Does Superman: Ultimate Flight have any inversions

An item for discussion...

Are there any inversions on Superman: Ultimate Flight at any of the three parks that have them, or on AIR? If so, where?

Think about it. On these rides how do you identify an inversion? When is the train upside-down?

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

I'd say the train is technically 'inverted' at the bottom of the Pretzel Loop. If the 'normal' train position places the rider under the track, then the 'inverted' train position would place the riders on their backs, above the track.

*** This post was edited by chris 7/30/2003 12:47:02 PM ***

The Vekoma's claim 8 inversions, chew on that for a while.

I would call an inversion any single element that turns the ride in the oppisite orientation it is traveling in and then back again. Although if thats the case wouldn't the horseshoe on the Vekoma's be an inversion?

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If given the choice I'd choose a hamburger over a hotdog anyday of the week.

I've always considered an "inversion" to refer to the state of the rider, not of the train. Personally, I define a rider as being inverted when their spine is pointed straight down (butt above head). Thus I would say that both Vekoma and B&M flyers have one "inversion".

Later,
EV
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"Here's the thing about living in the past. If it was so good, then how come it didn't last? If it helps you, I'll put it in a phrase. Those were the times, but these are the days." - The Human League

Chris,

but on the Vekoma versions...is the 'normal' position of the train above or below the tracks? It loads above but spends a majority of the ride below... ;)

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--George H
---Currency tracking experiment... http://www.wheresgeorge.com (Referring to The "George" on the $1 bill - Not Me)

For me, it has two....you may count them as you wish...;)
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your company's name and logo HERE...effective advertising at great rates!

Um...Should normal and Vekoma really be used in the same sentence? ;)

j/k - I really enjoy the Vekoma Flyers a bunch.

*** This post was edited by chris 7/30/2003 12:54:23 PM ***

Yea I love that "X-Flight with 8 wicked inversions!" bit on the SFWoA radio ad! I would say that the B&M flyers have one inversion (the inline) and the Vekomas have 3 (loop + 2 inline or 2 corkscrew). On flyers, I think an inversion should have the same definition as on a sit-down. We've basically come to the conclusion (I hope that we have at least so I'm not accused of opening this topic back up ... ) that overbanks are not inversions, therefore horseshoes and "half rolls" aren't inversions in my book.

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Formerly PittDesigner (graduating soon!)
Lifelong fan of all Impulses!
--Brett

Think about this: Let's say you're lying on the floor on your stomach. You roll over onto your back, and then onto your stomach again. Have you gone upside down? No. But that's what the barrel rolls on S:UF and the Vekoma flyers do.

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A day is a drop of water in the ocean of eternity. A week is seven drops.

I agree with Brett, I always thougth the Inlines were ment to be an inversion, the Pretzel Loop was ment to be an inversion, and the Loop on Vekomas was ment to be an inversion. I've only been on Batwing, and the only time I was upside down was coming down the loop, but I think the inline(or corkscrews if it has those instead), is also ment to be an inversion.

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Beaver, its whats for dinner:p.

My opinion is that the Superman Ultimate Flight coaster have one full inversion. Might I add it is a great one? I really hope that B&M can make more inversions like it more then once on a coaster. However to come to think of it its so intense it might damage the ride experience.

During the pretzel loop riders are upside down during the barrel roll before the breaks riders are put more through a turn rather then an inversion. On the Vekoma versions. To think of it is really one real inversion as well which is the backwards loop. The industry as well enthusiast and general public all have different takes on it I suppose. I think the reason parks make it seem like more inversions to hype the ride more.

The 8 claim is not logical I think that they should claim to have 5 inversions Connsider:

Inversion 1:Top of the lift/Turn back onto your back before the loop

Inversion 2: Loop

Inversion 3: Turn back to flying after loop/first half of first barell roll

Inversion 4: Second half of first barell roll/first half of second barell roll

Inversion 5: Second half of second barell roll/pullout of helix

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Summer 03-CP, HP, SFDL, SFNE, SFWOA, and SFGAm.
*** This post was edited by Touchdown 7/30/2003 1:24:19 PM ***

They should claim 3 at the most. If you want to count more then atht then woudln't the loop consist of 2 inversions ans the two barrel rolls consist of four inversions?

They count 8 as:

1 flip at top

2 Horseshoe

3 half flip before loop

4 loop

5 half flip after loop

6 barrel roll

7 barrel roll

8 half flip before brakes

Using that logic there shoudl be 12 inversions

1 flip at top

2 half horseshoe

3 half horshoe

4 flip before loop

5 half the loop

6 half the loop

7 flip after loop

8 half flip

9 half flip

10 half flip

11 half flip

12 flip before brakes

I think the general consensus should be that at the most X-Flight has 3 inversions and S:UF has 2.

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If given the choice I'd choose a hamburger over a hotdog anyday of the week.

MagnumForce said:
I think the general consensus should be that at the most X-Flight has 3 inversions and S:UF has 2.

I think ignoring all marketing ploys that that is how most people see it :)

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www.coasterimage.com
Dorney Park Visits in 2003: 15

SO all the claims about *all those inversions*.....that's simply "foreploy".....I'm disappointed...;)
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your company's name and logo HERE...effective advertising at great rates!

I define an inversion as when a person starts from a normal position, goes upside down, and then back to that normal position. Useing that logic even if Verkoma made a flyer with no visable inversions, it would still have one because the cars must at sometime flip into flying mode and then flip back to unload, therefore my inversion discrpition might seem somewhat confuseing but thats what it is :)

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Summer 03-CP, HP, SFDL, SFNE, SFWOA, and SFGAm.

Except an inversion shoudl be one element, not two widely spaced elements with multiple other elements in between them.

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If given the choice I'd choose a hamburger over a hotdog anyday of the week.

The definitive answer is that the word "inversion" applies less and less as the seating positions for roller coasters change.

How many inversions does X have? How do you count the inline twist with the seats turning at the same time?

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A day is a drop of water in the ocean of eternity. A week is seven drops.

I don't know how many inversions it had, but it was plenty fun. ;)

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http://www.eecs.umich.edu/~bnoble/

SUF - technically 1 if by rider orientation. Location: Pretzel loop. How I figure: On the Pretzel Loop the ride does go head first down the entrance to the pretzel loop. They then complete the inversion when they come back out the other end going the same direction as they started. So the riders orientation does flip them on a vertical axis. (Horizontal axis flips are in my opinion not an inversion, but for some they may be.)

Air - technically 0. If I am wrong where does the rider actually do a complete 360 degree flip in orientation as they do on the pretzel loop of SUF.

X-Flight - technically 1 - only in the loop does the riders orientation flip them on a vertical axis. If one does not count this as an inversion then nothing on any roller coaster can be considered an inversion.

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Zero G Thrills - Moved and Improved
*** This post was edited by beast7369 7/30/2003 4:01:09 PM ***