Blue Hawk

Roller coaster in the United States
Watch the on-ride POV
Blue Hawk
Six Flags Over Georgia
Location Austell, Georgia, USA
Coordinates 33°45′57″N 84°33′02″W / 33.765807°N 84.550624°W / 33.765807; -84.550624
Park section Lickskillet
Status Operating since March 1, 1992
Rider height 48 inch minimum
Conko's Party Pier
Name Kamikaze
Location Wildwood, New Jersey, USA
Coordinates 38°59′18″N 74°48′11″W / 38.988309°N 74.803080°W / 38.988309; -74.803080
Operated 1989 to 1991
Replaced Jungleland and Pirate Ship "Skua"
Statistics
Manufacturer Vekoma
Product Custom MK-1200
Type Steel
Hourly capacity 1,300
Propulsion Chain lift hill
Height 122 feet
Drop 109 feet
Top speed 52 mph
Length 2742 feet
Inversions 5
Drop angle 48°
Duration 1:20
G-Force 4
Rolling stock
Manufacturer Arrow Dynamics (1989-2015)
Vekoma (2016-Present)
Riders per train 28
HELP

Blue Hawk, formerly Ninja, is a steel roller coaster located at Six Flags Over Georgia in Austell, Georgia, USA. The ride was built by Vekoma and debuted as Kamikaze in 1989 at Conko's Party Pier.

History

The ride debuted as Kamikaze at Conko's Party Pier in Wildwood, New Jersey, in 1989. It only operated for three seasons before being relocated to Six Flags Over Georgia in 1991.[1] It reopened there as Ninja on March 1, 1992. Blue Hawk operates on the spot formerly occupied by Z-Force, an Intamin Space Diver which operated from 1988 until its relocation to Six Flags Magic Mountain under the name of Flashback for the 1992 season.[2]

Due to a broken chain in the lift hill, Ninja did not open for the 2013 season until early in May.

In 2016, the park announced that Ninja would be refurbished, with the addition of smoother track, new trains with softer vest restraints as opposed to the previous over-the-shoulder harnesses, and a new blue and black paint job.[3] They also announced that the public could decide on a new name. On May 17, 2016, Six Flags Over Georgia announced that Ninja would be renamed to Blue Hawk.[4] The ride reopened on June 9, 2016.[5]

Design

Elements

Blue Hawk has a compact layout that features five inversions, one of only two butterfly elements in the world, and several headchoppers. It is built partially over a lake. While at Conko's Party Pier, the ride was painted entirely white with blue trains. When it was relocated to Six Flags Over Georgia, the track was repainted red. The supports were repainted black in 2006. For the 2016 refurbishment, the ride's track was repainted blue.

Color scheme

Blue track and black supports, used to be red track and black supports, with white supports before that. The ride had white track and supports at Conko's Party Pier.

Layout

Moving drectly out of the station, the train takes a 90-degree turn to the right, drops slightly then takes another right-turn. After cresting the 122 foot tall lift hill, the train dives down to the right and enters the first major element: the butterfly, consisting of two inversions. Exiting the butterfly, the train enters a wide-radius 270-degree curve to the left, setting up the third inversion, a reverse sidewinder.

The train then climbs a gentle slope before making a U-turn to the left and entering the final element, a double corkscrew. After completing the final inversion, the train banks to the left and passes very close to the station and under the reverse sidewinder, then turns right prior to entering the main brake run. The train exits the brakes and makes a final U-turn to the right to set up the return to the station.

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. The current trains are built by Vekoma, but the ride originally featured trains built by Arrow Dynamics. These trains where replaced with the current ones in 2016.

Images

References

  1. "Kamikaze - Dinosaur Beach (Wildwood, New Jersey, United States)". RCDB.
  2. "Magic Mountain Plans to Add $4-Million Ride". Los Angeles Times.
  3. "Six Flags guests rename roller coaster 'Blue Hawk' (SLIDESHOW)".
  4. "Six Flags Announces Guests' Choice for New Name of Roller Coaster".
  5. "Smoother and Sleeker 122-Foot Blue Hawk Roller Coaster Debuts at Six Flags Over Georgia".

External links


Articles on Six Flags Over Georgia