Air (roller coaster)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Air

Location	Alton Towers
Park Section	Forbidden Valley
Type	Steel - Flying
Status	Open
Opened	March 16, 2002
Manufacturer	Bolliger & Mabillard
Designer	John Wardley
Model	Flying Coaster
Lift/launch system	Chain lift hill
Height	66 feet (20.1 m)
Length	2,756 feet (840 m)
Max speed	46.6 mile per hour (75 km/h)
Inversions	2
Duration	1:40
Capacity	1,500 riders per hour
Cost	£12,000,000
Max G force	3.5
Air at Theme Park Junkies
Air at RCDB
Pictures of Air at RCDB

Air is a steel flying coaster made by Bolliger & Mabillard of Switzerland. The coaster is located in the Forbidden Valley area of Alton Towers in Staffordshire, England. Riders are placed in a horizontal position and experience the feeling of flight by 'flying' close to the ground and under footpaths.

1 The Ride
2 Trivia
3 External links
4 References

[edit] The Ride

Air is located at the end of Forbidden Valley, near to Nemesis. The ride itself is calm and offers a different pace to other rides at the park. The ride track splits into two loading bays in the station, allowing one car to be loaded while another is unloaded of guests. After taking a seat and lowering the restraints, the station lights change to blue, the mobile floor platform descends, the words 'Prepare for air' are played in the station and the ride car seats rotate 90° forward leaving the passenger facing the ground. The voice then says 'Assume the position... now fly!' and the ride begins.

[edit] Trivia

Cost £12million ^[1]
Air is the only flying coaster to feature a half zero-g roll.
Air is the first B&M flying coaster. Less than a month later another flying coaster, Superman Ultimate Flight, opened at Six Flags Over Georgia on April 3rd.
As well as Corkscrew, Air has a lift hill painted black to camouflage it within the trees.