News: Skyhawk back in business

When I rode Skyhawk I noticed that if the restraint came loose, there would be enough slack in the belt that I could slip out.

The secondary does nothing...

So is the ride really a little longer?

I had no problem with the seats...but my wife and I were unthrilled with how short the ride was. If it is the same length, I think we would only ride it with a very short wait. 45 minutes was too long (opening day) to wait for a 50 second ride. Great thrill, but hopefully they have reconsidered (or can reconsider) the ride cycle itself.
*** Edited 5/15/2006 8:28:31 PM UTC by Kevinj***

It's odd how it seems like every person at my school I talk to has a different story about a restraint coming undone at CP. The possibilities of that happening and no one on here ever saying anything are very slim. Raptor always seems to be the ride that does it and I find that unlikely due to B&M's history (not a single mishap after 10+ years of building big coasters all around the world).

*** Edited 5/15/2006 10:22:33 PM UTC by Gomez***

The carabeiners were stolen off the test seat before the end of Opening Day...

I have been going to the point for 30 years and never had a restraint come loose, I must be lucky. ;}
*** Edited 5/16/2006 12:58:47 AM UTC by Grady***

I had a Raptor restraint pop up a notch on me the other day while going down the first drop. Scared the hell out of me for a second, but I pulled it back down and it was fine.

I can see how so many people are saying that it happened to them on Raptor, because when it pops up, even a notch, mid-ride - it seems like it has opened a LOT more than it actually did.

-Josh

Not to be annoying, but no one has answered my question yet. :)

Is it really longer? Someone said a few posts back about them extending the ride cycle beyond the way-too-short 54 seconds.

Just curious is anyone can verify this.

Hopeful this is true...opening day on SkyHawk left a lot to be desired. Shortest Flat in the park!

Yes, it's 1 swing longer. I can confirm.

Can anyone explain in detail how the ride's capacity, load time, how long it takes to park, etc? I happened to go on the final day of the ride's down spell and didn't get to experience the ride for myself yet. :(

1 swing longer makes all the difference in the world!

We loved the feel....just shocked at the brevity of it all.
*** Edited 5/16/2006 2:51:02 AM UTC by Kevinj***

Speaking of ride-cycle times, we know that Maxair has been extended by a couple of swings, but has anyone else noticed that it seems to spin a little bit faster? Could just be the seat I was sitting in, but I swear it was spinning just a little bit more.

-Josh

Gomez: Capacity is 40, obv. Two load channels with 20 numbered dots apiece and a "sorter" ride op in the middle (a la PT). Physically getting into the thing isn't that bad, but you have to pull the lap bar over and fasten the carabiner first, then a safety check (I think by two ride ops), then they'll hit the real restraint and allow that to be locked into place, followed by another safety check (definitely by two ride ops). I haven't actually timed it out, but I'd guess average 3-5 minute load/check/clear followed by a ride that's roughly a minute long from movement to full stop.
*** Edited 5/16/2006 3:00:23 AM UTC by JeffV***

Most likely the talk of restraints "poping open" all stem from the same thing happening. I think just about everyone has had a time when a restraint has come to rest between two latching points. Obviously, the restraint is going to move a bit, and probably will pop out to the next locking position sometime during the ride. I think that's probably what all these people experience when they have something "pop open" on them.

Max Air is crazy long now, I noticed some sort of "clunk" when the gondola is at the apex of it's swing. It's really wierd and sort of scared the crap out of me. It's as if the gondola is not "tightened" down to the arm, and its moving up and down on the arm.

When the ops check Skyhawk, One will check the West side of one arm while the other will check the East side of the other arm. Then, they cross and re-check eachother. Then do the same thing with the other sides.

I also noticed that the op would go into the booth, press something, come out and check the exit door, then go back in the booth and start the ride. He did this every time.

I believe the exit doors are now magnetically locking, they are most likely checking that the door is, in fact, locked.

The small "clunk" was always there, even last year. Must be normal operation, I'm sure.

I have no memory of the "clunk" last year. It would of scared the crap out of me. It could be i was to busy screaming.

I thought it might be people hitting the backs of their chairs after an air time boost. But it's a very prominent sound...

I noticed it, if by "clunk" you mean the slight shudder the ride has when it changes direction at it's apex. The direction change almost feels like a car going over a very small bump.

yeah, thats it. Like I said though... I was probably screaming and holding on for my life to notice... Flats scare the crap out of me.

I also felt it on Saturday, and it freaked me out. This was my first time on CP's ride as it was always really busy last year, but PKI's Delerium didn't have that clunk/shudder as I recall.