Wikipedia
Flying Scooters
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.
Cable snapping edit
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.
Installations edit
| Name | Park | Location | Manufacturer | Opened | Status | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flyer | Knoebels Amusement Resort | United States | Bisch-Rocco | 1972 | Operating | [2] |
| Flying Fish | Story Land | United States | Larson International | Unknown | Operating | [3] |
| Flying Scooter | Bland's Park | United States | Bisch-Rocco | Unknown | Removed | [4][5] |
| Flying Scooter | Americana Amusement Park | United States | Bisch-Rocco | Unknown | Removed | |
| Flying Scooters | Erieview Park | United States | Bisch-Rocco | Unknown | Removed | [6] |
| Flying Scooters | Stricker's Grove | United States | Ray Evers | Unknown | Operating | |
| Hurricane | Lakeside Amusement Park | United States | Bisch-Rocco | Unknown | Operating | |
| Flying Scooters | Whalom Park | United States | Bisch-Rocco | Unknown | Removed | [7] |
| Rowdy Roosters | Canobie Lake Park Palisades Amusement Park | United States | Bisch-Rocco | Unknown | Operating | |
| Mission Macaw Formerly SS Stingray | Rides At Adventure Cove in Columbus Zoo | United States | Larson International | 2008 | Operating | [8] |
| Seabreeze Flyers | Seabreeze Amusement Park | United States | Bisch-Rocco | C. 1944 | Operating | |
| Spirit of Kitty Hawk | Frontier Village | United States | Bisch-Rocco | Unknown | Removed | |
| Falcon Flyer Flying Circus | Wild Adventures Celebration City | United States | Larson International | 2010 Unknown | Operating | |
| Aerial Joy Ride | Hersheypark | United States | Spillman Manufacturing | 1941 | Removed | |
| Flying Aces | Lagoon Amusement Park | United States | Bisch-Rocco | 1941 | Operating | |
| Screaming Eagles | Fun Spot America (Kissimmee) | United States | Larson International | Unknown | Operating | |
| Dive Bombers | Santa's Workshop | United States | Bisch-Rocco | Unknown | Operating | |
| Flying Scooter | Bushkill Park | United States | Bisch-Rocco | 1950 | Removed | [4] |
| Flying Scooters | Playland Park | United States | Bisch-Rocco | 1950 | Removed | [9] |
| Flying Scooters | Geauga Lake | United States | Bisch-Rocco | 1958 | Removed | |
| Flying Eagles | Kings Dominion | United States | Bisch-Rocco | 1975 | Operating | |
| Eagle's Flight | Holiday World | United States | Bisch-Rocco | 1976 | Operating | [10] |
| Flying Scooter | Conneaut Lake Park Euclid Beach Park Old Indiana Fun Park | United States | Bisch-Rocco | 1997 Unknown Unknown | Operating | |
| Flying Eagles | California's Great America | United States | Larson International | 2002 | Operating | |
| American Flyers Formerly Phantom Phlyer | Lake Compounce Kennywood West View Park | United States | Bisch-Rocco | 2003 1995 to 1996 1937 to 1977 | Operating | |
| Frontier Flyers | Hersheypark | United States | Larson International | 2003 | Operating | [11] |
| Air Crow | Indiana Beach | United States | Larson International | 2004 | Operating | |
| Tink's Flying School | Oakwood Theme Park | United Kingdom | Larson International | 2004 | Operating | |
| 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 | Operating | |
| Flying Scooters | Camden Park | United States | Larson International | 2006 | Operating | |
| Flying Aces | Idlewild Park | United States | Premier Rides | 2007 | Operating | |
| Dragon Flyer | Castle Park | United States | Larson International | 2008 | Operating | [12] |
| Hornet's Nest | Six Flags Darien Lake | United States | Larson International | 2012 | Operating | [13] |
| Thunderbirds Formerly Flying Scooters | Eldridge Park Fun Spot Amusement Park & Zoo Fantasy Farm | United States | Bisch-Rocco | 2012 Unknown Unknown | Operating | |
