I got the $29 deal from yelp, and went with my girlfriend. We kept crashing but had a blast. now i feel big headed and anytime i hear someone tell me they played a video game, i'll laugh.
If i could change anything it would be to have them move the jets a little to get that motion feeling, but overall great place! -
Review from Joan L.
Irvine, CA
4/11/2012 Purchased a Yelp Deal
Fun but pricey.
We had a Groupon and that made it affordable for our large blended family.
Really nice staff :) -
Review from Amanda B.
Long Beach, CA
3/21/2012
I brought my boyfriend here for his birthday as a surprise. He was really confused on what he was getting into but was really surprised and loved it. I got the Travel Zoo deals and the both of us did it. It was fun to get all suited up and fly the simulators. At first I was not going to do it and just let him but after reading a few other people's Yelp reviews, I decided it would be more fun if we both did it together. The staff was amazing and super nice. We both had a great time and maybe we will be back one day. He is probably hooked now!
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Review from Gabriel G.
Placentia, CA
1/4/2012
I had so much fun, time just flys haha. If you do this, for goodness sakes conserve you missiles. The missile button was super sensitive so I shot some off alot by mistake and I would fire them when I didn't really have a good lock on enemy planes...bad idea. If you run out of missiles just crash or something because you get infinite lives and it's hard to shoot down planes with your machine guns.
I also want to mention that the cockpits they put you in look super real. I felt like Tom Cruise. -
Review from Michael S.
Thousand Oaks, CA
1/22/2012 Purchased a Yelp Deal 1 Check-in Here
I'm a gamer and I thought this place was really fun. I did the Fox 1 (I think) and it covers the basics of the controls, how to land, how to take off, and how to shoot. It's cool because they get you suited up in pilot jump suits and make you feel like you are about to fly.
THE ACTION
You start by taking off, then get about 5 minutes to get the feel of things. Then you get started in a all out dog fight, every man for themself for about 35 min (+/-)! You get two chances to land.
I would definitely do this again. I did this with the Yelp deal so easily worth $29. I'm thinking about going back to do the more advanced classes to learn more and do the missions in those classes (air to air fights, air to ground fights, navigation, airport taxing, etc. -
Review from Lisa S.
12/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
I didn't realize the staff would be composed of real pilots. That was pretty cool. They were all super knowledgeable and helpful, and they also kept challenging us to dog fight them with guns only. Yeah, right.
There's a lot to remember, but above all, watch your altitude. I spent the first half of our flight time WAAAAAAAAY up in the air going toward outer space without even realizing it. I couldn't figure out why my missiles wouldn't shoot and kill anyone. It wasn't until like fifteen or twenty minutes later that I glanced at the "pilot' next to me and saw his altitude was 40,000 lower than mine. Whoops!
Once I got down, things were more fun, since I started killing people. I wound up with the second to lowest score, because I was out of the fighting area for so long. Sucks. However, I got the second best landing rating, so that's cool. At least I can bring the plane back down to earth if I had to.
I feel like this is something you have to do a lot to really enjoy it, but the price bars me from doing so. -
Review from Steve S.
San Bernardino, CA
1/10/2012 Purchased a Yelp Deal
Awesome Awesome Experience!!!
Great bunch of guys !!! -
Review from Nancy T.
11/14/2011 Purchased a Yelp Deal 1 Check-in Here
I took my boyfriend here as a surprise for his birthday...and boy, did he love it! I was super proud of my choice because as soon as we got off the freeway, he excitedly saw the Flightdeck Air Combat Center building and wondered just what exactly I had in store for him! Welps, this place really delivered!!!
The fighter jet simulator looks very real and is enclosed, just like a real airplane! They gave my b/f a suit to wear and did a brief training, which took about 30 minutes. Afterwards, all 8 pilots got situated in their jets. The entire room is dim and each pilot has a huuuuge projector screen in front of them. It was super cool for me because I got to watch what each pilot was seeing from the viewing room and would see if someone got shot or crashed.
According to my boyfriend, the only thing he would have changed would have been the fighter jet simulator because it did not actually move when you crashed or anything of the sort, but I'm sure that kind of wear and tear would make the equipment difficult to maintain!
The staff here is very friendly and helpful. I am thankful for such a positive experience and would highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys gaming, competition, and who dreams of being a pilot! It was the perfect gift for my b/f...especially since I actually worked on making the real F-16!!! :) -
Review from Paul K.
