Flying Scooters

Air Crow at Indiana Beach. Note the "No snapping of cables" sign
Flyers in operation at Stricker's Grove

Flying Scooters, also known simply as Flyers, is an amusement ride consisting of a center post with ride vehicles suspended from arms attached to the center post. The ride dates back to the 1930s and 1940s when Bisch-Rocco manufactured the ride. In the early 2000s, Larson International revived the concept and is the sole manufacturer of these rides.

When the ride is in operation, a motor causes the arms to spin, with centrifugal forces causing the ride vehicles to fly outwards. Each ride vehicle is equipped with a large rudder, allowing riders to control the motion of their vehicle. The minimum rider height requirement is usually 36 inches tall or more.

Cable snapping

Although Flying Scooters are generally considered a mild ride, a skilled rider can "snap" the cables suspending the vehicle. Snapping is caused by the cables slacking due to quick motions of the vehicle. Snapping is made easier on a faster Flying Scooters ride; however, some newer models are designed to prevent snapping. Snapping is sometimes discouraged due to maintenance and safety reasons.

Installations

Ride name Park Manufacturer Opened Status Ref(s)
Aerial Joy Ride Hersheypark Spillman Manufacturing 1941 Closed 1961; designed by Norman Bartlett.
Air Crow Indiana Beach Unknown 2004 Operating
American Flyers Lake Compounce Bisch-Rocco 2003 Operating. Previously operated at many amusement parks including Kennywood.
Cedar Creek Flyers Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom Larson International 2015
Dragons Fly Castle Park Larson International 2008 Operating [1]
Eagle's Flight Holiday World Bisch-Rocco 1976 Operating [2]
Flyer Knoebels Bisch-Rocco N/A Operating. Purchased from Kennywood Park [3]
Flying Aces Idlewild Park Larson International 2007 Operating
Flying Aces Lagoon Amusement Park Bisch-Rocco 1941 Operating
Flying Eagles California's Great America Larson International 2002 Operating
Flying Eagles Kings Dominion Bisch-Rocco 1975 Operating
The Flying Eagles Kings Island Bisch-Rocco 1972 Closed in 2004. Relocated from Cincinnati's Coney Island. Later relocated to Carowinds. [4]
Flying Eagles Canada's Wonderland Larson International 2016 Operating
Flying Fish Story Land Larson International N/A Operating [5]
Flying Scooter Bushkill Park Bisch-Rocco 1950s Closed [6]
Flying Scooter Conneaut Lake Park Bisch-Rocco 1997 Operating. Relocated from Euclid Beach Park. [6]
Flying Scooter Bland's Park Bisch-Rocco N/A Closed in 2001 [6][7]
Flying Scooter Americana Amusement Park Bisch-Rocco N/A Closed in 2002.
Flying Scooters Camden Park N/A 2006 Operating
Flying Scooters Erieview Park Bisch-Rocco N/A Operating [8]
Flying Scooters Fantasy Farm Bisch-Rocco N/A Closed in 1986. Relocated to Fun Spot. [9]
Flying Scooters Fun Spot Amusement Park & Zoo Bisch-Rocco N/A Closed. Relocated from Fantasy Farm. Later relocated to Eldridge Park. [9]
Flying Scooters Geauga Lake Bisch-Rocco 1958 Closed in 1999.
Flying Scooters Playland Park, Justice, IL Bisch-Rocco 1950s Closed in 1979. [10]
Flying Scooters Stricker's Grove N/A N/A Operating
Flying Scooters Whalom Park Bisch-Rocco N/A Closed in 2000 [11]
French Quarter Flyers Six Flags America Larson International 2014 Operating
Frontier Flyers Hersheypark Larson International 2003 Operating [12]
Hornet's Nest Darien Lake Larson International 2012 Operating [13]
Kong Morey's Piers Larson International 2015 Operating
Lake Erie Eagles Cedar Point Larson International 2014 Operating
Lakeside Gliders Michigan's Adventure Larson International 2013 Operating
Phoenix La Ronde Larson International 2016 Under Construction [14]
Professor John's Flying Machines Kentucky Kingdom Larson International 2014 Operating
Rowdy Roosters Canobie Lake Park Bisch-Rocco N/A Relocated from Palisades Amusement Park. [15]
S.S. Stingray Jungle Jack's Landing N/A N/A Operating
Screamin' Eagles Great Escape Larson International 2013 Operating [16]
Seabreeze Flyers Seabreeze Amusement Park N/A N/A Operating
Spirit of Kitty Hawk Frontier Village Bisch-Rocco N/A Closed in 1980.
Surfside Gliders Knott's Berry Farm Larson International 2013 Operating [17]
Thunderbirds Eldridge Park Bisch-Rocco 2012 Operating. Relocated from Fun Spot Amusement Park & Zoo.
Tink's Flying School Oakwood Theme Park N/A 2004 Operating
Woodstock Gliders Carowinds Bisch-Rocco 2005 Operating. Relocated from Kings Island.
Woodstock Gliders Kings Island Larson International 2015 Operating \
Woodstock Gliders Worlds of Fun Larson International 2016 Operating
Wonder Woman Flight School Six Flags Over Georgia Larson International 2016 Operating [14]
Flying eagles Coney Island (Cincinnati) Bisch-Rocco 1935 Closed prior to 1972. Relocated to Kings Island.
Unknown Euclid Beach Park Bisch-Rocco N/A Closed in 1996. Relocated from Old Indiana Fun Park. Relocated to Conneaut Lake Park.
Phantom Phlyer Kennywood Bisch-Rocco 1937 Closed. Relocated to many amusement parks, ultimately ending up at Lake Compounce.
Unknown Old Indiana Fun Park Bisch-Rocco N/A Closed. Relocated to Euclid Beach Park. [6]
Unknown Palisades Amusement Park Bisch-Rocco N/A Closed. Relocated to Canobie Lake Park. [15]
Unknown West View Park Bisch-Rocco 1946 Closed by 1977.

