Sky Swat
| Sky Swat | |
|---|---|
|
Slammer at Thorpe Park | |
| First manufactured | 2003 |
| No. of installations | 1 |
| Manufacturer | S&S Power |
| Height | 105 ft (32 m) |
| Speed | 48 km/h (30 mph) |
| G force | 3 |
| Capacity | 500 riders per hour |
| Vehicles | 2 |
| Riders per vehicle | 24 |
| Rows | 8 |
| Riders per row | 6 |
| Duration | 2-3 mins |
The Sky Swat was a thrill ride which was built by S&S Power of Logan, Utah. It was developed and put onto the market in 2003. Only two Sky Swats have been manufactured since 2003. The first-ever installation of a Sky Swat was at Six Flags AstroWorld in Houston, Texas in 2003.[1] As of March 2013, only one Sky Swat is in operation.
History
In 2003, S&S Worldwide (then S&S Power) introduced the Sky Swat at Six Flags Astroworld as SWAT.[1] On March 26, 2005, Thorpe Park, near London, England introduced a Sky Swat as Slammer which became the second Sky Swat to be manufactured. Towards the end of the 2005 season, Six Flags AstroWorld closed on October 30, 2005.[2] SWAT and other rides at the past Astroworld were relocated to other Six Flags parks from 2006 to 2010. In 2006, SWAT was relocated to Six Flags New England and opened as Catapult along with another Astroworld ride, Splash Water Falls. .[3]
In 2010, S&S Worldwide discontinued the Sky Swat. Due to the discontinuing of the attraction, Catapult at Six Flags New England was removed in March 2013 before the start of the new season, leaving Slammer at Thorpe Park the only Sky Swat operating in the world.[4]
Installations
| Name | Park | Area | Opening date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catapult Formerly SWAT | Six Flags New England Six Flags Astroworld | North End Plaza de Fiesta | 2006 2003 | Scrapped Relocated |
| Slammer | Thorpe Park | Canada Creek | March 26, 2005 | [5] Operating |
Design and ride experience
The Sky Swat features a long arm which sits between two towers, on either end of the arm are four rows of six seats. The restraints consist of a side-lowering lap bar and partially over-the-shoulder restraints, a restraint system also found on other S&S's attractions, Screamin' Swing and Sky Sling rides. The floor is ventilated, allowing air and small objects to escape through it.
When the Sky Swat begins operation, the arm is lifted to the top of the towers, where it then begins to spin. As the arm spins between the two towers, riders orbit either up or down around the center. After a few flips, the ride reverses and flips in the opposite direction.
Slammer
Between 2012 and 2014, Slammer at Thorpe Park went through major downtime. All signage for the ride was removed at the end of 2012 which gave the impression that Thorpe Park weren't planning to open the ride anytime soon. For Fright Nights in 2013, the ride was completely removed from the actual park map which suggested the ride was going to close. However, at the start of the 2014 season, the ride could be seen testing with sand filled dummies which suggested the ride would open again.
As of May 2015, Slammer is currently operational, opening later than the rest of the park and closing when the park closes. The ride is also closed at 3pm for a 15-minute inspection. Even though the ride is operational, Slammer ceases operation in the park occasionally due to technical or mechanical errors.
Slammer remained closed for the duration of this year's Fright Night but could be seen operating occasionally. It has not been confirmed whether Slammer will be returning in 2016.
References
- 1 2 "Six Flags Astroworld SWAT Artwork". Blog. February 7, 2003. Retrieved March 11, 2013.
- ↑ "Houston's AstroWorld theme park to close". September 12, 2005.
- ↑ "Doubling the Fun AGAIN in 2006 With TWO New Rides!". Press Release. 2005. Retrieved March 11, 2013.
- ↑ "Catapult to be removed from Six Flags New England". Blog. March 5, 2013. Retrieved March 11, 2013.
- ↑ 51°24′10″N 0°30′49″W / 51.4028°N 0.5137°W
External links
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