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Which UK Coaster Has Most Airtime?

sparky2u

Mega Poster
After riding "Shambhala" at PortAventura & being provided with loads of floating airtime over the hills :--D , this got me thinking about the coasters we have in UK.

All the coasters in the country produce no floating airtime over the hills, (which coaster fans crave), they just produce a sec or 2 lift / ejector airtime. Does this mean that we are not allowed to come out of our seats & be mega strapped in or are the parks are just being tight & not splash the cash.

I really hope Thorpe can install either a woodie or a Hyper coaster & the layout finally produces large amounts of floating airtime as this will show everyone in the UK what a coaster can really do.

Which UK coaster has the most airtime: I say: Megafobia at Oakwood

EDIT - Changed title to reflect topic discussion - Hyde244
 

Mike

Giga Poster
Re: Floating Airtime of more than 3 sec's

Most UK parks have height restrictions for their rides, so we haven't really got any coasters with large enough drops to give us the big floater airtime experience.

After a couple of weekends ago, I'd have to say Blackpool's Wild Mouse currently gives the most amount of airtime in the UK; it was being absolutely insane!
 

Hyde

Matt SR
Staff member
Moderator
Social Media Team
Re: Floating Airtime of more than 3 sec's

It could actually be argued that because of sensory overload of traveling at fast speeds, experiencing g-force, etc. - your brain is not able to properly comprehend "normal" time.

You can become so focused that time itself seems to slow down, making 5 seconds seem like 10 seconds, or even longer.

Believe it or not, there is actually science behind time perception: http://lifehacker.com/how-to-trick-your ... -707794661

All that being said, let's make sure the title of the post reflects the actual topic of discussion. :wink:
 

Ian

From CoasterForce
Staff member
Administrator
Moderator
Social Media Team
Sparky is right, we don't really have an airtime beast here in the UK. I always get a nice prolonged dose of airtime over the top hat on Stealth. Megafobia and Nash do have the odd spot but we have nothing to blow our minds. Dare I even say that the Galaxy and Wild Mouse coasters with their sudden dips and drops actually offer the most airtime in the UK? What a sad state of affairs.

If you were to take the durataion of a UK coaster and work out how much time is airtime, I reckon the coasters with the highest percentage are Wild Mouse at Blackpool and Stealth at Thorpe Park. Could even chuck Th13teen into the mix, there's certainly air during the drop ;)
 

nealbie

CF Legend
I'm no scientist, but if Oblivion counts, surely that's an easy winner for the UK?

Your bum leaving the seat after you're released at the top and not touching back down until the bottom of the drop is a good few solid seconds of airtime (if that's what it is). Plus you get a nice pop as you crest onto the brake run. (Which, following on from what Ian touched on, covers a MASSIVE percentage of the "coaster" part of the ride)

Honourable mentions: Stealth, Dragons Fury, Nash, Wild Mouse.

Rides that should have airtime but don't: Ultimate (feels like Rocky Express on all its many lolloping bunny hops - especially just before the 2nd lift) and PMBO (because it's turdio on scaffolding).
 

Kebab

Giga Poster
Grand National by far for me, which is the reason why it's my favourite at Pleasure Beach. The whole thing is designed for your arse to leave your seat at least 12 times!
 

ATTACKHAMMER

Strata Poster
I would say Th13teen has good airtime, I haven't been on the Ultimate or any at Blackpool so I can't comment on those but Th13teen has some airtime.
 

CookieCoasters

Giga Poster
Rita has some airtime over its hills. Saw has quite strong ejector, but its tight restraints mean you don't notice it as much. I'd say that either Megaphobia, the Nash or wild mous have the most airtime in the uk. I'd say that nick streak has some nice floater airtime at the front of the train on its various hills
 

MouseAT

Hyper Poster
The only way you'll get sustained airtime on The Ultimate is to ride in the back few rows. Going down the drops, you'll be dragged down by the lap bar. The rest of the train only gets a couple of (admittedly really strong) pops of airtime going over a couple of the small hills.

I think people have covered most of the usual suspects already. There aren't that many rides with decent airtime in the UK, and on those that do it's usually just a brief pop here and there as opposed to being sustained.
 

furie

SBOPD
Staff member
Administrator
Moderator
Re: Floating Airtime of more than 3 sec's

Hyde244 said:
It could actually be argued that because of sensory overload of traveling at fast speeds, experiencing g-force, etc. - your brain is not able to properly comprehend "normal" time.

You can become so focused that time itself seems to slow down, making 5 seconds seem like 10 seconds, or even longer.

Believe it or not, there is actually science behind time perception: http://lifehacker.com/how-to-trick-your ... -707794661

Hmmmm... I've done it so that when juggling, I see time slow down. When really concentrating, the balls appear to move slower, particularly when you know you've miss thrown and need to rescue a bad catch. I've done it a couple of times catching things too, but it's impulsive, rather than something I can switch on and off. I see a moving object and the object seems to slow as I reach for it. I once caught a jar falling off a conveyor at the supermarket - I must have looked like a jedi ninja. It was about three feet away and I got it about a foot off the floor. Also once caught a falling cactus, that wasn't the best :lol:

Anyway, I can't say I ever remember it on a coaster. Coasters for me always seem to happen much faster on them than when I watch them - but it's probably right :)

Joey said:
Rides that should have airtime but don't: Ultimate
You're broken if you can't find airtime on Ultimate.

I've never wanted to ride it enough times to hunt for the seats which may have it, or if it does have it, the concussion caused has made me forget there ever was any. My only memories of The Ultimate are "NEVER AGAIN!!!" Everything else is a complete blank :lol:

Yeah, we have **** all here for airtime. I adore the strong ejector Megafobia gives me on the second drop, but other than that there isn't much. Wild Mouse's air is strong, but you're so busy worrying about dying, you tend to not enjoy it ;) Nash's is definitely there on a good day (I was once lifted so far out on each hill, I kept landing on the centre divider which is what, 8 inches high?). Nothing though compared to the real airtime machines in almost every other country...
 

SaiyanHajime

CF Legend
???

Ultimate front row for insane diagonal ejector air.

Big One has some air in the front, also.

Nash, Big Dipper and Fobia are okay.
 

marc

CF Legend
Megafobia and Saw.

Never had any airtime on the Ultimate.

The Big Dipper years ago gave loads and I mean about 20 years ago lol.
 

Serena

Miss CoasterForce 2016
Staff member
Social Media Team
Not the most airtime in the slightest, but some of the best airtime in the UK is on Colossus bunny hop, and the first hill of Velocity at FL.

I never get it on Grand National or any of the coasters at Blackpool :S I'd go with Megafobia for most airtime.
 

owentaylor121

Giga Poster
Thinking about it, Saw has loads.
The indoor drop, the main drop, the over bank has 'some', the airtime hill after the overbank and then the drop after the MCB. It has the most ejector out of the U.K coasters, but I'd still say the Nash has the most airtime.
 
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