References

  1. "Dragons Fly at Castle Park: Larson Scooters now open". Park World Magazine. 30 May 2008. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
  2. Kyriazi, Gary (1 November 2006). "Holiday World: Redefining family entertainment". Park World Magazine. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
  3. Futrell, Jim (17 May 1999). "Not all the good rides are new". Amusement Business. 111 (20): 21.
  4. http://www.wcpo.com/dpp/news/region_north_cincinnati/mason/parting-is-such-sweet-sorrow-9-rides-you-hated-to-see-leave-kings-island
  5. Ruben, Paul (7 May 2009). "Story Land". Park World Magazine. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Futrell, Jim (2002). Amusement Parks of Pennsylvania. Stackpole Books. ISBN 0811726711.
  7. Futrell, Jim (10 September 2001). "Name change helps Bland's keep up with special sauce". Amusement Business. 113 (36): 53.
  8. O'Brien, Tim (25 November 2002). "Attendance increase highlights 57th season". Amusement Business. 114 (47): 9.
  9. 1 2 Futrell, James. "Ohio's Fantasy Farm Auctioned After Twenty-Eight Years". National Amusement Park Historical Association. The Fantasy Farm Memorial Website. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
  10. "Playland Park (Justice, Illinois, USA)". rcdb.com. Retrieved September 1, 2015.
  11. O'Brien, Tim (12 November 2001). "Whalom Park assets to go on block". Amusement Business. 113 (45): 39.
  12. Barbieri, Kelly (3 February 2003). "Hersheypark prepares for new rides, food". Amusement Business. 115 (5).
  13. "Kernels – May 2012". Park World Magazine. 9 May 2012. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
  14. 1 2 MacDonald, Brady (September 3, 2015). "Six Flags unveils new attractions for every park in 2016". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 3, 2015.
  15. 1 2 Kyriazi, Gary (24 April 2008). "Canobie Lake: Waterside Survivor". Park World Magazine. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
  16. "Screamin' Eagles at the Great Escape". Park World: 12. August 2013.
  17. "New at Knott's". Park World Magazine. 12 December 2012. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
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