Flying roller coaster

Flying roller coaster

Galactica, a flying coaster at Alton Towers navigating the 'Fly-to-Lie' inversion.
Status In Production
First manufactured 1997
No. of installations 26
Manufacturers Bolliger & Mabillard (2002-), Vekoma (2000-), Zamperla (2004-)
Restraint Style Over-the-shoulder (most common style)

A flying roller coaster is a type of roller coaster meant to simulate the sensations of flight by harnessing riders in a prone position during the duration of the ride. The roller coaster cars are suspended below the track, with riders secured such that their backs are parallel to the track. Flying roller coasters come in a variety of sizes and designs depending on the intended demographic for the ride. Some flying roller coasters are intended for children and, thus, are relatively slow and gentle; others are meant for older children and adults and can be very fast and intense.

History

The flying roller coaster is a relatively new concept. The world's first flying roller coaster was Skytrak Total, built in Manchester, United Kingdom at the Granada Studios Tour in 1997.[1] The Skytrak used a single-passenger car. Riders would climb into the car in much the same fashion as climbing a ladder, then the car would be raised up to the track before being dispatched. The single-passenger design kept the ride's capacity low, at only 240 riders per hour.[1] The park, and Skytrak itself, were short-lived, both closing in 1998, but nevertheless the ride was the first of its kind.

Design

Vekoma

Coaster train on Firehawk at Kings Island in reclined position prior to leaving station. The train's direction of travel is to the right

Dutch roller coaster manufacturer Vekoma constructed the first large-scale flying roller coaster, Stealth, for California's Great America in 2000. Nicknamed the 'Flying Dutchman' by Vekoma, Stealth featured a higher-capacity train with four-across seating. Riders load the trains in an upright sitting position, facing the rear of the train. After the train is fully loaded, a mechanism in the station lower the seats to the track, with the riders on their backs facing the ceiling. After cresting the lift hill, the track twists 180 degrees to flip the riders into the flying position for the rest of the ride. Just prior to reaching the roller coaster's final brake run, the track twists again, such that riders are lying on their backs facing upward. After reaching the station, the seats are raised back to loading position.

Diagram showing the difference between a Vekoma Flying Dutchman and Bolliger & Mabillard Flying roller coaster

The harness system for the Vekoma flying roller coaster consists of two main elements: the lap bar and the chest harness. After being seated, the operator pulls down the lap bar, which is hinged on the floor of the train. The bar locks into slots in the sides of the seat and secures the waist. Halfway up the bar is a pair of leg restraints, which hold the legs in place during the ride. The rider then fastens the buckles to close the chest harness and secure the upper body. Hand grips are placed at the ends of the arm rests of each seat. Vekoma would expand upon the 'Flying Dutchman' prototype with two other installations in 2001, Batwing for Six Flags America and X-Flight for Geauga Lake. Of the three Vekoma Flying Dutchmans, only Batwing still operates at its original location: X-Flight now operates at Kings Island as Firehawk, while Stealth was relocated to Carowinds and renamed BORG Assimilator from 2004 to 2007, and now operates as Nighthawk.

Vekoma has also designed a new, more compact flying roller coaster model nicknamed the 'Stingray'. Its first installation is at theSuzhou Giant Wheel Park in Suzhou, China, and opened on August 18, 2009.[2]

Vekoma's flying roller coasters have a 54-inch height restriction.

Bolliger & Mabillard

Galactica at Alton Towers, Bolliger & Mabillard's first flying coaster

Swiss manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M) unveiled its Flying Coaster model in 2002 with Air at Alton Towers (renamed Galactica in 2016), followed later in the year by Superman: Ultimate Flight at Six Flags Over Georgia. In this version, the rider takes a sitting position with their legs dangling in a similar fashion to B&M's inverted roller coaster. Mechanisms in the station lift the car up to the track, placing passengers in a flying position for the duration of the ride.

Flying roller coasters from B&M use a combination chest/waist harness that is hinged above the riders' heads. Once seated, the rider pulls down the harness, which (like the Vekoma model) locks into slots in the sides of the armrests. This single mechanism locks the rider's waist in place with a large padded cushion and provides a rubberized padded vest to secure the chest. The vest includes seat-belt-style tensioners above the shoulders to support a wider range of body types. At the ankles, two flaps hold the legs in position, and close as the harness is locked in place.

Bolliger & Mabillard currently holds the record for the longest, tallest and fastest flying roller coaster in the world, Tatsu, at Six Flags Magic Mountain. Like the Vekoma models, riders must be at least 54 inches tall.

Zamperla

A Zamperla flying coaster, Flying Coaster at Elitch Gardens.

Italy's Zamperla produces a flying roller coaster model dubbed 'Volare' (Italian for "to fly"). Riders lie down in the cars, which hang from an upper rail at a 45 degree angle. The car is then lifted up into a flying position while holding the riders inside. This model is very compact and affordable (estimated to be USD 6 million) and comes with a unique spiral lift hill in which a tall spinning column with 2 vertical poles connected to it which push the cars up the spiral track. The minimum rider height requirement is 50 inches tall.

