Best seat for airtime

Okay, so I went to SFNE on Fri. and rode S:RoS six times. 1-1, 7-2, 9-2, 9-2, 2-1, 2-1. I've been on this coaster many many times before, and I could've sworn that the air was better in the back than in the front, but on Fri. I got MUCH more air in 2-1 and 1-1 than in the back (except on the first drop). It appears that the deceleration of the train as you crests a camelback sitting in front gives you more lift than the acceleration when you're sitting in back.

So what's the appeal of back row rides? Is it just for the first drop? Or was I just on crack on Fri.?

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AC?, RB?, MF?, DD?, PR? Who can keep track of it all?

Never been on S:ROS but on every other coaster I have ever rode the back is cool because you get yanked over and through elements providing a more forceful ride although there are some excpetions. In the back of Maggie you get nice floater air, but it 1-3 you get ejected out of your seat. Millenium force gives some great sustained floater air in the back seat, you are literally out of your seat for seconds at a time. Raging bull is great in the back seat as you get yanked through the hills and all the twists and turns.

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The Beast and Night, They go together like Peanut Butter and Jelly

It depends on the ride. On Magnum, 1-3 gives really violent air. On Raging Bull, the back has much more air than the other seats. If you go on Raging Bull and don't go in the back, you don't know what you're missing.

On Phantom's Revenge, no matter where you sit you get great airtime. But it's a little more vicious in the back.

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Where is THE best seat to sit on the Big Dipper at Worlds of Adventure?? They have 3 cars, right? Each with 3 rows of seats.... which is the best seat for air-time, since that coaster is definately one where you are thrown up in the air for lots of floating time.

I always thought it was the very front, but I heard differently.

2-2 on the Dipper?

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The Beast and Night, They go together like Peanut Butter and Jelly

*** This post was edited by MagnumForce on 5/12/2002. ***

i think 2-2 means second car, second row.

but yea, i think it does depend on the coaster. i take the front before the back in most cases because i love a good view. but when i go to CP in june/july im gonna make an exception with wicked twister.

...or is that 2nd row, 2nd seat? (even though the seats are joined together)

i got more air in the 4th car on S:ROS at SFNE when i went than in the back, but the back was way more thrilling. i did find that suprising, especially when it flys thru those double hills along side the lift. the whole ride is total ejection air.

The best seat for air on Kennywood's Racer, when returning the station, the train to the left. Sit in the very back seat and you will get air on every hill. And some very nice lateral airtime.

Coasterman Mike

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Now, a card carrying member of ACE.
Total rides on Pittfall: 255
Total rides on Superman:UE : 633

Pheonix at Knoebels gives the best air in row 1.3. Rows 1.1 and 1.2 are amazing as well, but 1.3 gives true ejector air.

Nitro gives nice air most everywhere, but the back is definately the place to be if you want plenty of it!

Rolling Thunder, believe it or not, gives some pretty decent airtime in the front row of the right side. It cant compare to most of the other airtime machines out there, but you can still feel it.

What is it with 1-3 on lots of coasters? Can't say anything about 1-3 on S:RoS because there is no 1-3;)

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The reason that 1-3 is the ejector seat on a lot of coasters is because, as discovered on Fri. most coasters give better air in the front (except on the first drop). Now, when a long (three row) car is cresting a hill (especially a sharp one like Maggie's), the front row whips down and the back row whips up, especially if the wheel base is close to the middle of car. Thus, the back seat gets catapulted up and forward.

Re: Nitro - I actually got a LOT more air in row 3 than in the back.

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AC?, RB?, MF?, DD?, PR? Who can keep track of it all?

Big Dipper has 4 cars comprised of 3 seats per car with 2 across. My homie.:) And best seat for air is definately back seat on Big Dipper.

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At least I dont call a vertical loop a "loopdie-loop"!

SFNE Freak, here's a guess....when the train first crests the hill, the front wheels pull down abruptly, which pulls down the nose of the lead car. I'm thinking (WAG time) that this *yanks* upward on the back end of the lead car, sending the rider up and out.....that's my guess, but someone else will probably *know*. I do know that 1-3 on Phoenix "got" me unlike any other wooden coaster......that's car :), row :):):)

I actually found that Nitro was unusual that it seemed to give air in different spots along the track depending on wether you sit in front or back There seemed to be more points with air in the front, but where you got it in back it was more intense.

Where the air is best depends on the way that the tops of the hills are contoured. Some coasters give the best air time in front ie. Phoenix, Skyliner, Wild One. Some give the best air in back, Roar east, SROS at SFA.

My experience indicates that everything tends to happen more dramiticaly in the last row of a car not matter where it is in the train.

*** This post was edited by Jim Fisher on 5/12/2002. ***

Maggie sure does give a ton of air but its "painful air" because of the uncomfy restraint that kill your thighs over every hill.

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What ever floats your boat-What ever bursts your bubble - What ever tickles your pickle :)

I ussually go for the 3rd row on most coasters. Good air and a good view.

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With great power, comes great responsibility-Spiderman

If you want violent ejector air on Big Dipper, 1-3 is the place to be.

2-3 on Phoenix gives almost the same ride as 1-3.

I always choose the first car and the last row in that car.