Superman: Ultimate Flight (Six Flags Discovery Kingdom)

Superman: Ultimate Flight is a steel Premier Rides roller coaster located at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo, California. It opened to the public on June 30, 2012.[1][3][4] It is not to be confused with Superman: Ultimate Flight, a B&M steel flying roller coaster at three other Six Flags parks.

This article is about the roller coaster at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom. For the flying roller coaster at other Six Flags parks, see Superman: Ultimate Flight.
Superman: Ultimate Flight
An overview of Superman: Ultimate Flight at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
LocationSix Flags Discovery Kingdom
Park sectionDC Universe
Coordinates38.138648°N 122.231042°W / 38.138648; -122.231042
StatusOperating
Soft opening dateJune 29, 2012 (2012-06-29)
Opening dateJune 30, 2012 (2012-06-30)[1]
Cost$6,000,000 USD[2]
ReplacedPandemonium
General statistics
TypeSteel – Launched
ManufacturerPremier Rides
ModelSky Rocket II
Lift/launch systemLSM
Height150 ft (46 m)
Drop135 ft (41 m)
Length863 ft (263 m)
Speed62 mph (100 km/h)
Inversions1
Duration45 seconds
Max vertical angle90°
Height restriction52 in (132 cm)
TrainsSingle train with 2 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 3 rows for a total of 12 riders per train.
Superman: Ultimate Flight at RCDB
Pictures of Superman: Ultimate Flight at RCDB

History
Riders boarding Superman: Ultimate Flight at the station

On August 21, 2011, Six Flags Discovery Kingdom posted on their official website a picture of a man in front of the building, stating "Can you keep a Secret?", with a hint stating, "It is bigger than a breadbox, smaller than Rhode Island, and it's coming in 2012. So get ready for the kind of over-the-top, upside-down, screaming excitement that only Six Flags Discovery Kingdom can offer. Find out more on September 1". On August 27, 2011, the park stated on their Facebook page that they would be announcing their 2012 attraction on September 1.[5] On September 1, 2011, Six Flags Discovery Kingdom officially announced Superman: Ultimate Flight, a Premier Rides launched roller coaster.[3] Superman: Ultimate Fight replaced Pandemonium, a Gerstlauer spinning coaster that has operated at the park since 2008.[6][7]

Before being transferred to the park, parts of the coaster were manufactured in Salt Lake City, Utah.[8] On March 27, 2012, Six Flags Discovery Kingdom posted on Facebook that the "first of many" track pieces has arrived at the park.[9] Captain Lee, the media spokesman of the park posted on Twitter that the first supports for the coaster has arrived overnight of March 29.[10] The first half of the one and only train was put on the track of the coaster on May 25, 2012.[11] Discovery Kingdom posted on May 30 the opening of the coaster on their website to be set on Friday, June 22, 2012, before being taken down a couple days later.[12] The ride's track was completed on June 6, 2012.[13] Testing began on Superman: Ultimate Flight on June 15, 2012.[14] The ride opened to the public on June 30, 2012.[1]

On July 29, 2012, Superman: Ultimate Flight's train stalled, stranding twelve riders 150 feet (46 m) in the air for nearly two hours. Vallejo firefighters were dispatched to the scene and a crane equipped with a large personnel bucket was used to lift two firefighters and a park mechanic to the stalled train.[15][16] The park mechanic managed to unlock the train, allowing the train to roll backwards and safely lower the riders back to the station. None of the riders were injured. The ride was closed for several days as it underwent a "thorough safety inspection".[16][17] It reopened shortly thereafter.

Ride experience
A view upwards at Superman: Ultimate Flight's heartline roll

Superman: Ultimate Flight launches out of the station rising up halfway up the first twist. It then returns backwards through the station into the non-inverting loop. Returning forwards and accelerating riders to a top speed of 62 miles per hour (100 km/h). It then travels up to a height of 150 feet (46 m) where it completes a heartline roll (ranking it among the tallest inversions in the world) before exiting in a second non-inverting half-loop at 133 feet (41 m). It then enters the second twist and returns to the station. The ride can be compared to several of Maurer Söhne's X-Coasters. The non-inverting loop element was previously only found in two of the company's X-Car roller coasters prior to Premier Rides' installation of Superman: Ultimate Flight.[18] Additionally, the ride bears several similarities to the SkyLoop model including design, height and speed.[19][20] On speakers outside the attraction entrance, John Williams' score is played in a loop.

See also

References
  1. MacDonald, Brady (June 7, 2012). "Bird? Plane? It's Superman coaster at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 23, 2012.
  2. McSweeney, Terry (29 June 2012). "Six Flags Discovery Kingdom debuting new Superman ride". Retrieved 30 June 2012.
  3. Six Flags Discovery Kingdom (September 1, 2011). "Six Flags Discovery Kingdom Announces New Thrill Coaster in 2012 — SUPERMAN Ultimate Flight". Press Release. Six Flags. Archived from the original on February 5, 2012. Retrieved September 1, 2011.
  4. MacDonald, Brady (September 1, 2011). "Six Flags unveils new attractions for every park in 2012". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on September 12, 2012. Retrieved September 1, 2011.
  5. Six Flags Discovery Kingdom (August 27, 2011). "We have a big..." Facebook. Retrieved September 1, 2011.
  6. Six Flags Discovery Kingdom (November 18, 2011). "When is Pandemonium closing?". Facebook. Retrieved November 20, 2011.
  7. Six Flags Discovery Kingdom (November 19, 2011). "why is the Pandemonium going". Facebook. Retrieved November 20, 2011.
  8. Six Flags Discovery Kingdom (March 2, 2012). "It's a bird! It's a plane..." Facebook. Retrieved April 3, 2012.
  9. Six Flags Discovery Kingdom (March 27, 2012). "Long awaited update..." Facebook. Retrieved April 3, 2012.
  10. Lee Munro (March 30, 2012). "Look what I saw at the park..." Twitter. Retrieved April 3, 2012.
  11. Six Flags Discovery Kingdom (May 25, 2012). "The first train..." Facebook. Retrieved May 25, 2012.
  12. "Season Pass Holder Preview". Six Flags Discovery Kingdom. Retrieved May 30, 2012.
  13. MacDonald, Brady (June 6, 2012). "Topping off". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 29, 2012.
  14. Captain Lee (June 15, 2012). "Just saw that we're testing cars on SUPERMAN..." Facebook. Retrieved June 23, 2012.
  15. "Six Flags Roller Coaster Gets Stuck, Riders Trapped". KSEE24. July 30, 2012. Retrieved July 31, 2012.
  16. "Six Flags' super coaster closed for now". San Francisco Chronicle. July 30, 2012. Retrieved July 31, 2012.
  17. "Vallejo's Six Flags new Superman ride closed until glitch is found". Times-Herald. July 31, 2012. Retrieved July 31, 2012.
  18. Marden, Duane. "Roller Coaster Search Results  (Non Inverted Loop)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved August 5, 2012.
  19. Marden, Duane. "Roller Coaster Search Results  (SkyLoop)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved August 5, 2012.
  20. Marden, Duane. "Superman: Ultimate Flight  (Six Flags Discovery Kingdom)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved August 5, 2012.
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