Skycoaster

[HydroGuy 0]

only 35,000 grand plus shipping

Get in - Get off - Get away....repeat as neccessary

[headoverheels 291]

"Skycoaster ride that combines skydiving and hand gliding. "

Hmmm, "hand gliding."

[mdrejhon 8]

Quote

only 35,000 grand plus shipping

I wouldn't be jumping if it weren't for this ride.

A similiar ride at Canada Wonderland, called the Extreme Skyflyer in 1996, convinced me to try skydiving by doing a tandem in 1997. That one tandem stuck in my mind and I became a real skydiver this year.

I think skydiving and hang gliding mention is because it's essentially a massive 100 foot tall swing. Jumping from about maybe 90 feet to the front of the tower, going down and arcing underneath the tower and then right back up 90 feet in the air 90 feet in front of the tower (swiiiiiiiiiiing!). You're the bottom of the pendulum. The launch is like jumping out of the exit of a plane (the andrenaline surge), and the horizontal movement bottom is like hang gliding supposedly, but I think it's more like swooping at least when I watch swoopers because people don't really 'swoop' a hang glider. However, you are in a similiar "hanging" posture almost like hang gliding, because the harness on this ride puts your body almost totally exposed to the Earth below, just like on a hang glider. It's not an identical sensation I would bet, but you do get a lot of speed is built up very low above the ground, akin to swooping because of the high-speed approach to ground and then turf surf through the bottom part of the swing (however brief, before you get swung back upwards)

Anybody that really loved this ride enough to try it again, probably will love skydiving. It is a much more realistic simulation of the adrenalin surge portion of the process of going skydiving, than doing a rollercoaster or windtunnel, I found the "exit fear" surprisngly similiar.

[mmytacism 0]

I *love* Skycoaster (a.k.a. RipCord)! I enjoyed that ride a few times this summer at Cedar Point's Challenge Park in Sandusky, OH.

It's actually Skycoaster that inspired me to try skydiving (which I will for the first time tomorrow), because I had so much fun.

My friend (same one who will be jumping with me tomorrow) and I even bought the videotape of our first Skycoaster experience. It's uploaded here: http://esm.psu.edu/~cah/jessmovie.mov. You can tell I was sort of nervous. :P

Amazing ride!

Jessica

[lisamariewillbe 1]

Cedar point was my first job,

you couldnt pay me enough to ever go on a ripcord aka skycoaster..... that fucking things dangerous

Sudsy Fist: i don't think i'd ever say this
Sudsy Fist: but you're looking damn sudsydoable in this

[mmytacism 0]

Quote

Cedar point was my first job,

you couldnt pay me enough to ever go on a ripcord aka skycoaster..... that fucking things dangerous

How so? The guys at Cedar Point said they'd never seen an injury on that thing.

[lisamariewillbe 1]

okay im not going on fact, im going on the fact you being held by a rope...... and dropping..... plus im scared of heights and thats high....


also there has been injurys I just googled it but not many, but its still dangerous lol

Sudsy Fist: i don't think i'd ever say this
Sudsy Fist: but you're looking damn sudsydoable in this

[flyangel2 2]

Bill Kitchen is the inventor of SkyCoaster and SkyVenture. I have no idea where that man comes up with those ideas. I just glad that he does.

May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. - Edward Abbey

[deltablue 0]

I can just see a drunk buddy in my backyard :

"hey ya'll watch this..."

LOL

~He who looks outside his own heart dreams, he who looks inside his own heart awakens - Carl Jung~

My Space

[fallfast69 2]

Naw, it wasn't Bill that came up with the idea. I believe he provided the finance and guidance for the development. The concept came from that big indian AFF instructor from Wyoming, but his name escapes me...something "Bird" maybe - during the Loveland days? He was the guy on the AFF whos student went terminally unstable at pull time...Ken Bird?

Jon

Wonder where Bill, and Ken for that matter, are at these days...

[lisamariewillbe 1]

Just seeing a skycoaster scares the crap out of me


its EVIL I tell ya EVIIILLLLL

Sudsy Fist: i don't think i'd ever say this
Sudsy Fist: but you're looking damn sudsydoable in this

[flyangel2 2]

Quote

Naw, it wasn't Bill that came up with the idea. I believe he provided the finance and guidance for the development. The concept came from that big indian AFF instructor from Wyoming, but his name escapes me...something "Bird" maybe - during the Loveland days? He was the guy on the AFF whos student went terminally unstable at pull time...Ken Bird?

Jon

Wonder where Bill, and Ken for that matter, are at these days...

I think you're part right. I'll contact Bill and find out.

Bill is in Florida and last I heard Ken was still in Wyoming.

May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. - Edward Abbey

[mr2mk1g 10]

Quote

okay im not going on fact, im going on the fact you being held by a rope...... and dropping..... plus im scared of heights and thats high....

umm.... then what in the hell are you doing skydiving?

[lisamariewillbe 1]

uhhh started skydiving to get over fear of heights and speed, it didnt flippen work

Sudsy Fist: i don't think i'd ever say this
Sudsy Fist: but you're looking damn sudsydoable in this

[bozo 0]

[
Wonder where Bill, and Ken for that matter, are at these days...

[nate_1979 9]

Quote

uhhh started skydiving to get over fear of heights and speed, it didnt flippen work

How true, I figured that skydiving would get me over my fear of hights.. after 18 or 19 jumps I got over my big fears with skydiving, but still cant climb a damn ladder on my roof without shaking.

FGF #???
I miss the sky...
There are 10 types of people in the world... those who understand binary and those who don't.

[ChasingBlueSky 0]

Quote

uhhh started skydiving to get over fear of heights and speed, it didnt flippen work

Same. However you have to think about this - you are only under some fabric while under canopy. Skycoaster uses cable. Skydiving gear is TSOd, and UL handles the testing of cable. What is the difference? It's just a matter of perspective for you.

_________________________________________
you can burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me....
I WILL fly again.....

[lisamariewillbe 1]

Oh I agree, very much a matter of perspective, and given the chance Im sure one day Ill ride it, I still think it is evil

Sudsy Fist: i don't think i'd ever say this
Sudsy Fist: but you're looking damn sudsydoable in this

[Chizazz 0]

Mine too. In the arcade when i was 14. w00t.

[indyz 1]

Quote

Same. However you have to think about this - you are only under some fabric while under canopy. Skycoaster uses cable. Skydiving gear is TSOd, and UL handles the testing of cable. What is the difference? It's just a matter of perspective for you.

When I worked for Six Flags, I noticed that the harnesses were sent to Sunrise Rigging for maintenance. Boosted my confidence a little.

[tantocoed 0]

Sort of nervous? You were SCARED AS HELL!! I was loving the view. You were holding onto me for dear life! Well, I was a little nervous too, but not as much as you. You're the one who originally got me to become a thrill seeker!