Six Flags Great America announces X-Flight
Posted
[Ed. note: The following is an excerpt of a press release. -J]
Get ready to take flight! Six Flags Great America announces plans to add a state-of-the-art roller coaster for the 2012 season. X-Flight is a ground-breaking wing coaster featuring cutting-edge technology. The Gurnee theme park is the first to announce plans for a wing coaster in the U.S.
X-Flight will take riders on a flight that defies gravity, with no track above or below them. Riders sit in pairs, suspended on either side of the track with their feet dangling, as they begin their climb up a 12-story plunge launching them into speeds of 55mph through 3,000 feet of intense drops and five inversions, including a barrel roll and zero-g roll. One of the most adrenaline-pumping moments on the ride is an extreme fly-through where the coaster speeds straight toward a structure, before making a last-minute vertical flip to fit through a keyhole cut-out.
“Six Flags Great America has a long history of introducing legendary rides and first-of-its-kind roller coasters,” said Hank Salemi, Six Flags Great America Park President. “What makes X-Flight so unique is soaring through 3,000 feet of high-speed drops, loops and turns, with nothing above or below you. The coaster’s train actually looks like a plane with seats suspended on either side of the track. It’s like nothing you have ever experienced before. We are thrilled to bring this revolutionary wing coaster to our guests for the 2012 season.”
X-Flight is designed by acclaimed Swiss manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard, who also designed Six Flags Great America favorites: Raging Bull, SUPERMAN: Ultimate Flight and BATMAN: The Ride. The wing coaster will make its home in the County Fair section of the park. Construction begins this Fall. X-Flight is scheduled to open Spring of 2012.
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I keep trying to go there, but Gonch keeps avoiding me.
That's splitting hairs 4d sac spin wing walker,wing coaster are all variation from the original 4D
Wing walkers are not a 4d any more than a dive coaster is.
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No, it's not. It's not even close. The thing that makes a 4D coaster is the additional motion of the spinning seat - the 4th dimension.
Nothing subjective about it.
See, Gonch thought he was all special spinning around in his 4th dimension. Little did he know he could've simply sat off to the side.
No one has ever considered a wing walker or B&M wing coaster to be a 4D coaster. The whole 'fourth dimension' aspect of it is that it has a spinning motion.
The 3 S&S, and the several Intamin ZacSpins all have seats that rotate 360*. It's not splitting hairs.
These and Furious Bacco Do not have rotating seats.
"Six Flags Great America is the first theme park to announce plans for a wing coaster in the U.S."
So did they kind of spill the beans for another certain park by saying this?
Would they even know?
Hobbes: "What's the point of attaching a number to everything you do?"
Calvin: "If your numbers go up, it means you're having more fun."
^Yeah, I think they did Andy, because all of their wording has implied or stated "one of the first in the US"...plus, didn't we kinda know about Dollywood for quite some time now?
Minem4s, I found that wording very interesting too.
I understand why you might have thought what you did about what makes a 4-D coaster a 4-D coaster, Cedar "Counter" Point, but listen friend. The whole idea of the name "Fourth Dimension" on the Arrow (now S&S) designed coasters was because the seats rotate, giving a fourth dimension of movement, not available with traditional coaster designs. The fact that the seats are on the sides and not over the track is just because the rotating seat design called for it.
Now you know... and knowing is half the battle. :)
Edited to add...
My goodness, Gonch. You have the greatest CoasterBuzz avatar of all time right there. When I first noticed it tonight, I screamed out loud, and my dog (a Bichon Frise) looked at me funny.
-Travis
www.youtube.com/TSVisits
"Six Flags Great America is the first theme park to announce plans for a wing coaster in the U.S."
First to "ANNOUNCE." But, Dolly's will be the first to open. I hope Dollywood stresses that point in their announcement.
Edit. I wonder if Gonch looked at me through those specs, would he notice all the Wrackspurts? My head is full of them.
^^The shaking is caused by the cantilevered arm of the seats, not the rotation. Furius Baco doesn't rotate, but it shakes you to kingdom come.
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