| Skycoaster | |
| Imagedimensions: | 250px |
| Manufacturer: | Ride Entertainment Group |
| Designer: | William Kitchen & Ken Bird |
| Model: | Single Swing Dual Swing |
| Custom Label 1: | Height |
| Custom Value 1: | 100 ft – 300 ft |
Skycoaster is the name of a free-fall and flight-simulating amusement park attraction produced and managed by Skycoaster Company, LLC..[1] On the Skycoaster, riders in groups of 1 to 3 are harnessed in specialized Flight Suits (in a face-down, prone position), and are winched to the top of a launch tower; the riders then pull a ripcord to engage their “flight”, upon which they swing several times from a cable tether, back and forth, until finally brought to a rest.[2] The attraction is often compared to a combination of skydiving, bungee jumping, and hang gliding.[3]
There are currently over 80 Skycoasters in operation all around the world, ranging in heights from 100-.[4] [5] The ride can be found on every continent but Antarctica.[6] Most locations operate as upcharge attractions with an additional fare charged to riders who have already paid general admission to the park.
Many installations use a variation of the Skycoaster model name, whereas others use a custom name like Dare Devil Dive (found at several Six Flags parks) or Xtreme Skyflyer (found at several Cedar Fair parks).
William Kitchen, founder of Sky Fun 1 Inc., and Ken Bird originally came up with the idea of the Skycoaster in 1992.[7] They wanted to find a way to let others experience the thrill of jumping out of a plane or the thrills of bungee jumping, but with the safety factor of a merry-go-round. By January 1994, there were four portable models of the ride and 16 permanent fixtures in the United States.[8]
In 1998, Bill Kitchen sold his patents for Skycoaster and most of the Sky Fun 1 Inc. company to ThrillTime Entertainment International Inc. for $12 million.[9] [10] [11] Skycoaster, Inc. was then sold to the Ride Entertainment Group in 2005.
Ride Entertainment introduced Sky Sled in 2017, a new method of riding a Skycoaster.[12] [13] The Sky Sled replaces the flying position with a sitting one. It was first introduced in 2018 at Fun Spot America in Kissimmee, Florida.[14]
Ride Entertainment has partnered with KCL Engineering to offer lighting systems for the Skycoasters and Kool Replay to offer automated video systems.[15] [16]
The company is based in Stevensville, Maryland. Parts are manufactured throughout the United States, with the attractions assembled on site.
The two most common types of Skycoasters are lattice and monopole. Lattice Skycoasters were manufactured in a variety of sizes, but the 173-dual arch and 100-foot single arch were the most common. Monopole Skycoasters were manufactured in a variety of sizes, 100-foot single, 100-foot dual, 180-foot single, 180-foot dual, and one 300-foot unit. Earlier Skycoasters have some unique tower structures that do not fall within these categories.
Flight cables are made of NaNinches galvanized steel, which supports 9800lb, or stainless steel, which supports 90000NaN0. However, the maximum weight for a flight is 850lb, mainly due to the winch. The 3-ring release system used on the Skycoaster is the same kind used on parachutes. The flight suits worn are similar to hang gliding suits, and are made by a parachute company to support weight of up to 10000lb.
