Gordon Bombay Posted December 20, 2007 Share Posted December 20, 2007 So I came across a really neat article from the Cincinnati Enquirer's Temp section about the delays and unique engineering of the Outer Limits: Flight of Fear (now simply Flight of Fear) in 1996 at the then Paramount's Kings Island. It features some interviews with the former vice president of construction and maintenance; Dave Focke. If you don't want to read the article in that form, i was nice enough to type up a transcript for you... Take off tuesday to the Outer Limits Paramount's Kings Island new indoor coaster finally on track Paramount's Kings Island is still going to take you for a ride. It's just doing it later than anticipated. After a long and rocky road, Outer Limits: Flight of Fear will open Tuesday. Its opening has been postponed several times since the project was announced in August. The delay for the revolutionary indoor roller coaster, says Dave Focke. PKI vice president of construction and maintenance, has been technology. "It's cutting edge and, frankly, we under-estimated the time it would take to build and check out the ride. As a construction person; you hate to admit you couldn't keep your schedule, but that' what happened. This is the longest and most complicated project we've ever done here." The new cutting edge technology Mr. Focke is talking about is a linear induction motor (lim) launch. Most coasters are dragged up a lift hill by a chain drive, then gravity takes over. In Outer Limits' lim launch, something which has never been done, magnetic waves shoot out of trackside lims and pull the train forward. There's no lift. The train is simply shot forward going from 0 to 54 mph in 3.5 seconds. The trains are on the track, full of sandbags (a standard proceudre with new rides) and doing test runs. "We've had a few rides associates on it," Mr. Focke says, "to get an evaluation. But right now, it's all sandbags." State ride inspectors out of Columbus have done preliminary safety tests on the ride Focke says, "but final testing wont begin until the end of this week." -Article by: Jim Knippenberg Well there you have it. The article date was not given on the little clip I have. I remember how awesome the themed area and queue line looked when it first opened. I didn't ride it in 1996, but I remember waiting in line with my parents. I liked how the article had no mention as to what the Outer Limits tv show was or what the ride was supposed to be themed to. I didn't even know about the Outer Limits tv show until I saw a re-run on the sci-fi channel years later after fof opened. I always thought it would have been better if they had themed it to Star Trek: The Next Generation. In comparison to CP's 1996 expansion, Mantis, I think KI definitely took the cake between the two parks that year. Can't really remember what other parks installed that year off the top of my head... Anyways, hope you enjoyed the article. Anyone have any idea whose opened first....(p)KD's or (p)KI's? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted December 20, 2007 Share Posted December 20, 2007 What's the date on that thing? Kings Dominion's opened June 18, 1996, also a Tuesday.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Bombay Posted December 20, 2007 Author Share Posted December 20, 2007 The article date was not given on the little clip I have. Geeze, can't you read the whole topic before commenting Interpreter? Thats the only little piece of the newspaper I have, no date was given, nothing on the other side either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monroe Posted December 20, 2007 Share Posted December 20, 2007 I was not in town when the ride opened, but it was my understanding that both were to open the same day. If one had problems, then the other one would have to wait until they were resolved. Side note: I thought that a "BattleStar Galactica theme would have been best because of the launch and the way the aircraft were launched on the show. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted December 20, 2007 Share Posted December 20, 2007 Oh, I read it, I was just hoping... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Bombay Posted December 20, 2007 Author Share Posted December 20, 2007 Man, that would be cool! I can't stand the original Battlstar Galactica but the the re-imagined series they have today is absolutely great. One of the few shows I watch reguarly on tv. Too bad that didn't come around sooner....maybe we would have seen a BSG ride. Anyone know when they did away with the military themed uniforms of the ride? I'd love to have one of the berets the employees wore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monroe Posted December 20, 2007 Share Posted December 20, 2007 Man, that would be cool! I can't stand the original Battlstar Galactica but the the re-imagined series they have today is absolutely great. One of the few shows I watch reguarly on tv. Too bad that didn't come around sooner....maybe we would have seen a BSG ride. Anyone know when they did away with the military themed uniforms of the ride? I'd love to have one of the berets the employees wore. One simple question: A female Starbuck? