I was lucky enough to ride The Bat a few times, I was probally 11-12 yrs old, and by far that ride stands out more then any other rides I have rode, It was the best ride I have ever been on,, I remember when I had a cavity and my dentist gassed me up, he told my think of something fun, and I remember thinking of The Bat, I sure do miss it,

and soon Arrow Suspended coasters will drop off the endangered species list... and not because more have been built:(

Arrow Suspended coasters are getting rarer, but suspended coasters overall are not really. There are very different variations, by different companies, largely popular in other countries...

9 product lines... There are probably more. I just jumped around the RCDB list.

http://www.rcdb.com/8563.htm

http://www.rcdb.com/...tm?ot=2&co=6920

http://www.rcdb.com/...tm?ot=2&mo=8404

http://www.rcdb.com/8402.htm

http://www.rcdb.com/4022.htm

http://www.rcdb.com/3457.htm

http://www.rcdb.com/...tm?ot=2&mo=8260

http://www.rcdb.com/3809.htm

http://www.rcdb.com/8578.htm

Does anyone else remember several years ago when one of The Bat heads from the front of the train was for sale on ebay? I believe it ended up going for over $300.

Somewhere around here I have the pictures from that auction.

Yeah, I remember seeing that when it was listed. Never found out who bought it.

Coney Islander,

I was meaning Arrow suspended coasters or ones like them. The new suspendeds like Roller Soaker at Hersey are not the same type of ride at all.

Thanks for those links. I saw a couple coasters that were like an Arrow suspended that were new to me. Unfortunatley, but the most recently built one was mid 90's.

and soon Arrow Suspended coasters will drop off the endangered species list... and not because more have been built:(

Arrow Suspended coasters are getting rarer, but suspended coasters overall are not really. There are very different variations, by different companies, largely popular in other countries...

9 product lines... There are probably more. I just jumped around the RCDB list.

http://www.rcdb.com/8563.htm

http://www.rcdb.com/...tm?ot=2&co=6920

http://www.rcdb.com/...tm?ot=2&mo=8404

http://www.rcdb.com/8402.htm

http://www.rcdb.com/4022.htm

http://www.rcdb.com/3457.htm

http://www.rcdb.com/...tm?ot=2&mo=8260

http://www.rcdb.com/3809.htm

http://www.rcdb.com/8578.htm

I found the Hershey Park coaster of particular interest. A ride that strategically positions the rider so that operators can shoot jets of water at the seats of their pants. How humiliating...

I guess the ride would look more intimidating to everyone in line for the ride if they thought the people before them just peed themselves .

I sadly, never got to ride The Bat but I sure would have liked to try it out. I know some people that have rode it and they said it was Very fun and the cars were swinging so much that Flight Deck can't compare.

Did anyone get to ride The Bat? I was lucky enough to ride it twice. I think I still have a button that says "I rode it" with The Bat logo.

I rode it several times in 1981, and once or twice in 1983. It was my favorite Arrow Suspended coaster, until I rode Big Bad Wolf. Now both

are sadly gone

Big Bad Wolf is gone? It was the highlight of my summer in '89. That, and my first jump with a parachute I packed myself, but still... I loved the part where you seemed to fly past a row of buildings. Earlier this year I was telling my kids about it when they discovered Flight Deck, but I will now have to tell them they'll never get to ride it. indeed.

Great pictures of The Bat, and yes flight deck to me is great!

Armies of us had ridden it. It wasn't as Mary Poppinsy as FD.

I recall looking sideways and being able to see down into the trees. It rocked more.

There was that strange hydraulic hissing overhead,with a weird clanking.

The ride was less of a bat and more like Bane's head.

I absolutely love hearing roller coaster / amusement machines' roars, hisses, and clanks. Some of my favorite sounds in the park are Invertigo's lift, Flight Deck's brakes, Vortex's anti-rollback, Diamondback's roar, among others. I'm sure The Bat would have made that list, too.

I was never able to ride The Bat either, but I always watch this video below because it's the only video I've seen that actually has a first person pov of some of the sections of the ride.

The Bat was the perfect example of a great but easy ride. It was family friendly, it had a great view, it swayed alot, and it was a great theme that was fluent throughout the ride, it would be a great addition for KI to have again, but that is only for my dreams.

