Parks with a Bisch-Rocco Flying Scooter (Flyers)

In the last several years, the Flying Scooter has gained a significant comeback in popularity, especially with the coaster nuts. Theres nothing like the "snap" of the cables as you go flying out of control.

Since these rides are rarely listed on park websites, I was compiling a list of where these mechanical wonders call home. Since I am from Ohio, I really don't know what else is out there beyond the midwest

NOW, I am looking for parks that carry the Flying Scooters ride, but i need to know what kind is each.
Heres a brief description on what types are out there:

In the 1930s and 40s, Bisch-Rocco (of Chicago) manufactured 2 (TWO) different types.
1: The PARK model features 10 tubs and a "high" center in which the sweeps are mounted about 17 feet above you.
2: The PORTIBLE model is everyones least favorite, since most of them run so fast that you can't make them to "snap" (Holiday Worlds is the exception) The portible model featured a low center in which the sweeps were mounted at about eye level and angled up from there. It featured only 8 tubs.

Well, upon my research, I have come up with a list of whos got what and what kind. If any of you have any more that i didnt list, let me know. Try to stay away from listing parks that are defunct..unless you know where the defunct parks ride did in fact go. (One in Paticular was the one from Old Indiana which would have been Euclid Beach's. This was the PARK model, and its seemed to have disappeared since 1996)

Current Parks with the 10-TUB PARK model:
PKI, PKD, KNOEBLES, LAKE COMPOUNCE (relocated from Kennywood), AMERICANA, & FUN SPOT (relocated from Fantasy Farm)

Current parks with the PORTIBLE model:
ERIEVIEW, CONNEAUT, SEABREEZE, HOLIDAY WORLD, GEAUGA LAKE (in pieces), DELGROSSO (in pieces), STRICKERS, & WHALOM.

So, if any of you have info. on where else there may be one, and what type, let me know! Thanks.

*** This post was edited by john peck on 11/13/2001. ***

Wow, great research! Flying Scooters are in my top 4* for flatrides and it's great to know where they are!

*tied for 1st place:
Scramber-Dodgems-Flyers-Tumble Bug
(and all are a Conneaut Lake :)
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My fellow Americans, let's roll!
I pray that I will never see a Six Flags Conneaut Lake

Lagoon in Farmington, Utah has a portable 8-tub model called The Flying Aces.

If you'd like to see a picture, go to http://jetstar2.8m.com/otherrides.html and then scroll down to Flying Aces, which is near the bottom of the page.

Thanks, Screamer, but that information is incorrect. The one you have pictured is indeed a 10-tub PARK model. Its hard to see, but there are 10 sweeps and five different color tubs. (you can see two yellow ones which are placed directly acrossed from each other)

Also, this is mounted up a high supprt pyramid instead of at eye-level like the Portibles.

But, Great! Another one I would really love to try out. I wonder if they have a "no snapping the cables" rule.

Keep up the good work, kids.

canobie lake park has one called rowdy roosters!
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Out of the coasters i've ridden here is wat i rank them overall:(ive been to canobie lake and SFNE)
1. S:RoS 2. Yankee Cannonball 3. Riverside Cyclone 4. Canobie Corkscrew 5. Thunderbolt 6. Galaxy 7. Mind Eraser 8. Dragon coaster 9. poison ivy's tangled

Now if we can add to these ratings a "Snap Friendliness". I.E. how likely you are to get yelled at for flying in the form of a Flyer Enthusiast. (i.e. rough and turbulent flights preffered)

PKI, Americana, Strickers, and Holiday World all seem to be "Snap" friendly.

Knoebels Flyers fall into an otherworldly category. That of "Snapping welcome and madatory" Is it possible to ride Knoebels Flyers and NOT get a snap?

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David Bowers
Mayor, Coasterville

john peck said:
"Thanks, Screamer, but that information is incorrect. The one you have pictured is indeed a 10-tub PARK model."

Oh, sorry. I just read the information next to the picture which said it had 8 tubs.

I wonder if they have a "no snapping the cables" rule.

I'm pretty sure they do. A number of times I've been waiting in line and the operator has said "Please do no rock your car" to the riders, but I'm not sure what that means. I'm also not quite sure what "snapping the cables" is either. :)

How do you "snap" the cables?
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My fellow Americans, let's roll!
I pray that I will never see a Six Flags Conneaut Lake

Cable nsapping is a fine art. And one that I don't think can be taught. However once you figure it out it stays with you. When done right, you make your bird to nosedives. On a properly running Skooter you should be able t achieve two dives per revolution. Another intereting thing is that no matter which bird you get you always seem to get into your nose dive pattern at the same point in the revolution, For example at PKI the snap points seem to right in front of the entrance and exit gates for the ride.

