Park News
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Wild Eagle B&M coaster takes flight at Dollywood
Dollywood has launched Wild Eagle, the first Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M) Wing Coaster in North America. The $20 million attraction represents the largest single capital investment in the Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, park’s 26-year history. Wild Eagle’s floorless design allows passengers to experience the sensation of flight. Sat in pairs either side of the coaster’s track, there is nothing but air above and below them.
The new ride is perched on Dollywood’s highest peak, rising 21 storeys into the sky and providing spectacular views of the Smoky Mountain terrain below. Taking off from the Wilderness Pass area, riders travel the coaster’s 3,127ft track as it dives,
drops, twists and turns. Traversing the mountainous terrain, Wild Eagle features a 135ft first drop and reaches a top speed of 61mph as it manoeuvres through four inversions including a giant loop, a “zero-G” roll and a giant flat spin.
Each coaster train consists of 14 pairs of seats and features an imposing bald eagle with piercing eyes and broad wings outstretched for flight. The complete journey lasts nearly two-and-a-half minutes.
ASTM 24 meeting Power Park flume
The body that produces global safety standards for the amusement industry held its biannual meeting during February in Fort Lauderdake, Florida. Attendance was at an all-time high with over 200 safety experts from around the world participating, from the USA to Japan.
In addition to sessions on the usual issues like ride design, operations and maintenance, participatory attractions such as zip lines, rock wall climbing, zorbs, inflatables and trampolines were also examined, in addition to water-related attractions. A significant amount of work continues on the subject of trains, which balloted a new standard for the first time.
A number of sessions were also held to assist with the adoption of ASTM F24 standards. The recently passed Canada-specific standard was used as a model for other countries that wish to incorporate internal requirements and existing standards into their adoption of F24 standards. A newly established task group focused on the Latin American adoption of F24 standards met to review the model.
“I am extremely pleased with the high level of interest expressed in the spring 2012 meeting,” remarked ASTM F24 chairman Jim Seay. “I am grateful that participants travelled around the globe to share their passion for safety in the amusement industry.”
12 APRIL 2012
Power Park in Finland is planning a double drop Super Flume for 2013 courtesy of the Anglo-French supplier Interlink. The 400-metre-long attraction will be situated in a new area of the park and pass underneath an existing bridge structure. The theme for the new attraction will be “Bridge over the River Kwai”. The soundtrack to the movie of the same name will be played to passengers on the ride, while a Thai restaurant will be added close by. The ride’s two drops will be 7 and 14-metres respectively. Nine six-seater boats will provide capacity for 600 passengers per hour. “We’ve great success with our flume rides over the years,” notes Interlink’s John Hudd. “Naturally we are delighted that Power Park has chosen us to provide such an attraction. It’s been an interesting project to work on.”
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