I don't recall it being considered an easy, family friendly ride. It was an intense new experience. Compared to some rides today it may be considered less than thrilling, but not when it was installed.

Out of the four suspended coasters left. Top Gun (Flight Deck) and Vortex are the only ones you still get that out of control full speed ride. Ninja and Iron Dragon give a slower ride.

Reading all these posts about Arrow coasters has me wandering.. just how ling will these coasters be around? Will arrow of course being out of business, I can imagine that its going to be getting harder and harder to get parts for these coasters. As much as I love both Flight Deck and Vortex, with their Maker gone, hoe long can we expect these rides to stick around?

Actually, you can still get Arrow parts from S & S Arrow. S & S Power bought out Arrow Dynamics when they filed for the ominous Chapter 13, so Arrow still lives on and are able to make parts for their coasters made under their moniker. However, once the numbe of coasters diminish, I doubt they'll still make parts, or at least charge through the roof.

I absolutely love hearing roller coaster / amusement machines' roars, hisses, and clanks. Some of my favorite sounds in the park are Invertigo's lift, Flight Deck's brakes, Vortex's anti-rollback, Diamondback's roar, among others. I'm sure The Bat would have made that list, too.

I like Vortexs loud lift hill, flight decks lift hill beat, Invertigos cable lift sound, Deliriums noise when it swings Diamondbacks ddddduuuulldddlaaaahhhh sound at the bottom of the drop, Drop Zones click drop and then that ddddddaaaaaaa sound to stop it, Trying to predict Invertigos drop and screams, The Beasts heckish "please keep all hands and feet inside the car at all times. BRAain FReeze

Actually, once you stop on Invertigo, you count 1...2...3... DROP! The 3 with a little retardando. So I guess it's 4.5 to 5 seconds.

Also, The Beast's spiel is "Remain seated throughout the entire ride, please keep hands and legs inside the car at all times... Remain seats throughout the entire ride, please keep hands and legs inside the car at all times. Thank you."

Same way Backlot Stunt Coaster's is "Alright stunt team, listen up. As with any driving stunt, safety first, so STAY SEATED. Keep your head against the headrest and your hands and arms inside the vehicle at all times. Secure all loose articles or leave them with the crew before we roll."

For the record, Drop Tower is 7 seconds from the click, and I think Delirium's whooshes are awesome, as well,

Wow. After typing those spiels from memory, I realized 2 things: 1. Nobody cares. 2. Everyone probably thinks I'm crazy now!

Nobody really knows Backlot's spiel anymore because they don't play it just before the launch like they used to. Usually you're halfway to the helix by the time it starts.

I think it's more for the awaiting riders next in line so they could hear it. Oh, and it's about 12 seconds from helicopter launch to splashdown on Backlot!

I remember being very young and asking the ride op for the Eiffel Tower about The Bat. He honestly told me that they were removing it because it was sinking. Makes you wonder about the rumors of Vortex sinking.

I remember being very young and asking the ride op for the Eiffel Tower about The Bat. He honestly told me that they were removing it because it was sinking. Makes you wonder about the rumors of Vortex sinking.

Oh boy, and it Starts again..

I remember being very young and asking the ride op for the Eiffel Tower about The Bat. He honestly told me that they were removing it because it was sinking. Makes you wonder about the rumors of Vortex sinking.

Oh boy, and it Starts again..

And next people will probably say that the reason they are removing Son of Beast is because it's lift hill was sinking but that they heard it from the Dippin' Dots guy.

Makes you wonder if they had just banked the turns on The Bat, how different that part of the park would have been. Vortex would not have been built because The Bat would not have been taken down (at least not that that time). If The Bat was still around in the late 80s to early 90s would Flight Deck have been built? Would Bat have made it for 30 years or would it have eventually gone the way of Big Bad Wolf.....

I know this may sound silly, but it is a long walk from the actual entrance of the ride until you get to the station. That is the only complaint I have for such a short ride.

Flight Deck, needs to use the "Aircraft Carrier" que line again. I loved the theming.

Same way Backlot Stunt Coaster's is "Alright stunt team, listen up. As with any driving stunt, safety first, so STAY SEATED. Keep your head against the headrest and your hands and arms inside the vehicle at all times. Secure all loose articles or leave them with the crew before we roll."

I always love saying that before I get on, with the spiel.

You know it too?! *metaphorical high five*

Can you give one more? I know it too.