Bad News For Knoebels Flyer Fans!

That's the thing about Knoebels' Flyers... once you get some kind of rhythem, you get momentum, and once you get momentum, you get snapping that takes more of an effort to STOP than to maintain.

Well, there goes my favorite flat ride evaa..

It's safe to say they mean snapping no matter how you read the sign. The ride op knew how I ride. I never forced the rudder or was destructive. He mentioned the act of snappin to me. Plain and simple.

Wow. Just . . wow. :(

Rich G

That's so... so sad. :(

Eric J. said:
Has anyone ever seen the flyers at PKI hit the landscaping around the ride? Back in the early 90s I seen this. I also seen it hit the op station. It was kinda freaky at first, but the ride op didn't seem to surpised because he/she just yelled at the riders and told them to stop whipping the sail so hard.

I've hit the edges of the tree branches around the ride a couple times! I can really get that thing going sometimes. Scares the crap out of my wife, though!

Perhaps it's best not to react to the sign until someone has had an opportunity to go to the park and ride the Flyers. It could mean a lot less than some fear.

I have witnessed people sitting in the tubs, waiting for the ride to begin, slamming the fins back and forth between the stops. It sounds to me that's what they're referring to. And any experienced snapper knows it's gentle movements and rhythm that make the cables snap.

And if this is the end of snapping at Knoebels its not going to be the end of the world ;)

YMMV.

mOOSH

Hmm, another lousy rule to break.

Just like Geauga lake's "no camera on rides applies to the ferris wheel and monorail" rule, just another dumb one to ignore

"2005 Season Passes to PKI are on sale now!" -Jeff Siebert

Yeah, he didn't make this comment about our flyers (it was made at the IJST announcement), but it sure fits. As a ride operator on the Eagles at PKI, I enjoy watching people snap them. When you just watch the cars go around in circles and not do much, it does get a bit boring. I am sad to hear the announcement about this flyers ride, and hope the operators there don't go insane now from being too bored. Hopefully PKI does not enforce this rule in the future, or flyers fans will now be banned at doing what they do best in all parks (Are there any other parks that still allow snapping?).

Koster Frek

OK, how would they enforce no-snapping??? You are up on the ride, in complete control of your bird. What can they do?

They stop the ride and kick your arse off/out. Also, why would you break/admit to breaking the camera rules at Geauga Lake. Not cool.
*** Edited 8/19/2004 11:44:51 PM UTC by Neuski***

There was a time during the 1999 season that Knoebel's banned snapping mid-season. If anyone snapped, the operator would stop the ride and kick the "snapper" off.

Donald,

Not to be harsh, but ignoring any photo policy rule at any park, no matter how lame it may seem, is exactly what can stop an event or a relationship with a park in a second. Especially after last year.

-Sean

Is it really such a big deal that the park wants to do this? People are changing plans and throwing tantrums because Knoebels wants to stop people from snapping the ride. I'm sure the forces from snapping cause some kind of long term damage to the ride mechanism. Would you rather the ride be removed instead?

When you put everything into perspective it's not a big deal. Get a grip people.

-Bigkirby

^You just don't understand it... It's like a drug. *** Edited 8/20/2004 12:13:18 AM UTC by Dane186***

http://www.KingsIslandCentral.com

I've nevr BEEN to Geaga Lake, I jsut read it in a TR and thought how stupid it was. Sorry if it came out wrong, I was just being a little sarcastic *** Edited 8/20/2004 1:06:09 AM UTC by pkidelirium***

CoastaPlaya said:
Frankly, I can't think of a better reason to let one fly than a sign like that one. -CO

Man, when I read this I almost let one fly myself, and I'm sitting here in the lobby of a *nice* hotel prepping myself for some FLYING tonight at IB (the good kind of flying, that is). PKI, as Danny mentioned, is now the only "known commodity" as far as snapping, and even that was looking a bit dicey earlier this year. I'm sure DK is trying to protect his investment, but I hope the decision is made fairly quickly that this is NOT the best way to do it. AMAZING considering the choice made in regards to "the PTC letter", but this is obviously one made more for the sake of the RIDE itself, whereas the seatbelt modification was way more of a *CYA* situation. (Uh-oh, I just said CYA, hope I don't get yelled at, LOL).

Cap'n, I am TOO sure Nicole is being *PM'd* at this very moment, nothing like teenager hormones to do away with all sense and reason when it comes to the opposite sex...(now I just said "sex", I really AM asking for it). ;)

edit: Yes, snapping IS *that good*, and it is a high unlike anything I've experienced at a park, where *I* get to decide how much THRILL I get from a ride (without the nausea from the teacups, LOL).

P.S. Stay tuned for an update on IB's flyers policy when I get home on Monday, although right now it doesn't look exceptionally hopeful. I am SURE that snapping puts a lot more stress on the ride mechanically, but for me, I think of it as a "cost of doing business", like hiring ride ops or anything else that parks need to spend money on.

It will be interesting to see how this plays out by the time PPP rolls around, I know DK is trying to do what's best for his park...I just don't think this is the way to go....but it ain't MY park, either.
*** Edited 8/20/2004 3:56:35 PM UTC by rollergator***

I'll get the low down tonight. I'll do my usual flying and see what happens. Hopefully when the ride ends I won't be greeted by a few of Knoebels security guards.

I was told once a few weeks ago about my flying by some punk kid ride op. He actually stopped the ride mid cycle to tell me to knock it off. The regular ride ops never yelled at me before. They would only ask me to take it easy if there were alot of kids on the ride.

As for whipping the sail, it's not how fast you move the sail but when you do change it's direction. Some people get into the aggressive flying pattern, rocking back and forth in the tub and use way more energy than you actually need to trying to get better snaps.

Please keep us posted... we'll be waiting by our computers for the lowdown. Well, not really... but that did make it mroe dramatic, right?

Maybe I'll keep you "ON THE EDGE OF YOUR SEAT" for a day or two now!

Oh, the torture!