SheiKra

Infobox roller coaster
name=SheiKra


caption=Sheikra ride logo.
location=Busch Gardens Africa
section=Stanleyville
type=Steel
type2=Dive
type3=Floorless
status=Open
opened=May 21 2005
manufacturer=Bolliger & Mabillard
designer=
model=Floorless Diving Machine
track=Floorless
lift=Chain lift hill
height=200
drop=200
length=3188
speed=70
inversions=1
duration=3:00
angle=90
capacity=
cost= $13,500,000 USD
acceleration=
gforce=5.12
restriction=54
rcdb_number=2662

SheiKra (IPAEng|ˈʃiːkrə) is a vertical drop roller coaster in Tampa, Florida. It is situated in the Stanleyville section of Busch Gardens Africa. "SheiKra" was the first dive machine roller coaster in North America. It is tied with Six Flags Over Georgia's "Goliath" for tallest roller coaster in the southeast. "SheiKra" first opened in May 2005. On June 16, 2007, "SheiKra" was converted into a floorless roller coaster. The name "SheiKra" is derived from a shikra, an African hawk that is known to dive straight down for its prey.

Ride Layout

After passengers leave the station, they climb a 47 degree, 200 foot lift hill. The cars then make a U-turn and approach the holding brake which holds the trains for about 3-5 seconds over the first drop, then drops the cars 90 degrees down and into an Immelmann loop . After the Immelmann, the trains take an upward turn into the mid-course brake run before the second 81 degree drop. Then the trains travel on a turn around into a water brake and a final helix into the final brake run.

"SheiKra" is the first vertical-drop (dive machine) roller coaster in the United States, and the first roller coaster of its kind to include an inversion (in this case, an Immelman Loop) and a true 90 degree vertical drop. The other four coasters of its type are "Oblivion" at Alton Towers in the United Kingdom, "G5/Flying Submarine" at Janfusun Fancyworld in Taiwan, "Griffon" at its sister park Busch Gardens Europe and "Vertical Coaster" at Chimelong Paradise in China.

Ride Elements

*200 foot 47° lift hill
*200 foot 90° drop
*145 foot tall Immelmann
*138 foot 81° drop

Floorless Conversion

At 10:30am Wednesday, January 31, 2007, Busch Gardens Tampa Executive Vice President and General Manager, Dan Brown, Vice President of Design and Engineering, Mark Rose, and Busch Entertainment Corporation Corporate Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Joe Couceiro officially announced on a webcast teleconference with media outlets the floorless conversion of "SheiKra" and details about the conversion.

According to the press release and teleconference, the last day to experience "SheiKra" before the conversion would be Memorial Day, May 28, 2007. On May 29th "SheiKra" closed until June 16, 2007 when it reopened with new floorless hardware. [ [http://www.buschgardens.com/BGT/ftp_press_releases_details.aspx?ID=142 Busch Gardens Tampa Bay - Press Releases Details ] ] [ [http://www.buschgardens.com/bgt/sheikra_webcast.aspx Busch Gardens Tampa Bay- Webcast ] ]

This conversion was most likely sparked by August Busch III explaining to coaster enthusiasts about "looking at engineering taking that floor out" of "SheiKra" and asking if it would make the ride better, worse or the same. Everyone that was asked replied saying it would make the ride better. Video of this event can be seen on YouTube [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DGXN8zFGoI] , and is dated back to August of 2006.

Conversion Process

The area most affected by the conversion is the station. In the weeks leading up to the May 29th closure the drop-out floor hardware was installed. The installation occurred at night leaving the ride to operate normally throughout the day.

During the three weeks that the ride was closed the trains received their floorless upgrade. The new trains make use of original hardware already used on the existing trains. The wheels, bogies, seats and harnesses were removed then reinstalled on new floorless chassis. This time was also used for loading new programs into the ride's computer systems for floorless operation as well as extensive testing to make sure all of the rides safety systems are working correctly, and training of employees on ride operation and what to do in an emergency situation should the ride come to a stop and guests needed to be escorted off the ride. [ [http://www.buschgardens.com/bgt/sheikra_webcast.aspx Busch Gardens Tampa Bay- Webcast ] ]

Floorless Train Unveiling

On Tuesday, April 24, 2007, Busch Gardens Tampa Executive Vice President and General Manager, Dan Brown announced and unveiled the first converted train for "SheiKra" [http://floridathrills.net/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=2707] along with Vice President of Design and Engineering, Mark Rose and Director of Park Operations, Mike Patrick as well as various Marketing Personnel. Along with the unveiling a countdown clock was displayed showing the "Countdown to America's First Dive Coaster going Floorless June 16th."

Media Day

On June 15 2007, "SheiKra" opened to invited media outlets and special VIPs, mostly radio winners, that where allowed to be "the first to ride floorless "SheiKra". The media event was followed by a special party that was thrown for the media and VIPs in "SheiKra's" honor to welcome the new version of the ride to Busch Gardens.

Reopening Day

On Saturday June 16 2007, "SheiKra" reopened to pass holders for a preview hour between 8AM and 9AM. At 9AM "SheiKra" opened to all the public. Within the hour the queue line was full causing ride employees to set up temporary queue out of barricades outside of the main queue line.

Counterpart

Busch Gardens Africa's sister park, Busch Gardens Europe (located in Williamsburg, Virginia), constructed "Griffon", a B&M diving machine coaster which features a 205-foot vertical drop, higher than any other dive coaster in the world, two separate immelmann inversions, a second 87 degree 130 ft drop, and a splashdown. It is the first diving machine that utilizes a floorless train with three rows of 10-seats. On the [http://www.buschgardens.com/bgw/ar_rides.aspx park's website] , three videos that introduce the details of the ride are available.

"SheiKra" In The Media

*"SheiKra" was featured in an episode of the Discovery Channel show "Build It Bigger".

ee also

* "Griffon"
* Diving Machine
* Floorless roller coaster

References

External links

* [http://www.quatraine3.com/videos2005/SheikraFrontRow.MPG "SheiKra" On-Ride Video (Full POV; Quicktime, 36 Megs)]
* [http://www.bgtguide.com/media/sheikra_2.php "SheiKra" On-Ride/Off-Ride Music Video]
* [http://www.bgtguide.com/2005 "SheiKra" Construction Photos]
* [http://www.buschgardens.com/buschgardens/fla/sheikra.aspx Official Site]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DGXN8zFGoI YouTube video August Busch III asking coaster enthusiasts about a floorless "SheiKra" before anything was announced]
* [http://www.buschgardens.com/bgt/sheikra_webcast.aspx Floorless Webcast Announcement And Press Release]
* [http://floridathrills.net/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=576 Photo Gallery of the Floorless Train and Unveiling Ceremony]