THE NEWSPAPER FOR AMUSEMENT RIDES 6 » Continued from page 5


for capacity the operator can allow the cars to shoot through at the touch of a button and so make it possible for two or more rounds. Rides with multiple rounds could also be offered with a spe- cial event coupled with advertising or competitions. A further variation would be to start the Flying Launch with a “build up”: The Flying Launch can- not only be started forwards but also backwards – which produces a tremen- dous surprise effect. Of course, the lay- out needs to be designed accordingly. If the track layout has been designed accordingly, it would also be possible to change the maximum speed in such a way, for example, that the accelera- tion in the first round goes from 0 to 60 km/h and is increased in the second round from 30 to 90 km/h.


Ecological and economic arguments


less when they arrive back at the sta- tion. And more than that: The guests are surprised as they pass through the sta- tion to what might be considered “late braking“ by returning into the launch section. This “late braking“ lengthens the ride’s adventure. Even the entry into the station becomes an experi- ence: by travelling backwards, some- thing that is otherwise rare on roller coasters. The roller coaster ride remains interesting right up to the last moment instead of the leisurely cool-down phase that is part of more conventional roller coasters. More action and inter- action is provided by the headchop- per element when shooting through the station. A Flying Launch can be braked after the station, but need not be. Quite simply, what it means for the guests is this: There is a second round over the entire track without any stop- ping in between. This provides many times the riding excitement relative to the track length. It goes without say- ing that Maurer Rides provides the Fly- ing Launch coaster with the multiple award-winning X-Seat, meaning: There are no interfering shoulder restraints to get in the way during inversions and negative g forces allowing for more freedom and fun.


Space-saving layouts or more highlights on the same track


The design advantages for roller coast- ers with Flying Launch can be seen at once. If there is no separate braking section, then there is more space for


layouts: The “shooting through the sta- tion” that is possible at any time, dou- bles the track length as well: For exam- ple, 1000 m of riding pleasure for a track length of 500 m – the ride experi- ence was not possible up till now. On top of that, these short tracks can


be designed with high speeds, since the excess energy does not need to be dis- sipated through external brakes but instead is recycled in the launch sec- tion. The same technical approach “recovering energy” can be applied to high track elements with a short track length: High track elements are attrac- tive for the guests (view, sheer adrena- line) and serve as an advertisement for the park by being a landmark. This now means that even parks that are short of space can build such a highlight. The Flying Launch opens up the pos-


sibility of building attractive steep sec- tions directly before or after the sta- tion: Thus, the launch can shoot into a camelback immediatlely or let the car “drop” into the station at the end. The camelback immediately after the start also means that the reverse-down- wards entry into the station is even more exciting for the riders.


Shooting through the station as a source of many ride variations


Shooting through the station with a flying start is the core element of the Flying Launch. It makes the opera- tion of


the roller coaster more flexi-


BRAKE MANOEUVRE CONVENTIONAL COASTERS


Station Brake Launch GREEN COASTER Station


LSM Launch & Brake ENERGY RECOVERY


special elements – or to look at it from another point of view: Even if space is limited, it is still possible to design tracks with compact and interesting


a large number of guests, then only one round is travelled. Hence, it is possible to achieve a high capacity. On days or at times where there is less demand


ble to an extent that was not possible before. The simplest version: If there is


The city of Duisburg now has one more


eyecatcher attraction: with


the “Tiger and Turtle- Magic Moun- tain” the city owns a new and no doubt unique landmark. The descrip- tion “landmark” does this giant sculp- ture in the form of a roller coaster only partial justice. This steel mon- ument that has been constructed on the tip of a former zinc smelt- ery does not only mark the door- way to the Ruhr Basin metropolis, it is a walk-on adventure course with a beautiful view of the Duisburg inner city, the Rhein and the surrounding industrial landscape. By ideal visibil-


ity conditions, you can see as far as Düsseldorf. The spiry roller coaster is 220 meters long and 21 meters high. More than 1000 supports and cross beams as well as 17 columns give the 90-ton galvanized steel construction the necessary stability. Visitors can climb the “Tiger and Turtle –Magic Mountain” on two different seg- ments. Only the upper loopging arch is not “walkable”. At night, the “Tiger and Turtle” presents


itself majesti-


cally. That’s when the sculpture lights up with 880 LED lights. Background: The artist couple, Heike Mutter and Ulrich Genth created the conceptual


design. The expressive potential of this sculpture unites fast and slow energy which applies to the changes in the industrial region of the Ruhr Basin. The visitors can experience this with the strenuous crest of the racy curves. The creative duo did not know that Maurer Söhne had this idea a long time ago and had the concept protec- ted as a registered design. After fina- lization of the corresponding license agreement between the city of Duis- burg and the rights holder the con- struction could be completed. Text: Hagen Ruhmer


Photo: Rita Riddermann & Günter Frimont


Last but not least, the Flying Launch principle offers a whole series of eco- nomic and ecological advantages. The track is more cost-effective,


since the transport drives in the sta- tion and the station brakes can be elim- inated and hence the regular mainte- nance of the brake pads and friction wheel drive units that are subject to wear. In addition, the maintenance costs are reduced, since the remaining launch element also functions without


any wear. The markedly lower amount of time and money required for mainte- nance also means less downtime, fewer staff is required, fewer materials are used and the system lasts longer. A technical benefit with multi-


ple uses is the recovery of the braking energy through a generator. The energy that has been recovered can be stored temporarily and without any losses in the Supercaps and used again at the next start. This means: Only a low elec- trical capacity is required for the launch shot when it comes to the electrical connection to the local power plant. This greatly reduces the costs, because smaller transformers and distributor stations are perfectly adequate and because the lower current consumption peaks reduce electricity costs. The central data point for the profitabil- ity of the amusement park is the capac- ity. A roller coaster with Flying Launch


allows high capacities of up to 1000 pph. Since the ride is intensely dynamic from the first to the last second, there are no longer any lengthy transport sections in and out of the station that reduces capacity. With a Flying Launch coaster, the


section that is travelled is longer than with a classical layout because the launch area is travelled through twice (at the beginning and at the end). There are potentials for saving by designing a smaller launch and bringing the car up to the final speed by building up accel- erations. A shorter launch provides more freedom in designing the layout and entails lower costs. And lastly, the safety aspect should


not be forgotten either: The Flying Launch guarantees a high degree of safety due to the almost wear-free short-circuit braking in the unlikely event of a failed launch.


Track layout for Ningbo's new X-Car Flying Launch


Duisburg’s new landmark is a so-called “pedestrian” roller coaster TIGER & TURTLE


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