11/23/2011
Very fun F-16 simulator game, for your first time you get to take off once, dogfight for 20 mins or so (lots of fun) and practice landings a few times. There's a lot to learn, but they get you going with a quick 20 min briefing, and give you an easy first time (i.e. unlimited fuel, unlimited cannon, etc). To really learn it, you definitely have to go back but I think it's something I would enjoy again and get better at.
Rumor has it they are building a full-hydraulic 737 simulator- if that's the case, will definitely be back! -
Review from Colleen L.
West Los Angeles, CA
11/12/2011
Top Gun dream vs. reality. At one point in my life, I took leftover vacation money and spent it on ground school. I realized how mathematically challenged I was during that class and abandoned that dream, well sort of.
I thought this would be the next best thing, a F16 fighter jet simulator. An indoor adventure with giant video screens. Got here early, just like at the airport. Listened to the lecture on how to work the controls. Suited up in the jumpsuit. I was confident I would get my plane off the ground and up in the air, although I was a bit fearful of the landings.
Then I heard "206, your microphone button is constantly depressed". Um, yes, I admit I wanted full communication with the control tower! Then I asked, "how come I am in the dark?" The reply I got "206, you have reached outer space, are you planning to become a satellite, look at your altitude! You may want to return to earth and join the dogfight!"
I did manage to stick 1 landing, crashed once in the ocean (heard the bubbles as I went down) as I missed the aircraft carrier. Overall trying this out increased my understanding and respect for pilots everywhere.
My friend said that doing this is sort of counterintuitive to driving a car. Instead of pressing your right foot on the accelerator, you use your left hand to give the plane gas and momentum. Which is different even than driving a boat, of which the control of gas rests in your right hand!
At the end rest assuredly I will not be landing anytime soon at an airport near you! Let alone on an aircraft carrier in the dark.
This was a fun experience, perhaps once in my lifetime. My advice is to LISTEN VERY CAREFULLY on how to work those controls during the lecture.Listed in: Impress the guests
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Review from Steve G.
Anaheim, CA
3/17/2012
I have been here a few times (starting way back when they were next to the El Toro Marine Base). The concept is great, but it lacks execution. To start with, when you make a reservation you expect to start on time. Don't count on it. The briefing period is pretty much a waste of time. There is no real "good " info about Air Combat Maneuvering. It's more like "point your airplane towards the other guy and shoot."
Now for the most disappointing part, the airplanes. The HUD (Heads Up Display) is very basic and more like a video game then a flight simulator. The airplane has three flight axis, pitch - nose up and down, roll - bank right and left and yaw - sideways right and left. BUT, THE ONLY GIVE YOU 2 OF THE 3 FLIGHT CONTROLS - THERE IS NO RUDDER!!! And they call this a simulator with 33 percent of the "simulator" missing...
Once flying, your dogfight experience is at the mercy of the other "pilots." Meaning if you get stuck with people who have never flown a real plane or spent any time with a simulator, you are "dog fighting" with people who fly straight and level - away from the combat zone. Or, if you go in for the kill, they just sit there and you kill them in 5 seconds... Of course with my luck, the three times I have gone there, I have been pitted against very inexperienced pilots "who didn't fight"
And don't think the guy running the simulator will jump in and tangle with you so at least you get "a real dog fight." Nope, he is too busy trying to corral all the people who are "flying off the map" and get them to return back to the combat zone.
So, here I sit watching all the other pilots fly away in different directions because they do not know how to read a map or a compass heading. And if they do manage to get into the combat zone, they just fly straight and level so you can blow them up in seconds. All the while yelling on the radio, "WHAT HAPPENED - I JUST GOT KILLED AGAIN!"
So since the "combat" is pretty boring, I asked the sim operator to let me challenge myself by trying the carrier landing. Nope, you have to pay extra for that... They call it the "Fox 2 Mission" and it is another $60 to try it. He did mention it takes a lot of extra training to be able to land on the carrier and he would not "push the button" to make me magically be on approach to the carrier.
Well, I could see the carrier on the map and just started flying there on my own. I lined up, dropped the gear, flaps and hook and landed the first time... It was much, much easier then the guy made it sound. By this time the guy yells at me over the radio and says I'm not allowed to land on the carrier on the "Fox One Mission." Unreal...
