Flying Coasters....For them or against them?

After last weekend, have now ridden the Zamperla variant, in addition to the B&M and second-generation Vekoma.

While I still vastly prefer the B&M over the others for comfort, I think Zamperla did some interesting and intelligent things with their design. The mechanism to raise & lower the cars is simple and elegant -- a ramp at the end of the station causes the car to rock up, where a catch holds it in the flying position. On the return end of the station, another ramp, plus a trigger that releases the catch, allows the car to rotate down as the car advances.

If the ride were a little less crammed-in-there, it would be much better.

As-is, I'm still fairly positive on the "flying coaster" concept, and I still have to give Air the nod for "most fun", even if it's not the most intense, of the bunch.

------------------
--Greg, aka Oat Boy
My page
"What do you want, you moon-faced assassin of joy?" -- Londo Mollari, Babylon 5

It depends on what you consider a flying coaster.I've been on X-Flight flying coaster,and S:UF a gliding coaster.;)

I'm for flying coasters all the way,gliding coasters are pretty fun too.:)

I'd like to see a flying coaster that doesn't feature inversions, but rather navigates its course like an arrow suspended would, cuz that would be more like flying anyway... Like imagine ground hugging turns, and stuff.. i dunno... just what i'd like to see.. I guess AIR features some of that, but gimme more..

------------------
I AM CANADIAN

I've just been on one flyer - Superman at SFGAdv. It pretty much bored me. I consider it to be the most mild coaster in the park, and that includes Skull Mountain and Runaway Train, too. The sight of it reminded me very much of a Vekoma SLC, but the Vekoma SLC's, though rough, are pretty intense. Superman was too brief, too mild. Perhaps if B&M crossed their flyer with their hyper instead of crossing their flyer seemingly with a Vekoma SLC, it might be more enjoyable. It needed more. Taller, greater ride duration, more tricks.

CoasterFanMatt said:
There have been rumors that SFFT will build a custom B&M flyer next year. Just rumors, sure, but considering the terrain of that park, I think it is a very intriguing idea...

Isn't every park that has a coaster rumor going around , rumored to get a B&M Flyer? ;)

------------------
Bodysurfing. More Fun than any coaster!

I have mixed feelings about X-Flight. I truly loved the rush of flying through the air, arms out as much as possible, and "whoooing!" through the whole experience. The only negative for me was the force against my chest, (I think this was mentioned earlier), made it hard to breath and yell at the same time. But...that won't keep me from riding it again!

The only Flying Coaster I have ridden is The Flying Coaster (or flying toaster, or flying chicken, or F---ing coaster, or whatever), and I didn't like it at first, but I guess it isn't as bad as the first time I rode it. It isn't good, but it's not bad. I do have to say that it is a kiddie coaster, even thought the height limit is 50". It's top speed is 26, I mean, come on!

I think Flying Coasters would be great with higher top speeds and better near misses, like trees and other cars. The winding and air time are good in them though, and it would be nice to ride a longer one then the Flying Coaster at SFEG. I haven't ridden any of the others, so I don't know about them. The only part I really like on the Flying Coaster is the winding part just above the ground. That is really cool.

I'll stick to my suspended coasters and woodies, though, thank you very much!

------------------
--Joe

"Keep all arms and legs, and anything else you would like to come back with, inside the ride at all times."

The GP goes nuts about X-Flight to this day even though this is it's 3rd year in operation. I went to SFGAdv and the people were nuts for S:UF. I like the intensity of the Vekomas and the reliability of the B&Ms along with how comfortable they are. A few rides is good on X-Flight. My favorite ride at SFWoA will always go back and forth between S:UE and BKF, whereas everyone in that park automatically says X-Flight! It's new, different, and you get to fly! I feel like I'm flying more on a floorless than a flying coaster! You are overrestrained and it's uncomfortable. Someone perfect the lapbar on the flyers! ;)

I've been on both S:UF and Batwing and like everyone else I liked Batwing's layout and S:UF's trains. However I wasn't so crazy about the pretzel loop I didn't find that it pulled as many g's as some said maybe I was expecting too much. But I do think flyers should be more about the flying experience and near misses with terrain I do think that it would be quite amazing though if they built a dueling hyper flyer with an immelman and an outside loop (just wishful thinking). Seriously, I think flyers have real potential but I don't think it has been touched yet.
------------------
Top 3: 1. Top Thrill Dragster 2. Millennium Force 3. Magnum XL200
*** This post was edited by SupermanRoS13 8/10/2003 9:07:59 PM ***

I have only ridden the one at SFGAM and while i enjoy the ride im not overwhelmed by them and much perfer a hyper/inverted coaster. The ride is good but lacks IHMO any great great elements that make a ride great or encourages riding them over and over again. I rode SUF duing a ace event and after riding it 5-6 times it became boring which isnt the case when i ride Raging Bull/Batman or Viper at SFGAM. I like the variety in the ride offering but perfer over type of coaters more.

I am for them but, there needs to be a new design. They need to be spiced up a bit. I like going up the lift on my back better than on my front though. If they are able to engineer inversions on the outside of loops, flyers may become preferred over inverts.

------------------
http://said.uc.edu/students/oakleysd/cp/CP.jpg
Now tell me Cedar Point is running out of space.

I have ridden both the B&M and Vekoma versions and the both were only "fair" rides to me. More of a curiosity. "I've ridden them, OK." They are not coasters I would run around back to the entrance like the Legend or SROS @ SFNE.

------------------
tambo

PGAM is against there moving Stelth to Carowinds

------------------
It's all about Coleman Spas

I hated my X-Flight experience at SFWoA.

------------------
"That's DOCTOR Evil. I didn't spend six years in evil medical school to be called 'Mr. Thank You Very Much.'"

I would like to see a flying coaster with swing trains like on a suspended coaster, with greater speed and less banked turns it would be a really cool effect, but they would have to work out problems similar to the BAT's

------------------
I am one.
I am Turbo.
Top Thrill in the front row... anything else is lame

X-Flight was fun, but I was too worried about keeping my glasses from falling off while riding it. Should've worn my contacs on that ride and I would've enjoyed it a lot more. I think it's a unique experience that hasn't fully been exploited yet. I'd like to see a park build one with lots of obstacles (ala Big Bad Wolf) and a heartline inversion inside a tunnel besides all the loops.

------------------
Nashville needs a theme park!

My favorite point on any flyer was the face chopper going over the flume on Stealth. More flying close to the ground, as mentioned, and less just random flying around in big wide turns (*ahem* S:UF *ahem*) would greatly improve the experience.

------------------
Be polite and ignore the idiots. - rollergator
"It's not a Toomer" - Arnold Schwartzenkoph
"Those who know don't talk and those who talk don't know." -Jeff