There are two types of Skycoaster loading systems:
| Skycoaster Name | Park | Location | Height | Opened | Closed | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skycoaster | Fun Spot America - Kissimmee | 300feet | 1997 | World's tallest Skycoaster.[17] [18] Opened on Saturday, November 22, 1997, with an appearance by 82-year-old George A. Blair. | ||
| Sydney Skycoaster | Raging Waters Sydney (Formerly Wet'n'Wild Sydney) | Sydney, Australia | 2511NaN1 | 2013 | World's second tallest Skycoaster. Dual Skycoaster and the first with a new design with less steel than other Skycoaster designs.[19] Second Skycoaster with the Village Roadshow group. | |
| Skycoaster | Fun Spot America - Orlando | 250feet | 2013 | Relocated from MGM Grand Adventures Theme Park.[20] Only uses one of two former towers.[21] | ||
| Sky Screamer | MGM Grand Adventures | 250feet | 1996 | Relocated to Fun Spot Orlando.[22] After closing to the public, the ride was originally retained on property and available for rent by companies.[23] | ||
| VertigoXtremo | Parque de la Costa | 213feet | 1999 | [24] | ||
| Skycoaster | Skyborne | London | 200feet | |||
| Skycoaster | The American Adventure | 200feet | [25] | |||
| X-Flight | Six Flags Mexico | Mexico, Mexico City | 197feet | 2015 | Tallest Skycoaster in Mexico at over 180feet tall.[26] | |
| Skycoaster | PlayCenter | 197feet | [27] | |||
| RipCord | Worlds of Fun | 189feet | 1996 | [28] [29] | ||
| Caribbean Swing | Hurricane Harbor | 189feet | 1995 | |||
| Skycoaster | Kennywood | 189feet | 1994 | Single Lattice A-Frame. First permanent Skycoaster installation in an amusement park.[30] [31] | ||
| SkyCoaster | State Fair of Texas | 189feet | ||||
| RipCord | Michigan's Adventure | 183feet | 2002 | [32] | ||
| SkyCoaster | Schlitterbahn Waterpark Resort | 183feet | 2002 | [33] | ||
| Skycoaster | Lake Compounce | 189feet | 1998 | [34] | ||
| RipCord | Valleyfair | 180feet | 1996 | [35] | ||
| Geronimo Skycoaster | Wild Adventures | 180feet | 1999 | [36] | ||
| Red Hawk | Six Flags Darien Lake | 180feet | 1995 | Opened as Skycoaster.[37] | ||
| Sky Coaster | Six Flags Over Georgia | 180feet | 1996 | [38] | ||
| Ultimate Rush | Grand Adventure Land | 180feet | 1998 | [39] | ||
| Unknown | United Entertainment & Tourism Company | 180feet | ||||
| Skycoaster | Kentucky Kingdom | 180feet | 2001 | [40] | ||
| Screamin' Skycoaster | Six Flags Fiesta Texas | 180feet | 1995 | Relocated to Texas State Fair. | ||
| Skycoaster | Six Flags New Orleans | 180feet | 2000 | Attraction still standing at abandoned park.[41] | ||
| Skydiver | Walibi Holland | Biddinghuizen, Netherlands | 177feet | 2002 | ||
| Dare Devil Dive | Six Flags Great Escape and Hurricane Harbor | 175feet | 2001 | [42] | ||
| Hadikali | Hopi Hari | Vinhedo, São Paulo, Brazil | 174feet | [43] | ||
| Catapulte | La Ronde | Montreal, Quebec, Canada | 173feet | 2008 | [44] | |
| Skycoaster | Opryland USA | 173feet | 1995 | Originally opened in park's State Fair area before being relocated within park for 1997 season. Park was closed and demolished following 1997 season. | ||
| Xtreme SkyFlyer | Canada's Wonderland | Vaughan, Ontario, Canada | 173feet | 1996 | Dual Skycoaster.[45] | |
| SKY-X | Seoul Land | 165feet | 2000 | |||
| Sky Coaster | Superland | 165feet | 1998 | [46] | ||
| SkyCoaster | Wet'n'Wild Gold Coast | Gold Coast, Australia | 164feet | [47] | ||
| XLR8R | Elitch Gardens | 160feet | 1996 | [48] | ||
| Xtreme Skyflyer | Kings Island | 153feet | 1995 | Opened as Drop Zone, named after Paramount movie Drop Zone.[49] Renamed in 1996 to Xtreme Skyflyer.[50] | ||
| Dive Devil | Six Flags Magic Mountain | 153feet | 1996 | [51] | ||
