Sorry peoples, I can't find the original topic as to "Is Avatar a Coaster"; but I emailed the manufacturer and this was their view on it. Is it always powered? assisted? or coast?

Hope this doesn't violoate anything.

The Gondola is always connected to power and the drive of the motor is always on. However, at the low point of the track, the motor, even though powered, is not really adding to the gondola's momentum.

This means at certain points during the ride, the gondola could be considered to be 'coasting'.

On a launch or lift-hill coaster, once the vehicle or train exits the launch or leaves the lift hill, all of the energy is in the system. Where, the system is the car or train. The train or car eventually comes to a stop due to losses (friction, wind resistance, and rolling resistance) and/or braking. The difference is that Avatar (Zamperla's product name: Disko Coaster with Skater gondola) has the ability to add energy during the ride into the system (i.e the gondola).

There are many coasters that have motors on-board, such as our Dragon coaster. These are still coasters, but they are classified as Powered Coasters. Furthermore, just as you can classify a coaster as inverted, sit-down or stand up. I'd consider the Avatar as a coaster, I'd just classify it as a 'disko coaster'. Some people may call it a Skater Coaster, but the Skater and Disko coasters are the same platform, they just have a different seating arrangement.

So, in my opinion, the Avatar is a powered, disko coaster.

Hope this helps.

Jay

Jay Crisler, P.E.

Director of Engineering

Zamperla, Inc.

49 Fanny Road

Boonton, NJ 07005

USA

Last year, it was counted as a coaster on the park map.