Attracting roughly two million thrillseekers each year, Phantasialand in Germany is home to a unique record-breaking roller coaster.
The Flying Launch Coaster, often stylised simply as F.L.Y., has been named the Best Rollercoaster in the Park Excellence Awards and holds the record for the world’s longest-flying roller coaster.
During the ride, passengers sit in a prone position – facing the ground with the seating specifically designed to give the impression of soaring through the air.
The total length of the roller coaster track is over 3930ft and the ride can reach top speeds of close to 50mph.
Upon opening, F.L.Y. triumphed over the previous world record-holder The Flying Dinosaur, which is around 3608ft long and located at Universal Studios in Japan.
The track of the roller coaster is so long that the ride can run four trains at any given time, each train consisting of ten cars which can seat a maximum of four passengers each.
Despite its impressive length, the roller coaster is located in a relatively small area of the park, with engineers making use of pits and layers to maximise the ride’s limits without encroaching on other park spaces.
The steampunk-themed Rookburgh area also features a hotel complete with aeronaut cabins, designed to tie in with the ride concept.
Prior to riding, due to the unusual seating position, passengers are required to secure all loose possessions in a two-way locker.
As the ride departs the station, riders are rotated from a seated position into the ‘flying’ position just before the track launches into a series of steep drops and corkscrew loops.
Due to the layout of the roller coaster, part of the ride speeds just below the queue pathways and in and out of darkened indoor stations, giving the illusion of several ‘near misses’.
For those seeking an additional adrenaline rush, and if the sight of the helix loops doesn’t deter them, riders are given the option to queue separately for the front seats of the first car, giving them the prime seat in the record-breaking coaster.
