Thrust Air 2000

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Wikipedia

Thrust Air 2000
Dodonpa at Fuji-Q Highland
StatusDiscontinued
First manufactured1999
No. of installations2
ManufacturerS&S Worldwide
Restraint StyleOver-the-shoulder, Lap-bar

A Thrust Air 2000 (commonly known as a thrust air coaster) was a model of launched roller coaster made by S&S Worldwide that used refrigerated, compressed air to shoot a rubber-wheeled car down a steel track. A prototype model was created at the manufacturer's factory in 1999, then sold to Kings Dominion as Hypersonic XLC, which opened in 2001. Do-Dodonpa, located at Fuji-Q Highland, was the only production model in existence, opening in 2001 as well. It was once the fastest roller coaster in the world and held the record of the world's fastest acceleration on a roller coaster throughout its existence. Both models have since closed, and were originally fabricated by Intermountain Lift, Inc.[1]

Prototype

The prototype Thrust Air 2000 was made in 1999 at the S&S Power plant in Utah. That prototype was bought by Paramount directly from the plant and then built at Kings Dominion.

List of Thrust Air 2000 Coasters

NameHeightSpeedPark, LocationYear opened Status
HyperSonic XLC165 ft (50 m)80 mph (130 km/h)Kings Dominion, Virginia2001-2007 Removed[2]
Do-Dodonpa161 ft (49 m)110 mph (180 km/h)Fuji-Q Highland, Japan2001-2021 Removed[3]

Stats

  • Height: 165 ft (50 m).
  • Climb: 90 degrees
  • Drop: 90 degrees
  • Acceleration: 0-80 mph (0-128.7 km/h) in 1.8 sec
  • Top Speed: about 80 mph (130 km/h)
  • Launch System: Ingersoll-Rand screw type compressor
  • Track layout: Out-and-back roller coaster
  • Track type: I-beam


References

  1. ↑ "Amusement". Intermountain Lift, Inc. July 30, 2011. Archived from the original on November 8, 2014. Retrieved September 5, 2014.
  2. ↑ Marden, Duane. "HyperSonic XLC (Kings Dominion)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
  3. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Do-Dodonpa (Fuji-Q Highland)". Roller Coaster DataBase.