| Lakeside Gliders | Michigan's Adventure | United States | Larson International | 2013 | Operating | |
| Screamin' Eagles | Six Flags Great Escape | United States | Larson International | 2013 | Operating | [14] |
| Surfside Gliders | Knott's Berry Farm | United States | Larson International | 2013 | Operating | [15] |
| French Quarter Flyers | Six Flags America | United States | Larson International | 2014 | Operating | |
| Lake Erie Eagles | Cedar Point | United States | Larson International | 2014 | Operating | |
| Professor John's Flying Machines | Kentucky Kingdom | United States | Larson International | 2014 | Operating | |
| Winged Warrior | Frontier City | United States | Larson International | 2014 | Operating | |
| Cedar Creek Flyers | Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom | United States | Larson International | 2015 | Operating | |
| Kong | Morey's Piers | United States | Larson International | 2015 | Operating | |
| Woodstock Gliders | Kings Island | United States | Larson International | 2015 | Operating | |
| Flying Eagles | Canada's Wonderland | Canada | Larson International | 2016 | Operating | |
| Flying Eagles | Valleyfair | United States | Larson International | 2016 | Operating | |
| Phoenix | La Ronde | Canada | Larson International | 2016 | Operating | [16] |
| Woodstock Gliders | Worlds of Fun | United States | Larson International | 2016 | Operating | |
| Wonder Woman Flight School | Six Flags Over Georgia | United States | Larson International | 2016 | Operating | [16] |
| Flying Scooter | Fox Creek Amusement Company | United States | Bisch-Rocco | 2016 | Operating | |
| The Mad Mocking Bird | Dollywood | United States | Larson International | 2019 | Operating | |
| Flying Circus | Celebration City | United States | Larson International | Unknown | Closed | [17] |
| The Barnstormers | Guyton's Fun Junction | United States | Unknown | Unknown | Closed | |
References edit
- ^ . 2012-08-26. Archived from the original on 2012-08-26. Retrieved 2020-04-26.
- ^ Futrell, Jim (17 May 1999). "Not all the good rides are new". Amusement Business. 111 (20): 21.
- ^ Ruben, Paul (7 May 2009). . Park World Magazine. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
- ^ a b Futrell, Jim (2002). Amusement Parks of Pennsylvania. Stackpole Books. ISBN 0811726711.
- ^ Futrell, Jim (10 September 2001). "Name change helps Bland's keep up with special sauce". Amusement Business. 113 (36): 53.
- ^ O'Brien, Tim (25 November 2002). "Attendance increase highlights 57th season". Amusement Business. 114 (47): 9.
- ^ O'Brien, Tim (12 November 2001). "Whalom Park assets to go on block". Amusement Business. 113 (45): 39.
- ^ "Columbus Zoo and Aquarium - Rides and Attractions". www.columbuszoo.org. Retrieved 2020-03-30.
- ^ "Playland Park (Justice, Illinois, USA)". rcdb.com. Retrieved September 1, 2015.
- ^ Kyriazi, Gary (1 November 2006). . Park World Magazine. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
- ^ Barbieri, Kelly (3 February 2003). "Hersheypark prepares for new rides, food". Amusement Business. 115 (5).
- ^ . Park World Magazine. 30 May 2008. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
- ^ . Park World Magazine. 9 May 2012. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
- ^ "Screamin' Eagles at the Great Escape". Park World: 12. August 2013.
- ^ . Park World Magazine. 12 December 2012. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
- ^ a b MacDonald, Brady (September 3, 2015). "Six Flags unveils new attractions for every park in 2016". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 3, 2015.
- ^ "Celebration City - Flying Circus". www.themeparkreview.com. Retrieved 2020-04-11.
External links edit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Flying Scooters.
- Cable snapping performed on the Flyer at Knoebels