Chair-O-Planes

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A Chair-O-Planes ride with a tilting top

Stationary Chair-O-Planes showing chairs on hanging chains.

The Chair-O-Planes, sometimes called a swing carousel or wave swinger, is a fairground ride that is a variation on the carousel in which the chairs are suspended on chains from the rotating top of the carousel. As the rotation speed of the Chair-O-Planes increases, the chairs are thrown outwards by centrifugal force. On some versions, the rotating top of the carousel also tilts for additional variations of motion.

Loudoun Castle Theme Park in Scotland claims that its moon shaped ride, "The Plough", is the largest Chair-O-Plane in the world. The Plough was originally called Apollo 14 and was owned by the Bembom family, operating in their Ponypark Slagharen in Holland during the late seventies. It had gondolas travelling around the outside of the ride. When moved to Dreamland in England (then called "Bembom Brothers"), it was reconstructed into a Chair-O-Plane and named Heatwave. Later on, Henk Bembom moved Heatwave to his new park, Loudoun Castle, where it was renamed "The Plough" and painted green.

[edit] In the U.S.

Most of these rides are called Wave Swingers and are mostly at amusement parks. They are identical to Swing Carousels/Chair-O-Planes. Most of them are made by Zierer, and some are made by Bertazzon. All the ones listed below are made by Zierer.

Some of these include:

Gotham City Crime Wave--Six Flags Over Georgia
Orange Stinger-Disney's California Adventure
Wave Swinger--Cedar Point
Whirligig--Six Flags Great America

Strates is one of the only touring companies that has a carnival Wave Swinger. Depending on the crew, it can take up to 7 hours set the ride up after transit.