| Skytrak | |
|---|---|
| Skytrak in operation | |
| Granada Studios Tour | |
| Location | Granada Studios Tour |
| Coordinates | 53°28′41″N2°15′26″W / 53.478128°N 2.257115°W |
| Status | Removed |
| Opening date | October 1997 |
| Closing date | 1998 |
| General statistics | |
| Type | Steel – Flying |
| Manufacturer | Skytrak International |
| Height | 50 ft (15 m) |
| Length | 1,282 ft (391 m) |
| Speed | 28 mph (45 km/h) |
| Capacity | 240 riders per hour |
| G-force | 2.5 |
| Height restriction | 55 in (140 cm) |
| Skytrak at RCDB | |
Skytrak was a flying roller coaster located at Granada Studios Tour amusement park in Castlefield, Manchester, England. Opened in October 1997, it was the first flying roller coaster in the world, [1] in which riders were tilted forward to experience the sensation of flying. It was named after an event from the Gladiators television series, [2] and was the only roller coaster constructed by Skytrak International, a subsidiary of Fairport Engineering. [3]
The ride was a "solo coaster" having only one person per car, which along with a complicated boarding process limited capacity to between 200 and 240 riders per hour. [2] [4] Issues with the ride delayed its opening by several months, and it continued to suffer reliability issues. [2] It closed in 1998, with the park closing soon after. The ride was eventually removed and scrapped. [4]