Stealth's Inversions

OK- I know the www.pgathrills.com site lists the inversions as 8 total. Someone help me understand where they got this number. There are 3 loops...The horseshoe makes 4 or 5 (how many horseshoe elements are there?) But not 8.

The official site also lists four 180 degree inversions...does this make sense to anyone? Are they saying that flipping over at the top of the lift is an inversion, then when the train flips back over before the loops that counts as one too?

I don't want to get off on a rant here, but By that logic Raptor has 12 inversions, etc...

Isn't an inversion complete when you are righted again, or 360 degrees? Or are they claiming that since it is a lay down coaster 180 degrees now counts as an inversion? Why don't they count the loops on Stealth as 6 inversions by themselves then?

That's a huge debate these days because coaster designers are doing all kinds of things with track. Stealth complicates things further because it's hard to say which way is "right side up."

I found it odd that the ride does a vertical loop with the train on the inside of the loop. Wouldn't it be significantly cooler if you were flying on the outside of a loop?

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Jeff
Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com

that struck me as strange as well

OK,stand up straight jump and land at a 180 degree angle.If you land on your head (upside down) would you count that as an inversion???

I guess it is at PGA...

Once you ride Stealth, you'll understand why it doesn't run on the outside of the loop or the corkscrews. You feel as though your body's going to be pulled apart, the g's are so strong on your mid-section. As far as the 8 inversions go, they are competeting with SFMW's Medusa, which has 7 legitimate inversions, so they will claim whatever is close. BTW, Stealth is an amazing coaster!

You are right Riverbeast, the g would be to strong on your midsection. I hope later flying coasters will be able to do inversion while in the flying posistion.

Vekoma did experiment with an outside loop element and for whatever reason, it didn't work. They weren't comfortable with the stress the body would have to deal with. I spoke with several Vekoma employees at the Stealth media day. The park has taped a segment for Stealth for a future discovery channel special. Vekoma will address the problems they had early on with Stealth's design.