An
aircraft catapult is a device used to launch
aircraft from
ships, most commonly used on
aircraft carriers, as a form of
assisted take off. It consists of a track built into the
flight deck, below which is a large piston or shuttle that is attached through the track to the
nose gear of the aircraft, or in some cases a
wire rope, called a
catapult bridle, is attached to the aircraft and the catapult shuttle. There have been different means of which have been used to propel the catapult, such as
weight and
derrick,
gunpowder,
flywheel,
air pressure,
hydraulic,
steam power, and also in development to use
electromagnets.