Sky Scrapper

Sky Scrapper

The lift hill and zero-g roll of Sky Scrapper
World Joyland
Park section Universe of Starship
Coordinates 31°29′51″N 120°02′28″E / 31.4975°N 120.0411°ECoordinates: 31°29′51″N 120°02′28″E / 31.4975°N 120.0411°E
Status Operating
Opening date April 30, 2011
General statistics
Type Steel – Flying
Manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard
Model Flying Coaster – Custom
Lift/launch system Chain lift hill
Height 104.3 ft (31.8 m)
Length 2,805.1 ft (855.0 m)
Speed 54.7 mph (88.0 km/h)
Inversions 5
Duration 2:06
G-force 3.3
Trains 2 trains with 7 cars. Riders are arranged 4 across in a single row for a total of 28 riders per train.
Sky Scrapper at RCDB
Pictures of Sky Scrapper at RCDB

Sky Scrapper (also known as Starry Sky Ripper) is a steel flying roller coaster at World Joyland in Wujin, Changzhou, Jiangsu, China. Sky Scrapper was one of World Joyland's opening day attractions, officially opening on April 30, 2011.

The 2,805.1-foot-long (855.0 m) ride stands 104.3 feet (31.8 m) tall, and features a top speed of 54.7 miles per hour (88.0 km/h). Designed by Swiss firm Bolliger & Mabillard, Sky Scrapper restrains riders in the prone position and features five inversions.

History

On April 4, 2011, World Joyland officially opened to the public.[1][2] The park opened with the custom-designed Sky Scrapper Bolliger & Mabillard Flying Coaster.[1] The ride is located in the Universe of Starship area of the park.[3] The park is derived from the World of Warcraft and Starcraft franchises.[4][2]

Characteristics

The steel track is approximately 2,805 feet (855 m) in length and the height of the lift is approximately 104 feet (32 m) tall. Sky Scrapper operates with two steel and fiberglass trains. Each train has seven cars that seat four riders in a single row for a total of 28 riders per train.[1]

Sky Scrapper has a total of five inversions, the most on any Bolliger & Mabillard Flying Coaster.[5] These include a zero-g roll, a vertical loop, a "Lie to Fly"/"Fly to Lie" pair, and two inline twists.[1][6][7][8] A "Lie to Fly" element is when riders are on their backs, facing the sky and they are flipped and face the ground. A "Fly to Lie" element is the opposite.[9] As of August 2013, Sky Scrapper is the only Bolliger & Mabillard Flying Coaster to feature a vertical loop, and is one of only two to feature a zero-g roll.[10][11]

Experience

A train in the loading position
A train ready to depart
A train in the loading position (left) and flying position (right)

Station and loading

Once in the station, riders of Sky Scrapper board a train sitting down, in a similar style to inverted roller coasters.[12] Riders are restrained through a padded over-the-shoulder harness and a lap bar.[13] At the ankles, two flaps hold the legs in position and close as the harness is locked in place. After the train is fully locked and checked, the trains are raised into the flying position and depart the station.[12]

Ride layout

The train travels out of the station and up the 104-foot (32 m) lift hill. Once at the top, the train drops, reaching a top speed of 55 mph (89 km/h) and entering an overbanked turn. This is followed by a zero-g roll and "Fly-to-Lie" element that turns riders to a lay-down position. It then goes through a small tunnel and enters the vertical loop. The train then goes into a "Lie-to-Fly" element and travels over some water. Riders then go through the double inline twist, through a helix to the left. The brake run is followed by a short path back to the station.[1][6]

Reception

The roller coaster has never placed in Amusement Today's Golden Ticket Awards.[14] It has also never placed on Mitch Hawker's Best Steel Roller Coaster Poll due to too few riders.[15]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Marden, Duane. "Sky Scrapper  (World Joyland)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved July 3, 2012.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Joyland: Animated adventures in Changzhou". Park World Magazine: 36–39. October 2012. Retrieved August 3, 2013.
  3. ↑ "Joyland". World Joyland. Retrieved August 3, 2013.
  4. ↑ "In pictures: Unlicensed World of Warcraft theme park in China". BBC News. January 15, 2013. Retrieved August 3, 2013.
  5. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Roller Coaster Search Results  (Design: Flying, Company: Bolliger & Mabillard)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved August 3, 2013.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Alvey, Robb (October 21, 2012). "Starry Sky Ripper - Sky Scrapper POV B&M Flyer Roller Coaster World Joyland China". Theme Park Review. YouTube. Retrieved January 6, 2013.
  7. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Lie to Fly". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved November 7, 2012.
  8. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Fly to Lie". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved November 7, 2012.
  9. ↑ "Flying Coasters". Coaster Force. Retrieved November 7, 2012.
  10. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Roller Coaster Search Results  (Design: Flying, Element: Loop, Company: Bolliger & Mabillard)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved August 3, 2013.
  11. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Roller Coaster Search Results  (Design: Flying, Element: Zero-G Roll, Company: Bolliger & Mabillard)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved August 3, 2013.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Bevil, Dewayne (November 17, 2008). "Manta on demand: more details about SeaWorld coaster under construction". Orlando Sentinel. Archived from the original on April 14, 2009. Retrieved August 3, 2013.
  13. ↑ "The World's Greatest Superhero Emerges at Six Flags Over Georgia" (Press release). Six Flags Over Georgia. January 22, 2002. Retrieved August 3, 2013.
  14. ↑ "Issue Archive". Golden Ticket Awards. Amusement Today. Retrieved August 5, 2013.
  15. ↑ "Best Steel Roller Coaster Poll 12 year results table". BestRollerCoasterPoll.com. Retrieved August 5, 2013.

External links