Installations

A former Vekoma flying roller coaster, X-Flight formerly at Geauga Lake.
A Bolliger & Mabillard roller coaster, Superman: Ultimate Flight at Six Flags Over Georgia.
Name Park Manufacturer Opened Status Ref(s)
Skytrak Granada Studios Skytrak International 1997 Demolished [3]
Komet Encounter Zone Select Contracts 1998 Demolished [4]
Batwing Six Flags America Vekoma 2001 Operating [5]
Galactica
Formerly Air		 Alton Towers Bolliger & Mabillard 2002 Operating [6]
Superman: Ultimate Flight Six Flags Over Georgia Bolliger & Mabillard 2002 Operating [7]
Superman: Ultimate Flight Six Flags Great Adventure Bolliger & Mabillard 2003 Operating [8]
Superman: Ultimate Flight Six Flags Great America Bolliger & Mabillard 2003 Operating [9]
Hexenbesen Erlebniswelt Seilbahnen Thale Wiegand 2003 Operating [10]
Nighthawk
Formerly Stealth		 Carowinds
California's Great America 		Vekoma

 2004
2000 		Operating
Closed 2003 		[11][12]
Flying Coaster Genting Theme Park Zamperla 2004 Demolished [13]
Super Flight Playland Zamperla 2004 Operating [14]
Time Warp Canada's Wonderland Zamperla 2004 Operating [15]
Volare Wiener Prater Zamperla 2004 Operating [16]
Trombi Särkänniemi Zamperla 2005 Operating [17]
Tatsu Six Flags Magic Mountain Bolliger & Mabillard 2006 Operating [18]
Crystal Wing Happy Valley Beijing Bolliger & Mabillard 2006 Operating [19]
Firehawk
Formerly X-Flight 		Kings Island
Geauga Lake 		Vekoma

 2007
2001 		Operating
Closed 2006 		[20][21]
Manta Sea World Orlando Bolliger & Mabillard 2009 Operating [22]
Stingray Suzhou Giant Wheel Park Vekoma 2009 Operating [23]
Inertia Airplane Car Kaeson Youth Park Zamperla 2010 Operating [24]
Sky Scrapper World Joyland Bolliger & Mabillard 2011 Operating [25]
Soarin' Eagle
Formerly Flying Coaster		Luna Park, Coney Island
Elitch Gardens 		Zamperla 2011
2002 		Operating
Closed 2003 		[26][27]
Hero Flamingo Land Resort Zamperla 2013 Operating [28]
Acrobat Nagashima Spa Land Bolliger & Mabillard 2015 Operating [29]
Harpy Xishuangbanna Theme Park Bolliger & Mabillard 2015 Operating [30]
The Flying Dinosaur Universal Studios Japan Bolliger & Mabillard 2016 Operating [31]

References

  1. 1 2 "Skytrak". www.rcdb.com. Retrieved 2008-08-21.
  2. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Stingray  (Giant Wheel Park of Suzhou)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved July 20, 2015.
  3. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Skytrak  (Granada Studios)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  4. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Komet  (Encounter Zone)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  5. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Batwing  (Six Flags America)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  6. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Galactica  (Alton Towers)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  7. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Superman: Ultimate Flight  (Six Flags Over Georgia)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  8. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Superman: Ultimate Flight  (Six Flags Great Adventure)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  9. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Superman: Ultimate Flight  (Six Flags Great America)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  10. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Hexenbesen  (Erlebniswelt Seilbahnen Thale)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  11. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Nighthawk  (Carowinds)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  12. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Stealth  (California's Great America)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  13. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Flying Coaster  (Genting Theme Park)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  14. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Super Flight  (Playland)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  15. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Time Warp  (Canada's Wonderland)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  16. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Volare  (Wiener Prater)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  17. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Trombi  (Särkänniemi)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  18. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Tatsu  (Six Flags Magic Mountain)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  19. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Crystal Wing  (Happy Valley)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  20. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Firehawk  (Kings Island)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  21. ↑ Marden, Duane. "X-Flight  (Geauga Lake)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  22. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Manta  (Sea World Orlando)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  23. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Stingray  (Suzhou Giant Wheel Park)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  24. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Inertia Airplane Car  (Kaeson Youth Park)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  25. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Sky Scrapper  (World Joyland)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  26. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Soarin' Eagle  (Scream Zone)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  27. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Flying Coaster  (Elitch Gardens)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  28. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Hero  (Flamingo Land Resort)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  29. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Acrobat  (Nagashima Spa Land)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
  30. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Harpy  (Xishuangbanna Theme Park)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
  31. ↑ Marden, Duane. "The Flying Dinosaur  (Universal Studios Japan)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
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