"Black Sunday" at Kings Island?

PKD's King Kobra is in Brazil. PKI's King Cobra is out behind the park rusting.

I did do my best to get PKI's King Cobra sent to Terra Mitica...back when that was a Paramount-run Park, LOL...

The Shockwave incident at PKD, from *all* reports, was NOT an "accident". No less sad, but clearly seemed intentional.

The mouse coaster mentioned by BFSFA (from Gillian's), is doing quite well in Arkansas under the name Twist-n-Shout.

I was actually at the park on "black Sunday!" I did not even find out about either accident until the next day. I guess I was just having too much fun. I was young and not particularly observant of my surroundings.

Anyhow...Flight Commander was frankly a boring and painful ride. It went very slow in both the circular motion AND the self-controlled barrell rolls. You hung on the shoulder harness which lead to the pain.

I'm still schocked they never put another ride there as the cue was rather nice for a flat...

Yeah, the flying Skooters should have went there.

I went by Lesourdsville Today, The Serpent, Pirate, Giant Slide were still there, I didn't see the Flying scooters.

Chuck

Flight Commander's line area is still there, correct? I remember it vividly for some reason, I also remember riding the thing its first season and being terrified that my sister was going to keep me upside down the entire time.

I think they filled the stairways for the bungie attraction, Im pretty sure you just walk up and down what used to be the exit.

Chuck

Borntocoast said:
PKDs KK is alive and well and living in Brazil. (If all goes well it will be my 100th Looper when I go to Brazil to ride it. BTW Their Woodie will be my 400th Roller Coaster ) *** Edited 6/9/2006 5:48:07 PM UTC by Borntocoast*** *** Edited 6/9/2006 8:14:50 PM UTC by Borntocoast***

I'm well aware of that,I wouldn't mind if they sent it back up north of course. It was sent off to OC Maryland in 87 but didn't last long there so Alton Towers got hold of it for a while before the Brazilians finally got their hands on it.

Yeah the entrance to FC is covered up now. I checked it out when my daughter was doing the Eurobungy last season.

Now officially a Halloween Haunt Cornstalker for Fall '08! www.freewebs.com/chadmicah

I once heard that drop zone was going to installed where flight commander was with the loading below the concrete deck. obviously, plans changed and it was installed elsewhere in the park.

coaster kevin said:
I once heard that drop zone was going to installed where flight commander was with the loading below the concrete deck. obviously, plans changed and it was installed elsewhere in the park.

That was the original plan. They had a sign there the year before that said "Site of new attraction dropping in next summer."

You can walk up right next to the old queue area and look in. It looks beat pretty bad and would require new railing.

To those people that tell me that "You Ohio State fans think your better than everyone." It's because we are. :)

Knott's also had an Intamin Flight Commander...it was called XK-1.

I only rode it once during its final year of operation 1997. I think I have a picture of it in one of those park souvenir picture books.

It was a cool ride to look at, but like others have mentioned not that comfortable when upside down. If I remember correctly, in addition to the OTSR there was also a t-bar style restraint.

...and such

Can you share the picture with us? Or does anyone else have a photo they can post?

Ask and you shall recieve! Here are pictures of the old que as talked about above as well as a picture of the ride itself:

Just go to the site below and type the word "flight"

http://www.pkicentral.com/parkinfo/history/photos/search.php *** Edited 6/12/2006 11:13:34 AM UTC by zosobeast***

Yeah, from a marketing and being a little sensitive to the issue, I think that "A new ride dropping in here soon" may have not been too PC to put up after the accident that occured.

Oh, come on now...after nearly ten years and two park owners, I don't think that was an issue at all.

My understanding (entirely based on rumor) was that the original freefall ride project...er...fell through because of (political?) problems involving the manufacturer, and I would not be surprised to learn that the Drop Zone tower could not be built on the Flight Trainer foundation because they went for the taller, bigger ride.

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

I didn't find that Flight Commander was uncomfortable when upside down. I remember doing several barrel rolls and it was lots of fun.

Drop Zone was schedualled to go right where Flight commander was and would have if they had choosen the second Gen ride.

Paramount however choose to go another route to market their product and instead made a two year plan of ACTION Zone with they Gyro Drop (Worlds largest at the time) Face off and for 2000 SOB also worlds largest at the time.

One out of three isn't bad LOL

Chuck

Chuck, whaddya know--

The rumor at the time was that the free-fall ride for the Flight Commander location was going to be a Premier ride, but that continuing problems with Flight of Fear caused that deal to fall through. Do you know if there was any truth to that at all?

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

I heard that one too, However I don't think it was true. Yes they were having problems with OLFOF at the time, But Premier came in after year two and made the ride considerably ore reliable.

As for who decided not to put lapbars on the ride in the first place, I have no idea. I know that originally it was not to have OTSR's but someone somewhere decided the public wouldn't feel safe and made the call for the OTSR.

Come to think of it, I also heard the SOB trains were a compensation payment.

Some or none of this may be true, However I know they are quite pleased with the IJST's.

Chuck

I think the majority of riders are pleased with the IJ rides, too. I know I am. :)