Flying roller coaster

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A flying roller coaster (Flyer) is a roller coaster where the riders are secured in flying position with the track overhead. The loading process varies by manufacturer.

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[edit] Vekoma

Vekoma's 'Flying Dutchman' model was the first flying coaster and came in two types, the prototype and a longer version costing around $17 million. The first flying coaster was Stealth at Paramount's Great America in Santa Clara, California (now relocated to Paramount's Carowinds on the NC/SC line under the name BORG Assimilator.) These coasters are loaded more like a traditional seated coaster with the track below the rider. The seats, which face backwards, are meant to be reclined as the train ascends the lifthill though this commonly isn't done. The train then departs the station and is hauled up the lift chain with the passengers facing skywards. At the top of the lift hill, the track rotates a half twist to flip the riders into the flying position for the rest of the ride.

Diagram of the loading system of a Vekoma Flying Dutchman rollercoaster. The red arrow indicates the direction of travel upon leaving the loading area.
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Diagram of the loading system of a Vekoma Flying Dutchman rollercoaster. The red arrow indicates the direction of travel upon leaving the loading area.

[edit] B&M

In a Bolliger and Mabillard (B&M) Flying Coaster model, the passenger takes a sitting position with their legs dangling in a similar fashion to B&M's inverted roller coaster. The coaster then tilts them forward, placing passengers in a flying position for the duration of the ride. The first B&M flyer was Air, which opened in 2002 at Alton Towers. B&M's flying coaster is said to be more comfortable and features an intense Pretzel Loop element, which also debuted in 2002 - a month after Air's opening - on Superman: Ultimate Flight at Six Flags Over Georgia (later in 2003 also brought in at Six Flags Great Adventure) In 2006, B&M unleashed their biggest, longest, fastest flying coaster, Tatsu at Six Flags Magic Mountain. Tatsu features two more inversions then Superman Ultimate Flight, and it has a record-breaking 124ft. pretzel loop. B&M's flying coaster can be very expensive, priced at 12 million pounds sterling (about 21 million US dollars). [citation needed]

[edit] Zamperla

Zamperla's flying model is 'Volare' (Italian for To Fly). Riders lie down in the cars, which hang from an upper rail at a 45 degree angle. The car is then lifted up into a flying position while holding the riders inside. This model is very compact and cheap (estimated to be 6 million USD) and comes with a unique spiral lift hill in which a tall spinning column with 2 vertical poles connected to it which push the cars up the spiralling track. But riders have complained that it was quite uncomfortable as there is a lack of harnesses on the cars. Sometimes the ride can cause headaches.

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