Flying Dutchman (product)

Flying Dutchman

Nighthawk at Carowinds
Status	Discontinued
Statistics
Manufacturer	Vekoma, Netherlands
Type	Steel - Flying

Batwing at Six Flags America

The Flying Dutchman is a series of steel flying roller coasters produced by Vekoma. It was the first flying roller coaster to offer inversions and the first to feature trains capable of seating multiple people.

On July 18, 2009, Stingray opened at Giant Wheel Park of Suzhou. It was a new compact flying roller coaster built by Vekoma that varied greatly from the Flying Dutchman. Stingray closed September 10, 2018.

Vekoma opened their new launched flying roller coaster concept, F.L.Y., at Phantasialand on September 17, 2020. It differs vastly from the Flying Dutchman.

Of the three Flying Dutchmen built, only Batwing operates at its original location.

Design

Both the 840 metre prototype and the 1,018 metre one feature the same elements, except for the final two inversions and the fly to lie element: the prototype model featured the fly to lie before the double corkscrew, whereas the 1,018 metre one has a double in-line twist before a 540° helix, and then the fly to lie element.

Installations

Name	Amusement park	Location	Model	Opened	Status
Batwing	Six Flags America	Upper Marlboro, Maryland, USA	1018m	June 16, 2001	Operating
Firehawk Formerly X-Flight	Kings Island Geauga Lake	Mason, Ohio, USA Aurora, Ohio, USA	1018m	May 26, 2007 May 26, 2001	Closed October 28, 2018 Closed 2006
Nighthawk Formerly Stealth and BORG Assimilator	Carowinds California's Great America	Charlotte, North Carolina, USA Santa Clara, California, USA	843m Prototype	March 20, 2004 April 1, 2000	Operating Closed September 2, 2003