Flight of Fear

Flight of Fear is an enclosed roller coaster located at Kings Island and Kings Dominion amusement parks.[1][2] Both locations opened as The Outer Limits: Flight of Fear on June 18, 1996, themed after the 1960s TV series of the same name. Built and designed by Premier Rides, they were the world's first launched roller coasters to feature linear induction motor (LIM) technology.[3] The Paramount Pictures branding was removed in 2001, dropping "The Outer Limits" from the name.

Flight of Fear
Previously known as The Outer Limits: Flight of Fear (1996-2001)
Flight of Fear at Kings Island
Kings Island
Park sectionArea 72
Coordinates39°20′34.58″N 84°15′48.79″W
StatusOperating
Soft opening dateJune 17, 1996 (1996-06-17)
Opening dateJune 18, 1996 (1996-06-18)
Cost$11.2 million
Kings Dominion
Park sectionSafari Village
Coordinates37°50′20.34″N 77°26′21.30″W
StatusOperating
Soft opening dateJune 17, 1996 (1996-06-17)
Opening dateJune 18, 1996 (1996-06-18)
Cost$11.2 million
General statistics
TypeSteel – Launched – Enclosed
ManufacturerPremier Rides
DesignerWerner Stengel
ModelLIM Catapult
Lift/launch systemLIM Launch
Height74.2 ft (22.6 m)
Length2,705 ft (824 m)
Speed54 mph (87 km/h)
Inversions4
Duration1:00
Capacity2000 riders per hour
Acceleration0 to 54 mph (0 to 87 km/h) in 4 seconds
G-force4.5
Height restriction54 in (137 cm)
Trains4 trains with 5 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows for a total of 20 riders per train.
RestraintLap bar
Fast Lane at Kings Dominion
Fast Lane Plus at Kings Island
Flight of Fear at RCDB
Pictures of Flight of Fear at RCDB

History

Kings Dominion began teasing a new attraction in the summer of 1995 by cutting a "crop circle" in a nearby field which featured a UFO, the face of an alien and the letter "F" written in binary.[4] In August 1995, Kings Island officially announced more details revealing that their new for 1996 attraction would be an indoor roller coaster named "The Outer Limits: Flight of Fear".[5] Reaching a top speed of 54 mph (87 km/h) in only four seconds, it was originally described as utilizing a "laser-controlled catapult system" that would propel riders through a series of inversions in the dark.[6] The experience would be "heightened by Hollywood-type special effects", according to Carolyn Boof who was the park's manager of marketing communications.[6] Boof also confirmed it would cost significantly more than the $7 million that was cited in earlier reports, and that its alien theme would be based on the 1960s science-fiction TV series, The Outer Limits. Later, reports confirmed a site being renovated in Coney Mall on the back side of The Racer.[6]

Premier Rides and park engineers performed the first successful launch at the Kings Dominion location on the evening of April 11, 1996, proving that linear induction motors could produce enough force through the use of magnetic fields to quickly accelerate roller coasters.[7] Each launch required 3 megawatts of electric power, which caused frequent voltage sags to neighboring utility customers.[8] Square D by Schneider Electric was hired to develop a complex solid-state capacitor bank which solved the sagging issue by reducing the load on the local electric utilities.[8]

Flight of Fear was originally scheduled to open in April 1996, but it was later delayed until June.[9] Both park installations opened to the public on June 18, 1996,[2][1] setting a world record among roller coasters for fastest acceleration.[10] A media preview event was held the previous day.[7] The attraction was awarded several top honors at the 1995 International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions trade show.[11]

Paramount Parks filed a lawsuit against Premier Rides in September 1996 regarding cost overruns during development and construction.[12] Premier spokeswoman Courtney Simmons said in November 1997 that the absence of LIM technology in the original plans was a factor, and that the suit was essentially about money.[12] It was later settled, and Premier expected to continue working with Paramount in future endeavors.[12] As a result of an expiring lease agreement that allowed Paramount to license the sci-fi TV series, The Outer Limits was dropped from the name in 2001 at both locations.[13]

