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. 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. 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. MacDonald, Brady (September 3, 2015). "Six Flags unveils new attractions for every park in 2016". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 3, 2015.
15. 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.