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Is it May yet??
http://www.zerognetwork.com
That was Flight Commander. It stood where the Euro Bungy stands now. The reason that the ride was taken down was because a drunk woman rolled inverted, slipped out of the restraint, and landed on the ground with a thud. A study was done to see if she did indeed wiggle out under her own power, but it was found that if someone else was not riding with you, the rider can easily slip out of the restraint. Therefore, KI tore the ride down.
The lot stood vacant, complete with the queue still up, for several years, until a couple of years ago, PKI installed Euro Bungy. If you look off to the left of EB, you can still see the queue house.
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SOB crew in twenty 02
111 SOB laps, and wishing the park was still open
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Wood Rules!
I believe Flight Commander premiered in 1991. I went in 1992 about a month after the accident and rode it and found it to be a very fun ride. It wasn't really thrilling, but it was fun. Sort of like a Roto-Jet that you were able to flip from side to side. I also rode PKD's version called SkyPilot, which was removed at the end of the 1998 season. PGA also had one (called SkyHawk) as did Knott's Berry farm (called XK-1). I think all of them have been removed.
BTW- the ride was made by Intamin.
ray p.
Flight Commander was added in 1989. The ride was not removed because of the accident. The ride was removed to to low ridership years after the fatality.
A season or two after it's removal, a drop tower was supposed to take it's place. However a waterpark expansion over-rode the tower installation for 1997. Drop Zone then premiered in 1999 in a competely different area of the park.
Shaggy
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SOB crew in twenty 02
111 SOB laps, and wishing the park was still open
Adam
I loved Flight Commander. It was neat waiting in the underground queue and then coming up the stairs into the center of the ride. I also liked to spin upside down, then wiggle the joystick back and forth and see how long you could keep yourself upside down.
I rode before and after the accident.
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A day is a drop of water in the ocean of eternity. A week is seven drops.
I think the area may be used in the future... maybe not for a particular ride, but possibly as a cut-through to grounds on the other side of Racer.
The park knows that it is a VERY dead area of the park so I doubt they will let it sit idle any longer than they have to. The problem is getting the right thing to fit there.
Did you know that over the years, 5 rides have had foot path markers painted on the pavement leading up to their que lines? Flight Commander was one of them.... the others were Vortex, FOF, Beastie and Beast.
Shaggy
Actually, Shaggy, I think you missed one. I remember the first couple of years that Express was open, there was a path that went in front of Cobras loop.
Also, the new restaraunt taking the place of Oktoberfest wouldnt be Long John Silvers or the Fish Market, would it?
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SOB crew in twenty 02
111 SOB laps, and wishing the park was still open
*** This post was edited by SOB_TOM on 1/21/2003. ***
Flight Commander dose ring a bell. Yea, it was a very cool ride. It's sad that they had to remove it. I'll see if I can hunt down some more photos of the ride and scan 'em later on today.
Is there anything simlar to FC that's still operateing at any park? And I don't mean the kiddie rides, lol.
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Is it May yet??
http://www.zerognetwork.com
*** This post was edited by Beast_rocks on 1/21/2003. ***
Actually, I thought Water Works was 1989 and Flight Disaster was 1990. (with the accident in 1991)
It not only had the neat undergound queue area that came up into the center of the ride (which speeded up loading with people mere inches from their ride vehicles), it also had, I believe the first queue-tv's which played a pre show video which was more of a "How to operate the craft" type video. More of a running spial actually.
Not that I rode the thing too much :) but I think it went something like:
(cue Top Gun inspired bumper) "Welcome to Flight Commaner, the finest craft to take to the sky! There are a few things you should know before your flight. When you reach the top of the stairs, a gate agent will give you a gate number. When you get your gate number proceed directly to that gate and wait for the red light to change to green. When the light changes to green you may push forward on the orange gate in front of you and board your craft.
Once seated in the raft, first pull back on the lapbar, and then lower the shoulder harness. A flight attendant will be around to make sure you are properly secured for flight.
Once up in the air, use the joystick to control your craft. To rise, pull the stick back, to go down, push the stick forward, to roll left, move the stick left, to move right, push the joystick to the right.
At the end of your flight, your craft will automatically right itself and lower to the ground, you may then push up on the shoulder harness and push the lapbar away from you. Then exit the craft and follow the painted arrows to the exit ramp"
(tape then re-loops)
Flight Commander fans - how close am I?
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David Bowers
Mayor, Coasterville
I only rode PKD's sky pilot a couple of times,of course it was located where Drop Zone stands today.
When I first rode it the ride actually had the canopy on each car that would close much like that of a fighter jet but they subsequently removed that part of the ride a few years later & then the ride itself was entirely removed.
It was a rather fun but frightening experience being suspended some 65 ft or so above the ground(which is why I only rode it twice) & it was a unique design due to the control that you actually had over the vehicle during the ride,which is what I miss most about it.
I think Flamingoland has one, I believe called Top Gun (or themed to some military flight experience).
Adam
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Wood Rules!
I remember Zodiac being there as well. It was one of the trademarks of the "early years" at the park.
X Factor
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SFWoA: An Unofficial Guide
http://sfohio.tripod.com
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Sdrawkcab siht daer ot emit eht koot yllautca uoy?
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