Lastly, it is not cheap. At $60 for a "45 minute flight," you can expect closer to 35-40 minutes of actual flying. The other time is spent restarting computers and making everything work...
Was it fun, ehh... It would be fun if I got to dog fight against someone who didn't just fly in a straight line. The carrier landing was cool, even though I got yelled at. And please, please, please hook up the rudder! -
Review from Alexander G.
Irvine, CA
11/27/2011 Purchased a Yelp Deal 1 Check-in Here
Awesome experience. I've heard so much about this place and I'm very glad I finally took the time to pay a visit.
The staff here was great - friendly, helpful, and funny. Everything from the property to the simulators to the flight-suits we donned was clean and in great condition. We sat through a short class and then jumped into one of the "airplanes." Then, it was off to the races, so to speak.
At the end of the simulation you sit down for a "debriefing" where you are shown the points awarded for the afternoon - needless to say, I was one of the high-scorers bwahaha. In all seriousness, though, it was all great fun and my Little Brother and I had a terrific time. -
Review from Robert M.
Los Angeles, CA
4/19/2012 Purchased a Yelp Deal
This place is a blast. I took my wife and 13 year old son and we all had a great time. The staff was great and made it a lot of fun, with a pre-flight brief, life-like cockpit and simulator, and matching flight suits to top it off. This was a great family activity for us and we look forward to checking it out again soon.
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Review from Darren B.
Burbank, CA
2/25/2012 Purchased a Yelp Deal
Absolutely amazing customer service. I had to reschedule a couple of times and they were extremely accommodating. Every staff member is highly professional and the experience good. The only reason it's not a 5 star is that they only have 8 of their F-16 1 seater fighter jets and I got stuck with the F-11 Jalopy since I was flying solo. It's a 2 seater, not as cool, pretty much seemed like Vietnam era compared to the cockpits next to me and I didn't have the glass canopy to help sell the experience and the bars of the cockpit window area (it's a cockpit from a real plane) blocked the complete view. If you go, ask NOT to be in this cockpit. Overall, it was a good time, but clearly better with a small group that can smack talk throughout combat.
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Review from Donald S.
7/23/2011 ROTD 12/24/2011
"Golden Badger 01 is cleared for takeoff, vertical departure approved"..."roger, Golden Badger 01 is rolling".
Brakes off, zone five selected.
"V1"..."Rotate"..."V2"
I pulled the nose of my trusty F-16 Falcon (Block 52) into a vertical climb and rolled out into an 8g left 'burner turn at 10,000 feet to engage all the targets showing on my radar, selected AIM 9 Sidewinders and listened for the telltale "growl" as the heat-seeking missiles locked up their targets.
"Fox 1"..."Fox 2"...I watched as the missiles left the rails and moments later, as two puffs of black smoke marked the end of two of my adversaries!
And just as quickly saw "WARN" pop up on my heads up display (HUD) just before all the avionics went silent as I began to spin in.
I pulled on the Martin Baker ejection seat handle...but nothing happened...I watched through the bubble canopy as the ground rushed to meet my crippled fighter!
The next thing I knew, I was flying straight and level...450 kt's at 9,000 AGL, headed straight for the furball again!
And that is the charm of FlightDeck!
The scenario above repeated multiple times throughout our 90-minute session at FlightDeck, complete with:
* Trash talk ("was that a "niner", 06...or are you using a walkie talkie to talk to me?"..."I think I just put a Sidewinder up your pooper, 03...and no, that's not a euphemism")
* Action (I am a confirmed quadruple ace, with 20 "kills"...of course, I was shot down more than a few times, myself)
* Entertainment and even a little bit of skill (I am happy to say that I even made two successful carrier landings...simulated, sure, but good 3 wire traps, nevertheless).
My son, Zach, was visiting for the weekend with his lovely wife Sarah and our adorable granddaughter TJ!
Since Carin wanted quality time with her granddaughter, Zach and I thought we would head out for a little lunch and some manly entertainment!
That means a couple of things in our world...burgers and beer and either go-kart racing or jet fighter simulators.
After burgers and beer at Slater's (the beer actually makes you a better pilot), FlightDeck turned out to be a great spot to go full "Maverick"...you know "turn & burn", "splash 1", "mayday, mayday" and all that.
We had a great time...my kid is a natural born pilot!
