Editing Flight deck (section)

===Early===
The first flight [[Deck (ship)|decks]] were inclined wooden ramps built over the [[forecastle]] of warships. [[Eugene Ely]] made the [[Naval aviation|first fixed-wing aircraft take-off from a warship]] from {{USS|Birmingham|CL-2|6}} on 14 November 1910.{{fact|date=January 2022}}

Two months later, on 18 January 1911, Ely landed his Curtiss pusher plane on a platform on {{USS|Pennsylvania|ACR-4|2}} anchored in [[San Francisco Bay]] using the first [[tailhook]] system, designed and built by circus performer and aviator Hugh Robinson. Ely told a reporter: "It was easy enough. I think the trick could be successfully turned nine times out of ten." On 9 May 1912,<ref>{{cite newspaper The Times |title=Flight From the Hibernia |date=10 May 1912 |page=8 |issue=39895 |column=3}}</ref> Commander [[Charles Rumney Samson|Charles Samson]] became the first man to take off from a ship which was underway when he flew his [[Short S.27]] off {{HMS|Hibernia|1905|6}}, which was steaming at {{convert|10.5|kn|mph km/h|abbr=on}}.{{fact|date=January 2022}}

Because the take-off speed of early aircraft was so low, it was possible for an aircraft to make a very short take off when the launching ship was steaming into the wind. Later, removable "flying-off platforms" appeared on the gun turrets of [[battleship]]s and [[battlecruiser]]s starting with {{HMS|Repulse|1916|6}}, allowing aircraft to be flown off for scouting purposes, although there was no chance of recovery.{{fact|date=January 2022}}

On 2 August 1917, while performing trials, Squadron Commander [[Edwin Harris Dunning]] landed a [[Sopwith Pup]] successfully on board the flying-off platform of {{HMS|Furious|47|6}}, becoming the first person to land an aircraft on a moving ship. However, on his third attempt, a tire burst as he attempted to land, causing the aircraft to go over the side, killing him; thus Dunning also has the dubious distinction of being the first person to die in an aircraft carrier landing accident.{{fact|date=January 2022}}

The landing arrangements on ''Furious'' were highly unsatisfactory. In order to land, aircraft had to maneuver around the superstructure. ''Furious'' was therefore returned to dockyard hands to have a {{convert|300|ft|m|abbr=on}} deck added aft for landing, on top of a new hangar. The central superstructure remained, however, and turbulence caused by it badly affected the landing deck.{{fact|date=January 2022}}