Bat (Kings Island 1993)

Roller coaster in the United States
Watch the on-ride POV
The Bat
The Bat in 2014
Kings Island
Location Mason, Ohio, USA
Coordinates 39°20′51″N 84°15′55″W / 39.347630°N 84.265222°W / 39.347630; -84.265222
Park section Action Zone
Status Operating since April 9, 1993
Rider height 48 inch minimum
Statistics
Manufacturer Arrow Dynamics
Product Suspended Coaster
Designer / calculations Ron Toomer
Type Steel - Suspended - Terrain
Riders per train 28
Hourly capacity 1200
Propulsion Chain lift hill
Height 78 feet
Elevation change 90 feet
Drop 70 feet
Top speed 51 mph
Length 2352 feet
Inversions 0
Drop angle 45°
Duration 1:52
G-Force 2.9
HELP

The Bat is a steel suspended terrain roller coaster manufactured by US company Arrow Dynamics currently located at Kings Island in Mason, Ohio, USA. The ride's supports were designed by Ride Centerline.[1] The ride opened on April 9, 1993 as Top Gun, but was renamed Flight Deck in 2008. For the 2014 season, it was repainted and renamed The Bat. It is Kings Island's second attempt at a suspended coaster after problems with the prototype Bat in the early 80s, which stood where Vortex formerly operated.

History

The original queue line tunnel

In November 1992, Top Gun was announced, following the acquisition of Kings Island by Paramount Parks earlier that year.[2] Construction began that year and was completed in early 1993. The coaster officially opened on April 9, 1993.[3] The ride's queue line, where guests wait, featured music from the motion picture as well. An aircraft carrier control room exhibit was also a feature that guests would pass through on their way to the loading platform above. Access to the control room exhibit was blocked off from the line queue several years later, some time before Cedar Fair purchased the park in 2006.

For the 1999 season, the track was repainted gray as the original red track faded.

On June 30, 2006, Paramount sold Kings Island to Cedar Fair and some of the rides were renamed, including Top Gun. Its name was changed to Flight Deck for 2008.

On October 29, 2013, on the 33rd anniversary of the announcement of the original Bat, the park revealed that Flight Deck would be renamed The Bat for the 2014 season. The ride was repainted with a new color scheme of orange track with charcoal supports, and black trains.[4]

Design

Elements

The Bat has a similar layout to Vortex at Canada's Wonderland, which was built two years earlier. Vortex, however, has one less car on each train and excels in height, speed, and track length.

Ride experience

The ride begins with an ascent up a 78 foot tall chain lift hill. At the top, the train dips slightly and turns roughly 225 degrees to the right. The train then drops 70 feet into a valley banking right at the bottom as it begins to head into a large banked turn. The cars swing up and around to the left exiting the banked turn parallel to same position during entry. Dropping back into the same valley, the train makes another banked turn to the right followed by a slight turn to the left as the it passes by the observation area located near the exit. The last part of the ride takes riders through a final series of sharp turns, each sending the train swinging quickly from one side to the other. At the ride's farthest point from the initial drop, the track makes its sharpest turn sending the train back toward the loading station. Afterward, the train navigates two more inclining turns before stopping abruptly at the brake run. The sudden brake right out of the last turn causes the cars to swing briefly even after the train has stopped moving forward.

Color scheme

Orange track and grey supports. The ride opened with red track and grey supports, with the track later becoming beige.

Trains

2 trains with 7 cars per train. In each car, riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows, for a total of 28 riders per train.

Images

Top Gun

Flight Deck

The Bat

References

  1. "Rides List". Ride Centerline. Retrieved 2022-04-16.
  2. "Kings Island to add 'Top Gun' coaster". The Cincinnati Enquirer.
  3. "Amusement parks are going Hollywood". Green Bay Press-Gazette.
  4. "The Bat Flies Again at Kings Island". Coaster101.

External links

The category Bat (Kings Island 1993) contains additional media.
  • Bat on the Roller Coaster DataBase.


Articles on Kings Island