The next time I go, they'll even give me my choice of planes to "fly"...F-18's, F-14's (the "Top Gun" fighter), even Russian MIG 29's and SU 27's...fun stuff!
Sure, I know that the simulation isn't anywhere close to flying the real thing...one of my good friends is a retired Marine Corps F-18 driver and the stories he tells!
Suffice it to say that a night landing on a carrier in the middle of the ocean is frightening enough to cause about 50% of the pilots performing the feat for the first time to lose control of their bladders.
My hat is off to the women and men that do this (and really, perform any other service in the military)...I can't even imagine what it's really like!
That said, FlightDeck is a fun place to indulge your inner Maverick...go ahead, request permission to buzz the tower, Ghostrider!
But if you find that Golden Badger 01 is on your "6", you might as well just go ahead and eject now.Listed in: The Leisure Class
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Review from Eric K.
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
2/27/2012 Purchased a Yelp Deal
This was alot of fun! Caught a GroupOn for it last year and went with a friend this past weekend. It seems they get busy and trying to get a spot on a weekend took some planning so booking well in advance is the way to go. They did a great job and we had a blast.
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Review from Peter W.
Phoenix, AZ
7/29/2011
I've always been a in love with fighters since I was a kid with the help of "Topgun" and "The Final Countdown" been playing around with model planes all the way to computer sims to be apart of the action.
When I heard about this place, I knew I had to visit it and pay some respects. I was in town for some business, and though I didn't make a reservation early, I called last minute and they were very friendly to get me in.
I have to say, from walking into the facility to sitting into the mock cockpit, the feeling and immersion that the staff at flightdeck provide is so awesome. The price paid for the immersion and the feeling of being a fighter pilot is well worth the money and time spent here.
The program started sitting in briefing for basic controls of the aircraft and the weapons used on the plane during the simulation.
Let me let you guys in on a secret and some truth about the "video game" you think you are "playing"... first of all... Don't let the reviews here fool you.. this is far from a video game... its based off of a VERY well built simulation that over the years have been well polished.. even by todays standards, this simulation still holds the bar, and have not been surpassed. it is the most realistic thing you can get your hands on... but for Flightdecks uses, they turn it down so even people who are not crazy Jet nuts can enjoy!! So no, it isn't a video game...
My favorite part is walking up to the Mock F-16 cockpit and going up the ladder with the canopy come down!!! I fly sims at home, but the immersion of sitting inside a mock cockpit adds realism by ten folds... we spent time time here and there practice air combat maneuvers, dog fights, and landings were included into flying the jet in the simulation.
During my hop, the instructors and the ATC were very cool, The folks I flew with were all strangers, we all had fun, but I felt bad, because I think I crashed their party of four....and then I outgunned all of them that day....
Flightline is my kinda place, as a jet junkie, and a proud American. I think it is a place people should go to pay respects to our uniform men and women, as I believe though its a fun away to enjoy our time; but also it provides a small glimpse into what discipline and dedication the men and women in uniform has to keep us safe!!!
I wish this place stay to do well and stay in business forever; simulations are a dying breed now a days... with a place like this, kids can get to know about simulations and keep this interest alive!
I will be back next time in the LA area... for sure.
Peter "KIDD" Wong, -
Review from Ryan G.
Long Beach, CA
10/2/2011 Purchased a Yelp Deal
Truly amazing experience with lifelong memories created amoungst your friends. The staff....AMAZING. Comedic, patient, friendly, and all seem to Love their jobs. Going back ASAP.
The 20 minute briefing is quick, so you must listen up. Don't expect to be an expert after your first run....give it some time and you'll pick up on it. -
Review from Vanessa T.
Rosemead, CA
10/26/2011 Purchased a Yelp Deal
Bought my friend a groupon here and boy did i earn extra brownie points!!.
He loved it!! it was an amazing experience for him. and he couldnt stop talking about it and how "cool' the experience was , the whole way home.
The facility is clean, the staff are super friendly, knowlegable and helpful.
The overall experince is approx. 2 hours long, 20-30 mins of briefing and then they get to dress up in their "topgun" outfit, climb into their cockpit and just pretend they are fighter pilot for a good hour.
