An arrestor cable system in use at Jet Nation Airport (October 2014).
An arrestor cable system is a mechanical system used to rapidly decelerate an aircraft as it lands. As in real-life, arresting gear on aircraft carriers is an essential component of Second Life naval aviation. Similar systems are also found at land-based airfields for expeditionary or emergency use.
Background
In real-life, a typical arrestor cable system consists of a steel wire rope laid across the aircraft landing area, designed to be caught by an aircraft's tailhook. During a normal arrestment, the tailhook engages the wire and the aircraft's kinetic energy is transferred to hydraulic damping systems attached below the carrier deck. There are other related systems which use nets to catch aircraft wings or landing gear. These barricade and barrier systems are only used for emergency arrestments for aircraft without operable tailhooks.