originally posted on 10/9/2020
Photo: Rik Engelen. View full-sized image.
After being in development for nearly four years, F.L.Y. at Phantasialand (Brühl, Germany) was relegated to the “It opens when it opens” category. With delays being the norm during the 2020 global pandemic, it wouldn’t have been a surprise to anyone to see the ride’s debut pushed to next year. The soft opening of the record-breaking flying coaster on September 17 caught many enthusiasts off guard. The news swept around the world on social media.
Photo: Martin Valt. View full-sized image.
Developed by Vekoma, F.L.Y. sets records for a flying coaster. The park, however, was not forthcoming with statistical details as the ride opened — just that it was the world’s longest.
Anyone who has visited Phantasialand will be quick to gush over the theming of the park’s rides. The immersive environments are nothing short of marvelous. This new expansion is called Rookburgh, and it is a steampunk-inspired thematic masterpiece. As visitors stroll through the area, the coaster soars and dives all around them. The area has been ingeniously conceived, and the interaction of the coaster on various levels makes the spectator appeal even more spectacular. As the Rookburgh area had been surrounded by high walls for years, the visual “wow” was fresh and captivating to everyone. The theming is filled with detail such as steaming manholes in the streets and a lot of fog from steam outlets.
Photo: Martin Valt. View full-sized image.
Photo: Martin Valt. View full-sized image.
The steampunk theming is taken to extraordinary levels in the new Rookburgh area.
Photo: Martin Valt. View full-sized image.
The queue to F.L.Y. weaves through buildings and (of note) lots of stairs. The station is eventually found in a basement of one of the buildings. Before boarding, riders must put all objects into free lockers — opened with distributed wristbands — and then proceed through metal detectors. Because the coaster soars over numerous midways, the park is taking safety seriously. The ride has separate load and unloading stations, obstructed from each other's view.
The train arrives on a sideways-positioned track (like a Gravity Group 90-degree banked turn), and the seats are upright. Until guests physically get in line and prepare to board, this feature of the ride is hidden from view. The restraints are the typical hydraulically closed vests. The ankle restraints are lighter and easier as well.
Riders board and exit in an upright seating position. Following the brake run, riders are turned and rotated into an upright position once more.
Photo: Rik Engelen. View full-sized image.
Once started, the train departs to the right and takes a 180-dgree turn, then a booster-wheel lift rises upward while the riders are still in the same sitting position. Alongside the lift are some holographic advertisements for flying with the Air Rail Company in Rookburgh. At the top of the modest lift, the train makes a 90-degree, right-hand turn, and it is within this turn that the track twists to an overhead track and the seats rotate 90 degrees to align with the track. All of this happens in one single, smooth and flowing movement.
Within seconds, riders are on their stomachs, aligned and slowly running into a launch that kicks the ride into the layout. To attempt to describe the ride’s layout would be foolhardy, as it tangles and twists throughout Rookburgh. The creative genius of the design finds it flying over walkways, through trenches and interactions with the theming. Height is of no concern — it’s all about visual impact. This interaction is dramatic and creates great illusions of speed. At one point, a steam effect is directed at the train.
Photo: Jo Pools. View full-sized image.
Photo: Rik Engelen. View full-sized image.
In the middle of the ride, a rolling launch delivers a second burst of speed to continue the fun. The launches are soft, but if seated in the right seat, they can give a pop of airtime, during which riders float with their backs against the back rest — a cool sensation. There are other brief spots that create some momentary negative Gs.
It’s slightly odd to speak of inversions on a flying coaster, but it should be noted that there are two rollovers, which never fail to elicit screams.
Photo: Rik Engelen. View full-sized image.
Photo: Rik Engelen. View full-sized image.
After hitting the final brakes, the train keeps on slowly running and as swiftly as passengers turned into the flying position, the seats turn back upright, as does the track. In the exit station, the restraints open and riders simply step forward and leave.
One of the biggest accolades of the ride seems to be the smoothness, as reports have positively raved over its fluidity. There isn't a single hiccup from start to finish, and the two inversions can be described as butter smooth.
Photo: Marious Van den Broeke. View full-sized image.
Rookburgh and F.L.Y. seem to be one symbiotic entity, even more so than is the case with Taron and Klugheim. Rookburgh sports a steampunk-industry-site look and zeppelin fly port. It only has the one ride, F.L.Y., but also tucks in a takeaway eatery, a candy store and a restaurant. The whole area is rather tight because of the park's limited space as well as an intentional move to create the bustling surroundings of the factory/port. The difference with Taron here is that F.L.Y. is everywhere. It goes around the complete themed area, and nonriders can see it running all over the place.
The Charles Lindburgh Hotel is part of the major expansion.
Photo: Marious Van den Broeke. View full-sized image.
The southwestern area of Rookburgh is occupied with the Charles Lindbergh Hotel and is off limits to nonguests. It all forms one seemingly organically grown picture. The hotel itself is unique as all rooms sleep two in small cylindrical spaces like an airplane carrier. Many will love the immersion, but clearly it won’t be everyone’s cup of tea.
The immersive theming adds a unique style to the hotel rooms.
Photo: Courtesy Phantasialand. View full-sized image.
It is of interest to note that it was Vekoma that pioneered the flying coaster with Stealth 20 years ago (California’s Great America, Santa Clara). In 2000, the novel concept was bold and creative, if not a little clunky. Zamperla and Bolliger & Mabillard entered the field two years later, each with its own take on boarding and ride experience. It is rather fitting that with F.L.Y., the genre has come full circle. As it has boasted for years now, Vekoma keeps delivering hit after hit with its smooth, expertly engineered designs. This latest take has solved the boarding issue with flying coasters, not to mention the momentary wait on the brake run hanging on one’s chest or lying on one’s back.
Photo: Rik Engelen. View full-sized image.
F.L.Y. is Phantasialand’s seventh coaster (eight if you count the two Winjas as separate attractions — for good reasons). It is the fourth installation from Vekoma, which includes the indoor coaster; the heavily themed family boomerang, Raik; and Colorado Adventure, considered by many to be one of the best mine train coasters in the world.
— Tim Baldwin, ACE News Editor and Rik Engelen, Roller Coaster DataBase
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