AIR is Tame
Just got back from Alton, Air is finally open to the public. But as per usual, the hype leads us to an anticlimax. Dunno if its because of the height restriction, but the whole ride is pretty slow, and its a bit nauseating being left in the flying position for a while before you can alight. Queue time today was upwards of 2 hrs without usuing the virtual queue, of which I was dead pleased to get the 1st ticket for Air!( We weren't going to get on the 1st rides so had to get something!) The merchandise is pretty cool, and people seem to like the ride, but its not as good as Stealth, and Skytrak was still the best flying coaster of them all.
Air's harnesses are very comfortable though, as you sit down, you pull down the overhead restraint, which stretches a rubber vest over you, your waist is held into place with the restraint, and as you pull down, the shin pads move forward, locking with a pad at the back of your legs, gripping your ankles.
There's a series of pistons which move a bar, to lift the cars into prone position. Then you're off, going through what looks like a subway, onto the lift. As we know, the lift isn't very high, but as its over some of Nemesis's pit, its a long way off the ground. Its a good track layout, but slow. It helps being so close to the ground as this makes it seem faster. The fastest part of the ride is after the inverted section, as you dive through the second tunnel. The flicks from inverted to prone, and the inline are smooth, probably due to the lack of speed. I preferred the end of the ride, when the train flies over the maintenance shed, and around the helix, and you look out over the car park. Of course, its a good ride, but comparing the B&M to the Vekoma, Stealth definately packs more thrills in, and the whole impression of the B&M is that the mechanisms are bulky, and like Oblivion, it looks clumsy, and not particularly streamline.
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Just like perfection, floorless...needs no correction, floorless...like no other, floorless... absolutely floorless. The Ones.
www.colinm.com
*** This post was edited by colin mcwilliam on 3/16/2002. ***
*** This post was edited by B&M ROCKS on 3/16/2002. ***
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Steve
Staff
SFWoA Online
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Jes
Jes's Roller Coasters DJ Jes MCS
"Thank You Jeff Putz"
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Just like perfection, floorless...needs no correction, floorless...like no other, floorless... absolutely floorless. The Ones.
www.colinm.com
Even if people start saying how awful it is (whiich I doubt will happen) I'm still looking forward to S:UF with that amazing looking inversion! So people will like it, some won't. Either way, I'm sure it will be fun.
Colin, did it experience and technical dificulties on it's opening day?
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- Peabody
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Bob Hansen
New Top 5:
5-MF; 4-X-Flight; 3-Hulk; 2-Kraken; 1-Raging Bull
A new vid at ATA has been posted. It has some cool shoots of AIR it's worth a download. Just 5.6 mb. http://www.towersalmanac.com/features/downloads/movies/air_movie.html
And everyone has different taste but AIR was never meant to be a Nemesis style coaster...
B&M ROCKS said:
so you think the Vekoma flyers are better than B&ms?
What else do you think he means. Of course. And don't act so suprised either. Not all B&M coasters are king.
Must admit, I am dissapointed with B&M on this one. There's been loads of B&M Vs Vekoma on this board, and the B&M usually win. Just to be extra contraversional can I also say how Nemesis is getting a bit rough these days to!
Peabody, didn't seem any difficulties, slow though, even though Alton has had Wed, Thur & Fri this week as preview days, so things should be running a lot faster than they were. Double station idea wasn't used to its best either. We witnessed both of the 2 trains running, going down the same chanel without the switchgear moving! Thats a good thing about this ride. Just a small section of the track on a pivot, which only moves about 30 degrees to switch between the two tracks. but as mentioned before, overall its bulky. The mechanisms to raise the trains into prone position stick out the back of the station. (Vekoma's are hidden away beneath the track...!) go on then B&M worshippers, say it....!
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Just like perfection, floorless...needs no correction, floorless...like no other, floorless... absolutely floorless. The Ones.
www.colinm.com
So far all the reviews I have read about AIR at ATA are pretty good. Apparently the themeing isn't said to be finished yet and it is a smooth, fun, ride. Some are saying it is as good as Nemesis and others aren't. For some reason the shop is supposed to be awesome.
Bottom line, ride it for yourself before making up your mind.
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Nothing... NOTHING... can prepare you for... the Fourth Dimension!
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"This time I think ... I think it's ... it's going to work!" - Dr.Bruce Banner
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My Top 5 Coasters:
1. Raging Bull(SFGAm) 2.Millenium Force(CP) 3. Deja Vu(SFGAm) 4.V2(SFGAm) 5.Cornball Express(IB)http://coasterworld.cjb.net
Well to put my 2 cents in, AIR is more of a family ride, and SUF looks to be more for the thrill, which is what SFTP is all about. Look at SFMM, they have what, 1 kiddie coaster and a mine train, and the rest is all for thrill. There really aren't any "fun" coasters there for the kids. Everything that SFTP does is made for the teenager in mind, but who wouldn't, considering the fact that the teenagers is what pulls in the money.
Also on the subject of the pistons and all of that on the lowering and lifting of trains in and out of prone position. Colin said that the lowering devices stick out of the station, and Vekoma's don't. Last time I checked, Vekoma loaded in a sitting position, like a normal coaster, except backwards. AIR on the otherhand, loads like an invert, so the stuff has to be there inorder to lower the trains on AIR. Although, correct me if I am wrong, but on the Dutchman version 2, dont they have the lifting and lowering equipment IN the train?
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Nessy: Ride of Steel
Webmaster of Digital Coaster - http://digital-coaster.com
This is what happens when B&M "steals" (takes prexisting designs and modifies them, not really stealing do to the fact that all the companies do it) designs. It is rediculous....they need to think of something of there own for once. Yes, i know about the vertical, 90 degree oblivion, the floorless, and the hang down (which are all partially theres)but people have been trying to do those two things for a while. All B&M does is take rides, and makes them better. Dont get me wrong...I am a great fan of them, but i would really like to see them do something original. I am not just singling out B&M but all the other companies that do this, you know its just not B&M themselves
*** This post was edited by SiDeWiNdErCSC on 3/17/2002. ***
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Touch The Sky
*** This post was edited by B&R-The Chiller on 3/16/2002. ***
SpongeBob said:
So far all the reviews I have read about AIR at ATA are pretty good. Apparently the themeing isn't said to be finished yet and it is a smooth, fun, ride. Some are saying it is as good as Nemesis and others aren't. For some reason the shop is supposed to be awesome.
LOL, The shop is the best thing about it all! The merchandise is cool to. From the lifthill to the brakes Air is very stylish. The colour/ music, the TV ads and general marketing, is cool. Given some plants and the supposed water features it will look quite nice. But like Oblivion and Altons' X sector, its a sort of theme without a theme!?
Got 1st virtual queue ticket ever for air! Collected ticket at 10am to enter q at 10:30. Q'd an hour (virtual q my rear!) and rode about 11:30am. I accept it will get fractionally faster later in the day, and of course as the ride breaks in, but I promise you, it will still be slow.
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Just like perfection, floorless...needs no correction, floorless...like no other, floorless... absolutely floorless. The Ones.
www.colinm.com
*** This post was edited by colin mcwilliam on 3/16/2002. ***
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