- X-Flight (roller coaster)
"X-Flight has been relocated to
Kings Island and is now operating as Firehawk."Infobox roller coaster
name = X-Flight
caption =X-Flight at Geauga Lake
location = Geauga Lake & Wildwater Kingdom
type = Steel
type2=Flying
status = Relocated
opened =May 26 ,2001
closed =September 17 ,2006
manufacturer = Vekoma
designer =
model = Flying Dutchman
track =
lift =
height = 115
drop =
length = 3340
speed = 50
inversions = 5
duration = 2:10
angle =
capacity = 1430
cost = $15 million
acceleration =
gforce = 4.3
rcdb_number=920X-Flight was a steel, Flying Dutchman roller coaster designed by
Vekoma located atGeauga Lake inAurora, Ohio . The ride operated fromMay 26 .2001 to the end of the2006 season. It was a part of the conversion fromSix Flags Ohio to the mega-park Six Flags Worlds of Adventure (which included bothSeaWorld Ohio animal park and the old Geauga Lake/Six Flags Ohioamusement park ). At opening, it was billed as the Midwest's first and only flying coaster, today it retains the record for the area's first flying coaster (the ride lost its "only" record from the opening of atSix Flags Great America nearChicago, Illinois ).The coaster was located in the park's 50s Midway section.
Design Elements
The ride had a twisted layout that made an extreme flying experience for riders. Once riders were seated and restrained, the train tilted backwards into a 'lay-down' position and dispatched. The train then headed up the lift hill (which was angled at 33 degrees). Once the train was at the top of the lift hill, the train dipped down into a twist (called a "Lie-to-Fly") that turned the trains upside down into a flying position. After the twist, the train then swooped down the first drop, hitting speeds of 50 mph.
After the first drop, the ride then hit an over banked Horseshoe Curve element. Following the Horseshoe, the train then hit a "Fly-to-Lie" element that turned the trains back to a lay-down position. After a banked turn, the ride then dropped into a Vertical Loop and the train then hit a "Lie-to-Fly" element. Following the loop, the ride then went through another turn and then hit two inline twists. Following the inline twists, the ride then turned around again and hit an ending helix. After the helix, the ride then hit a "Fly-to-Lie" element and the train slowed down at the brakes.Initial plans called for the ride to operate with three, 24 passenger trains simultaneously, although due to a myriad of technical problems, this was never achieved on a consistent basis.
X-Flight Facts
*This coaster was announced on
January 4 ,2001 (while the park was still Six Flags Ohio, technically, no new coasters were added while the park was Six Flags Worlds of Adventure), six days before the announcement of the purchase of SeaWorld Ohio and the conversion to Six Flags Worlds Of Adventure.
*X-Flight's crane sign was taken down during the 2004 and 2005 seasons, it was put back in 2006.
*The ride was meant to recline on the lift hill, rather than in the station, and return to the upright position prior to re-entering the station. This feature was never used, because it didn't work properly.
*The very last riders on X-Flight were some of its crew members. The final ride was given after park closing onSeptember 17 ,2006 .
*There were three trains with the ride when it opened in 2001, but the ride never ran more than two at a time. Consequently, the blue train never returned following the ride's inaugural season.
*The second of threeVekoma Flying Dutchman coasters.
*The first Vekoma Flying Dutchman to use 'Guest accommodation unit' or GAU motors to recline the trains.
*The first Vekoma Flying Dutchman to have two stations. When operated with two trains, it allowed the operations staff to optionally load and unload two trains at once.Transfer to Kings Island
On
November 22 , 2006, Geauga Lake park officials announced that X-Flight was being dismantled to be sent to another (then unspecified)Cedar Fair property. [cite news | title= Park dismantling coaster for move | work = The Plain Dealer | date =November 22 ,2006 | url= http://www.cleveland.com/newsflash/cleveland/index.ssf?/base/news-28/116418647144830.xml&storylist=cleveland | accessdate = 2006-11-22] On January 22, 2007 green Vekoma track resembling the track of X-Flight was spotted atKings Island , a Cedar Fair park nearCincinnati, Ohio . [ [http://www.kicentral.com/photos/thumbnails.php?album=180 Parking Lot Staging Area, photos, KICentral.com] ] On February 5, 2007, Cincinnati local newspapers indicated that it was in fact the old X-Flight that was being constructed within the park, and that it was being renamed Firehawk. [ [http://www.wlwt.com/news/10932153/detail.html?treets=cin&tid=2652596645813&tml=cin_12pm&tmi=cin_12pm_1_11000302052007&ts=H X-Flight Gets Paint, New Name For Kings Island Move - Cincinnati News Story - WLWT Cincinnati ] ] Firehawk is now open to the public inKings Island .References
External links
* [http://www.rcdb.com/qs.htm?quicksearch=X-Flight X-Flight at rcdb.com]
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