Enterprise

The Enterprise is a type of ride introduced in the 1970s. It has found popularity both as a travelling attraction and a permanent one.

History

The predecessor to the Enterprise ride is the Passat. The first was built by German showman Erich Winter and introduced in 1964.^[1] Unlike more modern Enterprise rides, the spinning structure of the Passat was supported by a fixed curved beam. Production rights were sold to Kaspar Klaus who again sold the design after ending production in 1971.^[2]

Schwarzkopf introduced their Enterprise in 1973. HUSS subsequently introduced their version in 1975.

In 2015, HUSS Park Attractions launched a new version of the Enterprise with open cars. Unlike the traditional Enterprise, this variant uses lap-bar harnesses. The company also relaunched its classic Enterprise ride and introduced a third variant with both open and enclosed cars.^[3]

Description

Riders sit in enclosed cars attached at the top to a disk, such that they can swing freely. The ride starts with the disk spinning, which causes the cars to tilt such that they are at a 90 degree angle to the ground. Riders are held in their seats by centrifugal force. Once at full speed, the disk is tilted upwards such that it is eventually at a 90 degree angle to the ground. At this point, riders follow a circular path similar to a vertical loop on a roller coaster, travelling upside-down with each revolution of the ride.

There are variants that seat riders differently. The Sky Lab from HUSS has longer cars that can seat four riders instead of two. The HUSS Fly Away has riders lying down in a "flying" position. The Endeavour from Zamperla has open cars with over-the-shoulder harnesses.

Similar rides

The Round Up, introduced in 1954, also uses centrifugal force to hold riders in place but it does not tilt to a 90 degree angle. By introducing enclosed cars and changing the seating position, the Enterprise is able fully invert the rider.