Revolutionary Wing Coaster Coming to Six Flags Great America in 2012
First Theme Park in the U.S. to Announce Plans to Build State-of-the-Art Wing Coaster
Gurnee, Ill. (September 1, 2011) – Get ready to take flight! Six Flags Great America announces plans to add a state-of-the-art roller coaster for the 2012 season. X-Flight is a ground-breaking wing coaster featuring cutting-edge technology. The Gurnee theme park is the first to announce plans for a wing coaster in the U.S.
X-Flight will take riders on a flight that defies gravity, with no track above or below them. Riders sit in pairs, suspended on either side of the track with their feet dangling, as they begin their climb up a 12-story plunge launching them into speeds of 55mph through 3,000 feet of intense drops and five inversions, including a barrel roll and zero-g roll. One of the most adrenaline-pumping moments on the ride is an extreme fly-through where the coaster speeds straight toward a structure, before making a last-minute vertical flip to fit through a keyhole cut-out.
“Six Flags Great America has a long history of introducing legendary rides and first-of-its-kind roller coasters,” said Hank Salemi, Six Flags Great America Park President. “What makes X-Flight so unique is soaring through 3,000 feet of high-speed drops, loops and turns, with nothing above or below you. The coaster’s train actually looks like a plane with seats suspended on either side of the track. It’s like nothing you have ever experienced before. We are thrilled to bring this revolutionary wing coaster to our guests for the 2012 season.”
X-Flight is designed by acclaimed Swiss manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard, who also designed Six Flags Great America favorites: Raging Bull, SUPERMAN: Ultimate Flight and BATMAN: The Ride. The wing coaster will make its home in the County Fair section of the park. Construction begins this Fall. X-Flight is scheduled to open Spring of 2012.
Six Flags Great America is located between Chicago and Milwaukee and offers fun for the entire family with 14 heart-pounding roller coasters, a free 20-acre water park, spectacular shows, a nighttime illuminated parade and three children’s themed areas. Soar on X-Flight all season long with a 2012 Season Pass, now on sale for $64.99 for four or more. Buy now and get a 2012 Season Parking Pass free. Sale ends October 30, 2011.
Wow! This is definately one of the best additions to SFGAm in a long time! And I loved that video that Jim-Reid Anderson put out. I think our 9 years of waiting has finally paid off.
So, Dollywood's announcement is only 3 days away, apparently. I wonder how their new B&M will be different, if at all.
Anyway...this is the first new SF B&M in awhile, isn't it? When was the last one built?
Under Shapiro, I thought SF would never buy another one, which kind of makes me think this ride was ordered as soon as he was shipped out..though of course I could be wrong.
Looks great. Not only is it not a Eurofighter/Zacspin, it's not Raptor either! That is 3 W's in my book. Watching that video, the train *tears* through the layout, as opposed to the crawling that Raptor features- so unless Six Flags sped up the video for marketing purposes, McVeen illustrations are usually spot-on.
ragingbull1331 wrote:This ride looks awesome, I have a feeling Dollywood is going to get "Chang'd" and not get a Wing Rider.
and Cole was right about this ride for weeks yet everyone sort of ignored/tried to get rid of him.
Yeah he was right about pretty much everything... Next time you should listen.
What, right that it was a Wingrider?
Yeah I don't think he was alone on that...
Whatelse... 5 inversions, 120 ft., X-Flight name, and every time I hinted something you guys shut me down. Funny how I was right... probably just a lucky guess right?
Top 5: 1) El Toro. 2) Maverick. 3) Millenium Force. 4) Diamondback. 5) X2. Coaster Count: 167 (41 Wood, 125 Steel) @Coaster_Cole on Twitter
acquaz10 wrote:Yeah he was right about pretty much everything... Next time you should listen.
What, right that it was a Wingrider?
Yeah I don't think he was alone on that...
Whatelse... 5 inversions, 120 ft., X-Flight name, and every time I hinted something you guys shut me down. Funny how I was right... probably just a lucky guess right?
120ft was pretty easy for everyone to get because the park hadn't applied for a variance. Galvan linked me to trademark filing for "X-Flight" at least a month ago. You could also clearly get five inversions from the puzzle.
You didn't really give us any new information that no one could already assume. Still not looking at you as an "inside source."
Cryptkeeper linked to the video in his post.
"I get to go to lots of overseas places, like Canada." -Britney Spears
Whatelse... 5 inversions, 120 ft., X-Flight name, and every time I hinted something you guys shut me down. Funny how I was right... probably just a lucky guess right?
Dude, we've known about this ride for over a year, you think the "Oracle" wingrider April Fools Day prank was a coincidince? Take your soapbox somewhere else.
Whatelse... 5 inversions, 120 ft., X-Flight name, and every time I hinted something you guys shut me down. Funny how I was right... probably just a lucky guess right?
Dude, we've known about this ride for over a year, you think the "Oracle" wingrider April Fools Day prank was a coincidince? Take your soapbox somewhere else.
"I get to go to lots of overseas places, like Canada." -Britney Spears
CoasterNick3157 wrote:Those colors for the ride are awsome. The park is going to make mad money on flash pass which I'm sure they will offer.
Most likely they will. I think they will do exactly what they did with Green Lantern at sfmm. Pay for platinum flash pass and pay an extra 15 dollars to get the pass for X-flight for a specific time.
Revolutionary Wing Coaster Coming to Six Flags Great America in 2012
Well, I think it was totally worth the wait! This ride looks amazing!
So, about the inversions, I see the dive loop thing off the lifthill, I see a heartline roll through the tower thing, I see a corkscrew after the lift hill one, than an inclined loop before the tunnel thing (square box thing) and another zero-g roll.
"I've been staring at the world, waiting. All the trouble and all the pain we're facing. Too much light to be livin' in the dark. Why waste time? We only got one life. Together we can be the CHANGE. So go and let your heart burn bright"
Wow for me they can't get IW out of their fast enough. I wonder if track is showing up yet.Wow I'm pumped its going to be along winter waiting. I hope they have a web cam on that spot for the tear down and the build of x-flight.