It seems to run in my mind, that you have to pretty active manipulating the rudder, and of course the more play you have in manipulatng the rudder the better. To rise up, you have to move the handle inboard so the sail points to the sky, then just before you would naturally hit the maximum altttude, sharply turn the rudder so the sail point inboard (the handle to the outside) The change will caluse the tub to suddenly go the other direction, which is down. Timing is everything here. Yes violent rudder movemet helps, throwing your weightaround in the tub helps ()and being light helps a lot too) When you get it right you are moving the rudder 4 times each revolution, and you have to do it at the right time so that your bird gets up high enough for an effective dive, but not so high that the cables go full taut.

The SNAP or KERCHUNCK you hear is when you manage to get one cable slack with the other carrying the load, then suddenly, violently manipulate the rudder and the birds course so that the slack cable suddenly becomes taut, the more violently the better. :)

On one ride at PKI on 11/4/01, we lined up 6 Flying Ace's in a row on a ten tub model, and manageed to each snap in succesion. (rideman - Is this about the time the GP all started bailing out and heading to other attractions?) :)

Again its almost impossible to really tell you how to do it, or do give a Guaranteed Method. Remmeber though, that even Flyer Aces sometimes get lousy lifeless Flyer rides. But once a Flyer Ace gets started the rest of the ride you just see your arms moving the rudder without it being processed through your cranium.

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David Bowers
Mayor, Coasterville

* printing for next year's trip to Conneaut :)

Thanks Dave!

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My fellow Americans, let's roll!
I pray that I will never see a Six Flags Conneaut Lake

I (Phinally) learned how to "snap" at PPP this year...taught by some of the best, one even got "caught" on the cables (shouldn't you get a re-ride for that!). I have never sought them out at parks before, but you can bet I'll be looking for 'em now. If I learned one thing about phlying, it's that you gotta practice...
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Son of Drop Zone - PKI CoasterCamp I Champions!!!

Unfortunatly, the PORTIBLE models are close to impossible to "snap" since the cables are shorter and the rides radius is less as well. Geauga lakes and Seabreeze's seem to run too fast and the ones at Strickers, Conneaut and Holiday World will give you some bumping but not much.

*** This post was edited by john peck on 11/12/2001. ***

Hey john, got any links to pics of the scooters? I'm not 100% sure about what you're talking about.

Taipan:
Well, the third post down (from "Screamer") has a pict of Lagoon's (in Utah) and there is a good shot of a PARK model at http://www.funspotpark.com (click on "Flying Scooters")

*** This post was edited by john peck on 11/13/2001. ***

There seems to be a PARK model at North Lake Amusement Park in Ontario (The place has several other notable rides as well).
http://www.geocities.com/TheTropics/Island/7481/nlap.html

(P.S. Bichco or Bisch?)

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everything's better with a banjo

*** This post was edited by millrace on 11/13/2001. ***

Thanks, MILLRACE, do you know of any pictures of this park? They also have an Eyerly Loop-O-Plane!
My bad on that name, i did a little more research and it is indeed spelled "Bisch-Rocco" So, I edited my first post, though not much can be done for the Forum misspelling.

For what it's worth, Lakeside in Denver has a set as well, though I can't remember whether it's an 8 or 10 tubber and the one picture I have is inconclusive. There's also a set down in Gulf Shores, AL, but I can't remember what the place called itself.

Also, Knoebel's and Lagoon's are the only two Flyers I've seen that rotate clockwise and load from the inside. And Lagoon is very much anti-snapping, although they call it "popping."

john peck said:
So, I edited my first post, though not much can be done for the Forum misspelling.

Ask and ye shall receive.

Or something like that.

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--Greg
"Beat the rush, sign up for your post-Mean Streak MRI now..."
My page My other page And my coaster page

Moverell....

Thats one I forgot! The gulf shores one! I got a pict of it when I was there! It is red with 10 tubs, so that makes it a...PARK model! Its at a small ride park near a strip of shopping areas, really close to Waterville USA which is home to the CCI Cannoball.

GregLeg....Your my hero

Moverell, you are correct about Lagoon's Flying Aces "Popping." It is quite difficult to "Snap" the cables on Aces, I miss the good old days of "Snapping."
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