| Xtreme SkyFlyer | Kings Dominion | 153feet | 1996 | [52] | ||
| RipCord | Carowinds | 153feet | 1995 | Opened as Skycoaster. Renamed in 1996 to Xtreme Skyflyer.[53] Relocated next to Nighthawk in 2014.[54] | ||
| Xtreme SkyFlyer | California's Great America | 153feet | 1997 | [55] | ||
| Dare Devil Dive | Six Flags Great Adventure | 153feet | 1997 | [56] | ||
| Dive Bomber Alley | Six Flags Over Texas | 153feet | 1996 | [57] | ||
| Dragon's Wing | Six Flags St. Louis | 152feet | 1996 | [58] | ||
| Barnstormer | Six Flags AstroWorld | 151feet | ||||
| Sky Coaster | Lagoon Amusement Park | 143feet | 1995 | [59] | ||
| Vertigo | Oakwood Theme Park | 140feet | 1997 | [60] | ||
| I-5 Sky Dive | Wild Waves Theme Park | 125feet | 1998 | [61] | ||
| Dare Devil Dive | Six Flags Great America | 125feet | 1997 | [62] | ||
| Skycoaster | Wet 'n Wild Emerald Pointe | 125feet | ||||
| Professor Delbert's Frontier Fling | Cedar Point | 153feet | 1996 | Originally opened as Ripcord in Cedar Point's Challenge Park.[63] Relocated in 2017 to Frontier Trail and renamed.[64] | ||
| Skycoaster | South Pier, Blackpool | 120feet | 1994 | |||
| Skycoaster | Six Flags America | 100feet | 2001 | Removed to make way for Harley Quinn Spinsanity. | ||
| Sky Shark | Magic Springs and Crystal Falls | 115feet | 2014 | [65] | ||
| Geronimo Skycoaster | Frontier City | 113feet | 1995 | [66] | ||
| Dive Devil | Bell's Amusement Park | 113feet | ||||
| Skycoaster | The Track Family Fun Center | 110feet | 1995 | [67] | ||
| Skycoaster | Zero Gravity | 110feet | 1994 | [68] | ||
| Sky Coaster | Indiana Beach | 110feet | 1995 | [69] | ||
| Skycoaster | Big Kahuna's | 110feet | 1993 | [70] | ||
| Skycoaster | Tusenfryd | Oslo, Norway | 110feet | 1996 | [71] | |
| Skycoaster | Parque Mundo Aventura | 110feet | [72] | |||
| Skycoaster | Six Flags New England | 110feet | 1995[73] | Formerly known as Taz's Daredevil Dive. Featured a unique curved tower.[74] Replaced with Star Flyer.[75] | ||
| Sky Coaster | Funtown Pier | 110feet | 2007 | Demolished after Hurricane Sandy destroyed most of the pier. | ||
| Boardwalk Flight | Luna Park, Coney Island | 110feet | 2012 | [76] | ||
| Skycoaster | Casino Pier | Seaside Heights, New Jersey | 1091NaN1 | 2015 | [77] [78] | |
| The Skycoaster | El Rollo Waterpark | Acapulco, Mexico | 109feet | 2015 | 109feet single tower. | |
| Skycoaster | Broadway Grand Prix | 100feet | 1996 | [79] | ||
| Skycoaster | Ozark Mountain Skycoaster | 100feet | [80] | |||
| Skycoaster | Extreme World/Mt. Olympus | 100feet | ||||
| Skycoaster | Andy Alligator's Fun Park and Water Park | 100feet | 2016 | |||
| Sky Coaster | Morey's Piers – Adventure Pier | 100feet | 1994 | [81] | ||
| Sky Coaster | Adventure Park USA | 100feet | 2018 | [82] | ||
| Royal Rush Skycoaster | Royal Gorge Bridge and Park | 100feet | 2003 | Positioned over a 1200feet canyon.[83] | ||
| Sky Swing | Seacoast Adventures | 100feet | [84] | |||
| Skycoaster | Six Flags Discovery Kingdom | 100feet | 2001 | [85] | ||
| Drop Zone | Playland | Vancouver, Canada | 100feet | 1998 | [86] | |
| Ripcord | Geauga Lake | 100feet | 1999 | Sold at auction for $85,000, then put up for sale by third-party company ITAL International LLC for $105,000.[87] | ||
| The Slingshot | Ratanga Junction | 100feet | 1999 | |||
| Sky Coaster | Joyland Park | 100feet | ||||
| Sky Coaster | Morey's Piers – Surfside Pier | 100feet | ||||
| Skycoaster | Kissimmee, Florida | Kissimmee, Florida | 100feet | 1994 | Located one mile east of Old Town (amusement park). | |
| Parachute Drop | Mitsui Greenland | Arao-shi, Japan | ||||
| Flying Carpet | Tokyo SummerLand | |||||
| Skycoaster | Orlando, Florida | Orlando, Florida | Formerly known as Bungee Mania.[88] | |||