Flying Scooters, also known simply as Flyers, is an amusement ride consisting of a center post with ride vehicles suspended from arms attached to the center post. The ride dates back to the 1930s and 1940s when Bisch-Rocco manufactured the ride. In the early 2000s, Larson International revived the concept. In the early 2010s, Larson partnered with Majestic Manufacturing, Inc. to create a portable version of the ride.[1]
When the ride is in operation, a motor causes the arms to spin, with centrifugal forces causing the ride vehicles to fly outwards. Each ride vehicle is equipped with a large rudder, allowing riders to control the motion of their vehicle. The minimum rider height requirement is usually 36 inches tall or more.
Although Flying Scooters are generally considered a mild ride, a skilled rider can "snap" the cables suspending the vehicle, and thus gain a more extreme and out-of-control experience. Snapping is caused by the cables slacking due to quick motions of the vehicle. Snapping is made easier on older and faster Flying Scooters rides such as the Flyer at Knoebels or others manufactured by Bisch-Rocco. Some newer models, such as those manufactured by Larson, are designed to prevent snapping. Snapping is sometimes discouraged due to maintenance and safety reasons, and in the case of some parks, snapping is punishable by the ride cycle being stopped early and the offending rider being removed from the ride.
| Name | Park | Location | Manufacturer | Opened | Status | Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flyer |  United States | Bisch-Rocco | 1972 | [2] | |||
| Flying Fish | United States | Larson International | [3] | ||||
| Flying Scooter | United States | Bisch-Rocco | [4] [5] | ||||
| Flying Scooter | United States | Bisch-Rocco | |||||
| Flying Scooters | Erieview Park | United States | Bisch-Rocco | [6] | |||
| Flying Scooters | United States | Ray Evers | |||||
| Hurricane | United States | Bisch-Rocco | |||||
| Flying Scooters | United States | Bisch-Rocco | [7] | ||||
| Rowdy Roosters | Canobie Lake Park Palisades Amusement Park | United States | Bisch-Rocco | ||||
| Mission Macaw Formerly SS Stingray | United States | Larson International | 2008 | [8] | |||
| Seabreeze Flyers | United States | Bisch-Rocco | C. 1944 | ||||
| Spirit of Kitty Hawk | United States | Bisch-Rocco | |||||
| Falcon Flyer Flying Circus | Wild Adventures Celebration City | United States | Larson International | 2010 Unknown | |||
| Aerial Joy Ride | United States | Spillman Manufacturing | 1941 | ||||
| Flying Aces | United States | Bisch-Rocco | 1941 | ||||
| Screaming Eagles | United States | Larson International | |||||
| Dive Bombers | United States | Bisch-Rocco | |||||
| Flying Scooter | United States | Bisch-Rocco | 1950 | ||||
| Flying Scooters | Playland Park | United States | Bisch-Rocco | 1950 | [9] | ||
| Flying Scooters | United States | Bisch-Rocco | 1958 | ||||
| Flying Eagles | United States | Bisch-Rocco | 1975 | ||||
| Eagle's Flight | United States | Bisch-Rocco | 1976 | [10] | |||
| Flying Scooter | Conneaut Lake Park Euclid Beach Park Old Indiana Fun Park | United States | Bisch-Rocco | 1997 Unknown Unknown | |||
| Flying Eagles | United States | Larson International | 2002 | ||||
| American Flyers Formerly Phantom Phlyer | Lake Compounce Kennywood West View Park | United States | Bisch-Rocco | 2003 1995 to 1996 1937 to 1977 | |||
| Frontier Flyers | United States | Larson International | 2003 | [11] | |||
| Air Crow | United States | Larson International | 2004 | ||||
| Tink's Flying School | United Kingdom | Larson International | 2004 | ||||
| Mountain Gliders Formerly Woodstock Gliders, Phantom Flyers Formerly Flying Eagles, Flying Scooters | Carowinds Kings Island Coney Island | United States | Bisch-Rocco | 2005 1972 to 2004 1940 to 1971 | |||
| Flying Scooters | United States | Larson International | 2006 | ||||
| Flying Aces | United States | Premier Rides | 2007 | ||||
| Dragon Flyer | United States | Larson International | 2008 | [12] | |||
| Hornet's Nest | United States | Larson International | 2012 | [13] | |||
| Thunderbirds Formerly Flying Scooters | Eldridge Park Fun Spot Amusement Park & Zoo Fantasy Farm | United States | Bisch-Rocco | 2012 Unknown Unknown | |||
| Lakeside Gliders | United States | Larson International | 2013 | ||||
| Screamin' Eagles | United States | Larson International | 2013 | [14] | |||
| Surfside Gliders | United States | Larson International | 2013 | [15] | |||
| French Quarter Flyers | United States | Larson International | 2014 | ||||
| Lake Erie Eagles | United States | Larson International | 2014 | ||||
| Professor John's Flying Machines | United States | Larson International | 2014 | ||||
| Winged Warrior | United States | Larson International | 2014 | ||||
| MT Buckets Formerly Cedar Creek Flyers | United States | Larson International | 2015 | ||||
| Kong | United States | Larson International | 2015 | ||||
| Franklin’s Flyers Formerly Woodstock Gliders | United States | Larson International | 2015 | ||||
| Flying Eagles |  Canada | Larson International | 2016 | ||||
| Flying Eagles | United States | Larson International | 2016 | ||||
| Phoenix | Canada | Larson International | 2016 | [16] | |||
| Woodstock Gliders | United States | Larson International | 2016 | ||||
| Wonder Woman Flight School | United States | Larson International | 2016 | ||||
| Flying Scooter | United States | Bisch-Rocco | 2016 | ||||
| The Mad Mocking Bird | United States | Larson International | 2019 | ||||
| Flying Circus | United States | Larson International | [17] | ||||
| The Barnstormers | Guyton's Fun Junction | United States | Unknown | Unknown | Closed | ||