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Sky Rocket Coaster ignites Kennywood


Kennywood, West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, has


introduced Sky Rocket, a linear synchronous motor (LSM) launched coaster from Premier Rides. Like the old tune by the


Starland Vocal Band says, "Sky Rockets in flight, afternoon delight." Butter smooth and fast-paced, it is a joy to ride, writes Paul Ruben


“W


ith this coaster's incredible launch that shoots you straight up and the plummet back down, Sky Rocket is a name that really fits the ride experience,” explains


Kennywood general manager Jerome Gibas. The new ride is the park's seventh rollercoaster and unlike any other coaster in the Kennywood line-up. "Palace Entertainment [the park’s owner] had given us the 'go-ahead' to look into a new coaster/attraction for the 2010 season," recalls Gibas. "After much discussion and deliberation, a steel coaster was chosen as the winner. Sky Rocket was created specifically for Kennywood with a lot of coaster elements that we did not have like a launch and inversions, while at the same time not requiring any type of over-the-shoulder harness." Sky Rocket packs a lot of action into its 2,100ft (640-metre) length, including three inversions and a zero-to-50mph launch in three seconds. It is the first coaster at the park with inversions since the Steel Phantom.


After the high-speed launch, riders experience a vertical ascent to 95ft (29-metres) before a brief cliffhanger pause at the top and a 90-degree drop into a maximum G-force pullout. The riders then enjoy extended airtime as the 12-seat train races into an inverted top hat element, passes into a barrel roll and


SEPTEMBER 2010


goes vertical again through a twist leading up to another pause. Riders experience a second vertical freefall followed by another maximum G-force pullout on the way into a highly banked fan curve. After a traditional corkscrew, a curve to a zero gravity hill, and a series of first-ever wiggle-waggle wave turns called a


"Surf Curve," riders finally return to the station. All this high-speed action is packed into just 51 seconds. "At this point in time Sky Rocket is definitely our signature attraction because of the all the new elements it brings to the park including the exciting launch system,” believes Gibas. “On the days when the weather has been good, attendance has been strong and the new ride has seen a lot of people enjoying the experience. The public is definitely excited about Sky Rocket."


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