Rock-O-Plane

The Rock-O-Plane is an amusement park ride. Its shape is similar to that of a Ferris wheel, but with seats that are enclosed and rock and roll as the ride turns. If the rocking builds sufficient momentum the seats will flip upside-down and end-over-end. There is usually a wheel inside that participants can use to lock the seat and prevent it from rocking. This can be used to make the ride less scary by ensuring that the seats don't rock too much; or to make it more intense by locking the seats at crucial points in the ride's revolution, causing the seats to flip upside down and spin erratically. The minimum rider height requirement is 36 inches and taller.

Most Rock-O-Plane rides were built by Lee Eyerly of Oregon USA. In the UK many of these rides are still traveling and most were imported from the USA in the 1980s. Some of these traveling examples have had their standard 'egg' shaped cages replaced with front facing open cars. These rides are known as 'sky dancer' usually or in one case 'hi impact'. The ride packs down onto one trailer as the center pole folds down on a hydraulic ram. The arms all fold inwards and the cages are unbolted from them and secured to the side of the trailer. The paybox usually sits on the rear of the trailer.

ee also

*Loop-O-Plane, Roll-O-Plane

External links

* [http://www.fun-fairs.co.uk/rokoplane.html Rock-O-Plane] page at All The Fun of the Fair [http://www.fun-fairs.co.uk]
* [http://www.lewellenamusements.com/rock.html Rock-O-Plane] page at Kansas Based Carnival [http://www.lewellenamusements.com/]
* [http://www.ultimaterollercoaster.com/thrillrides/pictures/rock-o-plane/index.shtml Rock-O-Plane Pictures] at Ultimate Rollercoaster [http://www.ultimaterollercoaster.com/]