Superman: Ultimate Flight @ Six Flags Over Georgia | Coaster Reviews
I rode the prototypical B&M flying coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia days after it opened in 2002. As it was one of the first flying coasters by Swiss geniuses Bolliger & Mabillard the layout was brief and to the point.
Vekoma had already introduced flying roller coasters with Stealth at Great America in 2000. B&M took a different route by modifying their inverted coaster design. As you board them in the station they look almost identical to inverted coasters with ski lift style position in relation to the track. Then, each row of four seats folds up so that the riders are facing the floor in a flying position. Here’s are before and after pictures of the trains.
You really need some faith in those harnesses when their the only thing between you and the
ground 100 feet below. After the climb, the trains swoops down and to the right. Next, you enter the pretzel loop inversion. The pretzel loop offers some pretty heavy g-forces and is one of the weirdest feeling inversions around. It’s difficult to describe, but you feel like your being turned inside out. Next, you do a few nifty swoops and turns closer to the ground. The train passes through a little covered section and traverses a sweet inline-twist. Then you hit the station brakes.
S:UF is fun and a must ride for those who haven’t been on a flying coaster. My main beef with the ride is the fairly short layout with only two inversions. For once, I couldn’t say that B&M had created the best of type of coaster. I prefer Vekoma’s flying dutchman model (Firehawk, Batwing, & BORG Assimilator) to B&M’s S:UF clones. But that was before B&M created
Tatsu for Magic Mountain. I’ve never ridden it, but Tatsu appears to have taken the genre to a whole new level. Still, Ultimate Flight is not a bad roller coaster by any means. It’s enjoyable, but short. Final Rating – 7.0 Good
Superman: Ultimate Flight is rated ‘IN’ for Intense. It’s a 4 out of 5 on my Thrill Scale for of its ride position and intense pretzel loop.
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