Snapping the Flyers

LOL...I'm just surprised you didn't question how I know where to find hot babes in bikinis! ;)

Oh...and snapping fliers takes pratice.

mOOSH [bring it back on topic]

I figure beaches would be a good start! ;)

Usually the first time you snap you usually pretty young and you just think your going to die. Then your usually scared to move the rudder for the rest of the ride.

Most of the time after 2 or 3 rides you get the hang of it.

After years of pratice it's just instinct. It's actually harder for me not to snap than it is to snap. :)

I'll bet Knott's could fit one where the...oh heck, what was the name of that S&S ride they took out? (Why stop at a brand new B&M and Huss thingy???) ;)

*** Edited 5/11/2004 2:49:09 PM UTC by janfrederick***

VertiGo! And I'd love to see flyers in that spot.

If anyone is planning on snapping while riding the new Larson flyers that have been popping up at a few parks recently, you may be bummed to hear this next bit of info.

I went to the Larson facility during the Spring Con two weekend ago and specifically asked one of the engineers during a tour if snapping is allowed on their rides.

The man I asked said that Larson doesn't recommend it. Larson even mentions to parks that snapping may occur with some guests and how to recommend to guests to not snap.

From the looks of it, there isn't as much cross bracing supports on the top of the ride as there is in the older versions like found at PKI.

-Sean

If their the ones like Hersheypark has they suck for snapping. The ones at Hershey also have a super long unloading cycle because the ride op has to go to each tub and maunally unlock the restraint.

I don't care for the new ones at all.

Its all a matter of rythem, Timing and feel.

The real trick to knoebels is not letting you tub go beyond horizontal. If you let the tub turn too far out at the top or turn too far in at the bottom you done screwed up your next cycle.

As for snapping, Pick a spot on the ground, On knoebels its the ring of rust on the concrete where the tubs sitt while Idle. When you dive, As soon as you hit or aproach that spot turn that motha out and stall. It also helps if you steer slightly in at the top of your swing.

Once you get the rythem, It's actually hard not to snap.

Chuck, who found Lesourdsvilles Flyers amazingly simular to the way Knoebels act.

CoasterPunk, My brother got the hardest snaps I ever seen on a flyer at Hershey. He bounced about 15ft off his snaps, It even scared me.

That was the hardest snaps until the next day at knoebels when he somehow managed to get the cable wrapped around the tub bracket making the tub face like / at a full stop.

Larsons are basically a old 8 tub design with a 10 tub structure. I seen as much if more bracing than PKI's.

Chuck, who won't snap if asked but if nothings said :)

Well, PTC sent a letter recommending parks install seatbelts....MOST took them up on the idea, which is pretty smart in the *CYA* legal atmosphere we have....but NOT all parks did...:)

I'm sure that Larson is doing the same thing by recommending that people NOT snap the flyers...if a park DECIDES to allow snappage, then Larson *pretty much* is in the clear for any damages...

I've seen a cable or two wrapped around the tub, but I'm nowhere NEAR that good...maybe with some lessons from c-punk? ;)

gator, hoping IB bucks the trend...

edit: Who'da thunk it? You find hot bikini babes at the BEACH...and all this time I've been scoping out the pools on campus...D'Oh!
*** Edited 5/11/2004 2:50:49 PM UTC by rollergator***

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Mamoosh said:
VertiGo! And I'd love to see flyers in that spot.

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Thank you! Yes, I'm awful with names. Yah, it would be cheap, it would fit just right, and they could theme it after a windmill or something. Perhaps they could call it, "Fearless Freep's Fabulous Flyers" or simply "Dust Devil"

I never got a cable snagged but I actually got a pic of some kid that got his caught! The pic I have is the ride op picking up the back of the tub to unsnag the cable. I'm sure it will happen one day! I'd sooner snag a cable then actually "Snap" a cable anyday! :)

Those seatbelts are a pain. Although when I was at Hershey (last year, last day) the guy working the ride took his time unlatching everyone.

I think Knoebels are so good is because they go the opposite direction from all the other ones out there. Then again when has Knoebels been like every other park? :)

I was TOLD that the ride was originally set-up backwards (something to do with engine?) and instead of taking the whole thing down and constructing it correctly, the tubs were reversed. I forget where I heard that, but it would explain it.

I am quite good at the ones at King's Island but its hard to describe how to do it in words, the people i have tought its all by riding with them about twice and they have it. for the ones at KI i just have two spots i use for markers to my self, they are the bushes right after the op and the bushes right after the exit, i start off with those then just after a snap or 2 just go when it "feels right" its a lot of a mental thing by riding it many times to know the times when to move the rudder.

-rctfreak-

I heard that about the engine thing too Rob. I like 'em just how they are. They have been going that way for as long as I can remember, Pre Phoenix days.

I don't use any type of markers when I'm on them. I just get in and go and hope for the best! :)

I think I may have to get to Knoebels this weekend! :)

coasterpunk,

The one and only time I have gotten a cable to snag on the top of the boom was by chance. I do believe you have to know how to snap to get a snag, but you don't have to be an expert. At least, that is what happend to me. I think it was by chance. Sad to say though, the flyers I did this on were at Whalom Park.

Chuck,

I think LeSourdsville's flyers offered the most violent snapping of any set I have ridden. As you know, the way you get LeSourdsville's to snap is pretty much opposite of what needs to be done at PKI to get snapping there.

As for the bracing on PKI's compared to Larson's versions, the only good look I got of the bracing on Larson's version was from a picture when the ride was set up at the factory. There was a lot less cross bracing at the top of the booms from what I could tell.

-Sean

The tub I saw with the cable hung up had the rear cable caught on the one bolt toward the top of the tail. When we were slowing down The dude was on the opposite side of the ride as me said, "There's somthing wrong with my tub!" I was like, "Wow dude! I never did that before!"

I never saw it get snagged on the boom before. I gotta try to do that!

I think it's just luck on getting a cable hung up. Like sinking a basket from mid court or a 55-60 yard field goal. It can happen but it's rare.

I did get a cable to slap me on the top of my head already though! :)

I remember my Ex got mad at me for snapping like a nut the one year! We wern't even in the same tub!

I love it when I snap them so hard that I make the entire structure make this ungodly sound. And it makes the little girls cry. :)

speaking of that...I juts had a flashback to CBCon 2002 at PKI.

There was quite a bit of snapping going on...kids (and parents alike) were staring awestruck and were actually leaving the line while their kids were crying about it being a scary ride...

From what I remember from Hershey's flyers, the main support is a column permantely attached to a foundation. The older models have a wider base. The sweeps on the new model are solid steel pipe attached to the column, not a "spiderweb" of bracing like on the older models. This simpler design might not be able to withstand the forces generated by constant snapping. The older design appears to work by spreading out any extra forces to other sweeps. Cany any structural engineers out there verify this theory?

ROFL....George, that was my fondest memory of CBCon '02, the *Geeps* running to AND from the line, some for a ride on that AMAZING flat ride, othres to get away from what MUST have looked like certain peril....

Almost as much fun, if not moreso, than the ERT itself...:)