The Kings Island installation was constructed in a small subsection of Coney Mall. After the addition of Firehawk in 2007, the area was named X-Base, themed to space and the paranormal.[14][15] Flight of Fear was one of the two attractions that made their Winterfest debut in 2018, with the other one being Shake, Rattle & Roll, the park's Troika flat ride. The ride was dubbed as Flight of Cheer and featured Christmas decorations.[16] Following Kings Island's August 2019 announcement of Orion, a new roller coaster replacing Firehawk, it was revealed that X-Base would be overhauled and renamed Area 72.[17][18] For the 2020 season, Flight of Fear's entrance at Kings Island was updated with an expanded outdoor line queue, which provides guests with view of Orion.[19]

Characteristics

Flight of Fear uses linear induction motor technology instead of a traditional chain lift hill. This system utilizes fins on both sides of the ride vehicles. These fins pass through a gap in the magnets, creating a current and propelling forward. Alternating current (AC) is applied to the magnets to create a magnetic field.[13]

The launch track features 44 LIM motors to launch the train. Flight of Fear includes four inversions which are a cobra roll, a sidewinder and a corkscrew. It also features 30 vertical curves and 25 compound horizontal turns.[20]

Premier Rides built other LIM Catapult models from 1996 to 1999, including Joker's Jinx at Six Flags America, Poltergeist at Six Flags Fiesta Texas and Crazy Cobra at Discoveryland. The two Flight of Fear rides are the only indoor versions and share a similar layout with the same technical specifications.[21][22][23]

Ride experience

Layout

Riders are launched from the station, accelerating from 0 to 54 mph (0 to 87 km/h) in four seconds down a 220-foot (67 m) launch tunnel. The ride emerges into a "spaghetti bowl" of track inside of the 110-foot (34 m) tall ride building.[24] Following the launch, the train immediately enters a cobra roll, which contains two of the ride's four inversions. The ride layout continues with a sidewinder and multiple turns. After passing through the mid-course brake run, riders spiral downward to the left, continuing to maneuver through the twisted ride structure. The train picks up speed as riders dive at the floor of the building, finally passing through a corkscrew before arriving at the final brake run.

Queue and Theme

The building housing the queue is designed as an Area 51-inspired military installation hangar. The outside is marked with the number 18, and riders enter the line through a "press area" located under an awning to the side of the building. Various announcements regarding the operation of the base and broadcasts from WERD ("weird"), a fictitious radio station, are played over speakers in the outside queue area. The queue line slightly descends down a short, narrow tunnel as guests enter the building, making a left into the interior of the hangar. It contains one-half of a full-sized mockup UFO flying saucer, which appears to be complete as the back wall of the building is entirely lined with mirrors to complete the illusion. A video is played over multiple screens to describe the ride's backstory, explaining how the spacecraft crash-landed not far from the park. While some base personnel are running tests on the vessel, others are convinced that it's a hoax and decided to allow the press in to view it. Hazmat suits and computer equipment with active monitors can be seen in various locations inside the hangar.

Theming inside the saucer

Strobe and dimming lighting effects are utilized throughout the indoor portion of the queue, which are synchronized with the pre-recorded video during moments of power surges and power failures. At Kings Island, the line winds around the inside of the hangar before entering the underside of the UFO up a short flight of stairs. At Kings Dominion, the line turns directly up into the UFO, as a portion of the queue building's interior was later converted into a haunted house used for the park's Halloween Haunt event, although much of the UFO-related theming remains.[25]

The inside of the saucer features a display with alien markings and originally played various sound effects. Guests can hear each launch, which resonates throughout this portion of the queue. The walkway turns to the right, continues into another room, and turns left into the boarding area. The loading and unloading stations are in separate rooms, so riders in the loading area witness an empty train returning. The loading station features human-sized cryotube props containing mannequins wrapped in plastic, adding to the alien theme. While the train is loading and waiting to be dispatched, a sound effect imitating the warm-up of a jet engine can be heard, and another take-off sound is played as the train launches.

The ride was originally themed to The Outer Limits TV series. However, Paramount's licensing for the show expired in 2001, causing all references to The Outer Limits to be removed.[13] The attraction features an original soundtrack composed by Rob Pottorf, and its theming was co-designed by Bob Dennis and David Ferguson of Paramount Parks Design & Entertainment.