They also have a "widow and orphan" waiting room for people like me who was just waiting around for the players to finish playing. I bought my 2 lil girls with me and we just waited in the waiting room, ( staff didnt seem to mind at all that there were two rowdy lil girls jumping all over the room) we also get to watch the actual screen of what each players are looking at. I think my friend got shot down several times and he couldnt even land correctly but its all good... I think i'll wait for another deal to come up and i 'll definately take him back. Maybe this time i'll join in the fun... -
Review from Scott H.
Orange, CA
2/16/2012 Purchased a Yelp Deal
Friendly staff. Lots of fun!
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Review from Tom N.
Placentia, CA
7/2/2011
This was one of the coolest things I have reviewed. My wife got me a great Groupon package so I have been looking forward to it. The staff were great, extremely friendly, helpful, and complete professional.
They really go out of their way to make sure you have a great experience. They will hold your hand through the process even if you are not a gamer. I have no gaming or flying experience and they were very informative...I had the most points and kills (9) and the only GUN kill in our group. It was great. -
Review from Ken H.
Trabuco Canyon, CA
1/31/2012 Purchased a Yelp Deal
Totally had a great time with the family! I will be back!
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Review from Melissa P.
Huntington Beach, CA
1/23/2012 Purchased a Yelp Deal
I gave this to my husband as a gift and he went with a friend. They had the best time! Training first, then over an hour of flight time. He loved every minute of it and has been telling everyone about it since. I highly recommend Flightdeck Air Combat Center!
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Review from Maurice B.
Fullerton, CA
1/11/2012 Purchased a Yelp Deal
If your a gamer, you most likely wont be very impressed as you can play the same game on your PS3. If your not a gamer it will be an awesome experience for you. I had fun but really wished the cockpit replica actually moved with the aircraft. Hell, you can one or two combat games that move and Dave and Busters! Overall experience was good. Yes I plan on returning.
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Review from John B.
Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA
1/5/2012 Purchased a Yelp Deal
This is the second time we have been to Flightdeck. Previous flight experience is helpful but not required. The staff is very helpful and supportive. The simulators are easy to fly but realistic enough to give you a thrill. Where else can you take a F-16 for a spin? This is a must do for anyone who wants to go Mach 1, fly upside down and shoot down a bad guy. Can't wait to go again!
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Review from Tony L.
3/12/2011 1 Check-in Here
Being a avid fan of flight sims as a kid and always loved TOP GUN who wouldn't want to live out their fantasy of air two air combat in the safety of your own cockpit? We got a coupon from a dealperk offer so why not! This place was alittle difficult to find since the sign was hard to see from the road. Just lookout for the big US flag hanging by the door.
Upon entered we were greeted by the super friendly staff asking us to fill out a quick preregistration form. Then we were ushered inside to get suited up with the rest of our group. Our group was being lead by staffer call sign "Gums" cause he talks alot? lol. After a quick briefing in the training room on how to operate the controls we all got assigned into our cockpits. The real fun began then as we started off with takes with a quick time for practice and the best part DOGFIGHTS. Since we had 2 ringers in our group they pretty much kicked all our asses. But it was still fun nonetheless. It definitely takes some time to get used to the controls but once you get the hang of it its a total BLAST literally. As you chase your fellow group members which the control tower guides/assists you over the headsets.
I had a couple technical issues with my cockpit too but the staff quickly moved me to another open cockpit in the back. They even let us do an extra attempt at the daytime landing exercise because of all the technical difficulties. It's definitely a test of hand-eye coordination trying to land on the carrier exercise too. It didn't help the control tower accidentally hit my afterburner button so i crashed miserably into the ship LOL. But again they let us do a makeup round for the big OOPS.
I definitely would recommend this place for anyone that loves planes and flying.Listed in: What's there to do around…
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Review from Katrina M.
Los Angeles, CA
12/3/2011
I bought two Groupons for my husband and I to go out here. It is a total of 3 hours in drivetime so I would have to clear out a day to go. Unfortunately, I never was able to do it and I am heading out of the country soon, so I called them and asked if we could extend the Groupon. The lady answering the phone was quite a little snot with attitude. I continued the conversation hoping to make it a win-win for everyone by offering to bring 4 more people and I was cut off for her to tell me, "Sorry, we just sold so many that we can't possibly honor yours too!". In other words, my business was in the toilet, I went onto Groupon to spark interest and sold a ton. I am not looking for anymore business or repeat customers! If they had honored it, what if I loved it, came on here and told everyone. Told all my clients and their staff.....etc.......it is called doing good business.