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KDCOASTERFAN Posted December 21, 2007 Share Posted December 21, 2007 Funny how KI had so many problems with their version of FOF but KD's version didn't.....now Volcano on the otherhand was a complete disaster for the park & didn't open until august of it's debut season due to problems with the LSM launch system Intamin had designed for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted December 21, 2007 Share Posted December 21, 2007 . . . and even when Volcano DID open, only half the seats were installed, as the coaster didn't have enough power to launch properly with all seats filled. Even then, it ran much slower than it does today. I found it a superbly wonderful coaster in its somewhat less than full tilt mode! I still love it today, but I liked it even better when it was a bit hobbled! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KIfan73 Posted December 21, 2007 Share Posted December 21, 2007 Until a couple years ago, I didn't know that "Outer Limits" was a show. I have to really wonder why they would make such a huge investment for not one, but two rides themed to a show that, I think, no one has hardly ever heard of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted December 21, 2007 Share Posted December 21, 2007 You must remember these rides were named/themed nearly 12 years ago. That show was and is well known to anyone over about 40 today....and those people were over about 28 back then. I agree, though, Paramount did not always select the best properties to theme its rides around. No Titanic ride, but you get the likes of Italian Job and Face/Off.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoddaH1994 Posted December 21, 2007 Share Posted December 21, 2007 Not only that, but they didn't do much with Star Trek in any one of their parks. I know they have the Vegas thing, but that wasn't ever really a Paramount Park in my book. If they had added something to one of the parks (even a similar experience to the Vegas one) I think they could have drawn trekkies from miles around for years on end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KIBeast Posted December 21, 2007 Share Posted December 21, 2007 Well, they did name that coaster in Carolina to the Borg. I thought that there were endless possibilites of using Star Trek theming. Too bad Paramount didn't think so. Let's look at what they did choose... Drop Zone...Perfectly named for the ride experience...however, horrid movie. Face/Off...Perfectly named for ride experience and was actually a great movie! Italian Job:Stunt Track...very underwhelming although in the beginning, the theming was awesome. Not a bad movie, but not one that people will remember for years to come. Tomb Raider:The Ride...not a good movie or ride. Some good effects. Outer Limits:Flight of Fear...Great execution of theming, initially. The show was good too. Top Gun...the first themed coaster I can remember of personal experience. In the beginning, those effects would have been about equivalent to FOF. Face it. Paramount used to make a lot of great movies. The best thing they did in recent history was the Transformers. Now there would be a good movie theme to use! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flightoffear1996 Posted December 21, 2007 Share Posted December 21, 2007 A transfomers ride would have been sweet. They could have made it like M.I.B. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Bombay Posted December 21, 2007 Author Share Posted December 21, 2007 I am probably in the minority of those who thought transformers was a terrible movie. A bunch of cgi metal flying around and you couldn't see hardly any details. However, I do agree though, with the popularity of that ride Paramount could have really done a good ride to it, or atleast had the potential to use it for excellent promotion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JacksonPKI Posted December 21, 2007 Share Posted December 21, 2007 What's the date on that thing? Kings Dominion's opened June 18, 1996, also a Tuesday.... KI opened at 10:00 and KD opened at 10:30, so one of them could hold the record. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dvo Posted December 21, 2007 Share Posted December 21, 2007 Let's look at what they did choose... Drop Zone...Perfectly named for the ride experience...however, horrid movie. I thought Drop Zone was hilarious and amazing. How can you go wrong with Gary Busey and Wesley Snipes going at it while skydiving from jet liners and parachuting during 4th of July Fireworks?!?! Drop Zone FTW! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XGatorHead 8904 Posted December 21, 2007 Share Posted December 21, 2007 I didn't even know about the Outer Limits tv show until I saw a re-run on the sci-fi channel years later after fof opened. I always thought it would have been better if they had themed it to Star Trek: The Next Generation. They were originally going to go in the Star Trek direction, but not The Next Generation. Think ST:DS9, and the launch being into the wormhole... One simple question: A female Starbuck? And that's the main reason I never really gave the new BG a chance...plus the human looking Cylons. I loved the originals too much! (And no Muffit? ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vortex Posted December 22, 2007 Share Posted December 22, 2007 Funny how KI had so many problems with their version of FOF but KD's version didn't.....now Volcano on the otherhand was a complete disaster for the park & didn't open until august of it's debut season due to problems with the LSM launch system Intamin had designed for it. One big problem FOF had during the open was people keep change in their pockets and if it fell out and hit the track they shut the ride down. I was so mad I waitted in line got to the UFO and it went down. Luck I did get a ride in late that night, but my head hurt so much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZ Kinda Guy Posted December 23, 2007 Share Posted December 23, 2007 In comparison to CP's 1996 expansion, Mantis, I think KI definitely took the cake between the two parks that year. Are you serious? FoF was opened WAY late, was way over budget, and frankly, sucked. Mantis however opened on time, met the budget, and was a crowd pleaser. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoddaH1994 Posted December 23, 2007 Share Posted December 23, 2007 I agree with Bombay. Flight of Fear is a favorite of mine and I absolutely hate Mantis. That's just my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted December 23, 2007 Share Posted December 23, 2007 And I was at Cedar Point many times the year Mantis opened. To say it was a crowd pleaser is a stretch, at best. Many complained of leg pains...so many that B and M installed a brake on the first drop that was commonly used until last season...whereupon many again began complaining of leg pains... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cory Butcher Posted December 23, 2007 Share Posted December 23, 2007 So that was why my legs were hurting? I thought I was sitting wrong or something, I thought vessels in my legs were blowing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TOPGUN1993 Posted December 23, 2007 Share Posted December 23, 2007 Same here.....I found mantis smooth but, other than the weird leg feeling it's a great coaster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kwindshawne Posted December 23, 2007 Share Posted December 23, 2007 So that was why my legs were hurting? I thought I was sitting wrong or something, I thought vessels in my legs were blowing. There's a trick to it....Stand with your back straight, but just have a slight bend in your knees-and relax. I think a lot of people tense up and that is where the problem is. Stand ups are easier on the back in my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Bombay Posted December 23, 2007 Author Share Posted December 23, 2007 In comparison to CP's 1996 expansion, Mantis, I think KI definitely took the cake between the two parks that year. Are you serious? FoF was opened WAY late, was way over budget, and frankly, sucked. Mantis however opened on time, met the budget, and was a crowd pleaser. I guess that it could be said that fof may not have been the best crowd pleaser due to the head pain, but mantis by no means is great and in all honesty id take fof with the otsr's over how painful mantis is. Mantis is quite a headbanger and still is. I still think KI's install was better than CP's that year.....but to say KI was better than CP every year, that I definitely do not agree with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KIBeast Posted December 27, 2007 Share Posted December 27, 2007 Ooooh, I wouldn't say Mantis is more painful than FOF with the OTSR's, but, that's your opinion Gordon and I can respect that. Comparatively now, though, I would take FOF over Mantis any day. I've never had a problem with my legs hurting from Mantis, so I cannot relate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoastersRZ Posted December 27, 2007 Share Posted December 27, 2007 I have ridden Mantis several times in several different years at Cedar Point. It literally kills my legs when I ride it because of all the blood rushing to them due to the forces of the ride. Believe it or not, I actually preferred King Cobra over Mantis, because Kings Cobra did not hurt my legs (yes, there were moments of the same sensation, but it wasn`t as intense or any where near as painful). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kawana Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 In comparison to CP's 1996 expansion, Mantis, I think KI definitely took the cake between the two parks that year. Can't really remember what other parks installed that year off the top of my head... Mantis is that old?? I had no idea. I was thinking '98 maybe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lake54321 Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 You were thinking 98, and it was built in 96 and you think that 2 years makes it that much older? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.