Trains
The station of Flight of Fear at Kings Island

The trains on the ride originally featured over-the-shoulder restraints, but these were changed to individual lap bar restraints for the 2001 season along with the name change.[2] Each train also originally featured six cars, but that was later reduced to five.[2] Kings Dominion operates three trains, while Kings Island typically operates two trains despite owning four.[1][2]

Incidents

Kings Island
  • At approximately 2:45 p.m. on June 2, 2014, emergency crews received a report of a fire at the ride. Smoke from an overheated electrical motor had filled the ride building. Two of the eighteen people exposed to the smoke were treated at the scene. Emergency crews cleared the building around 3:45 p.m.[26][27]
  • Smoke coming from a panel outside of the ride building was reported at 10:35 a.m. on June 14, 2014. The panel was the only part of the building to suffer damage; the ride was unaffected, with no flames or injuries reported. The ride later reopened around 12:15 p.m.[28][29][30]

Kings Island

Kings Dominion

References
  1. "Flight of Fear - Kings Dominion (Doswell, Virginia, USA)". rcdb.com. Retrieved January 9, 2018.
  2. "Flight of Fear - Kings Island (Mason, Ohio, USA)". rcdb.com. Retrieved January 9, 2018.
  3. "Kings Island | Thrill Rides – Flight of Fear". Paramount Parks. Archived from the original on June 8, 2007. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  4. Brumfield, Dale (July 7, 2015). "Part 17: Reaching the Outer Limits". dalebrumfield. Retrieved January 9, 2018.
  5. Knippenberg, Jim (August 18, 1995). "Paramount parks push Outer Limits". Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved October 8, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. "Kings Island builds in-the-dark coaster". United Press International. August 18, 1995.
  7. Seifert, Jeffrey (2007). "100 Moments in Roller Coaster History: The First LIM launched coasters". RollerCoaster! Magazine. Vol. 28 no. 2. p. 26. ISSN 0896-7261.
  8. "Square D solves a Roller Coaster's Voltage Sag Problem". Schnieder Electric. Archived from the original on September 23, 2006. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  9. "Coaster: Still out in the cold". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. June 29, 1997. Retrieved October 8, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. Premier Rides (January 19, 2018). "As seen in @ITPSnews! Do you know the answer? #PremierRides #FunFactFridaypic.twitter.com/7pvjpFo8gY". Twitter. Retrieved January 20, 2018.
  11. "Batman and Robin:The Chiller". Max Pages. October 26, 1999. Archived from the original on February 29, 2008. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  12. Kappalman, Samantha (November 24, 1997). "A new loop in roller coasters Technology: Premier Rides of Millersville is helping to bring faster launches to roller coasters with linear-induction motor technology". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved December 15, 2020.
  13. Weisenberger, Nick (March 4, 2013). "A-Z Coaster of the Week: Outer Limits". Coaster101. Retrieved October 2, 2020.
  14. Keeter, John (May 15, 2017). "Something Old is New Again". Kings Island. Retrieved October 2, 2020.
  15. Matarese, John (May 7, 2019). "New Kings Island coaster could be 'Orion' or 'Polaris'". Journal-News. Retrieved October 2, 2020.
  16. "DON'T LOOK NOW, BUT WINTERFEST IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER".
  17. Kleiman, Joe (August 22, 2019). "Take a ride to Orion on Kings Islands 2020 giga coaster". InPark Magazine. Retrieved July 3, 2020.
  18. "Ohio theme park unveils Orion, a 'giga coaster' with a 300-foot drop". CNN. August 16, 2019. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
  19. "Kings Island - Early August 2020 - The Coaster Kings".
  20. Knippenberg, Jim (June 18, 1996). "Kings Island's Flight of Fear lives up to its name". Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved October 30, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. "Joker's Jink". RCDB.com. Retrieved July 1, 2014.
  22. "Poltergeist". RCDB.com. Retrieved July 1, 2014.
  23. "Crazy Cobra". RCDB.com. Retrieved July 1, 2014.
  24. "Flight of Fear". kicentral.com. Retrieved January 9, 2018.
  25. "Haunt Review: Surviving the Terror Overload at Kings Dominion's Halloween Haunt".
  26. "Flight of Fear reopens at Kings Island". Cincinnati.com. Retrieved January 15, 2018.
  27. Katko, Ben. "Kings Island coaster malfunction prompts evacuation". Retrieved January 15, 2018.
  28. "Smoke reported near Kings Island ride". Cincinnati.com. Retrieved January 15, 2018.
  29. "Fire crews sent to Kings Island's Flight of Fear... again". Retrieved January 15, 2018.
  30. "Fire crews called to Kings Island". WDTN. June 14, 2014. Retrieved January 15, 2018.
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