place

Firehawk (roller coaster)

Flying roller coastersFormer roller coasters in OhioKings IslandRemoved roller coastersRoller coasters introduced in 2001
Roller coasters introduced in 2007Roller coasters manufactured by VekomaRoller coasters operated by Cedar FairRoller coasters that closed in 2006Roller coasters that closed in 2018Steel roller coastersUse mdy dates from August 2019
Firehawk 5
Firehawk 5

Firehawk was a flying roller coaster located at Kings Island in Mason, Ohio. Manufactured by Vekoma, it originally opened as X-Flight at Six Flags Worlds of Adventure on May 26, 2001, billed as the Midwest's first and only flying roller coaster. Cedar Fair purchased Worlds of Adventure in 2004 and began efforts to downsize the park. X-Flight was relocated to Kings Island following the 2006 season, where it reopened as Firehawk on May 26, 2007. The roller coaster's layout was identical to Batwing, another Vekoma Flying Dutchman model from Vekoma, located at Six Flags America. Firehawk closed permanently on October 28, 2018, and was later demolished. On August 15, 2019, it was announced that Firehawk would be replaced by a new Bolliger & Mabillard coaster named Orion, a giga coaster that opened in 2020.

Excerpt from the Wikipedia article Firehawk (roller coaster) (License: CC BY-SA 3.0, Authors, Images).

Firehawk (roller coaster)
Coney Mall,

Geographical coordinates (GPS) Address Nearby Places
placeShow on map

Wikipedia: Firehawk (roller coaster)Continue reading on Wikipedia

Geographical coordinates (GPS)

Latitude Longitude
N 39.342733333333 ° E -84.262727777778 °
placeShow on map

Address

Area 72

Coney Mall
45034
Ohio, United States
mapOpen on Google Maps

Firehawk 5
Firehawk 5
Share experience

Nearby Places

The Bat (Kings Island; opened 1981)

The Bat was a suspended roller coaster located at Kings Island amusement park in Mason, Ohio. Designed by Arrow Development, it was billed as the "first of its kind" in the world when it opened to the public on April 26, 1981. The suspended coaster concept was a radical departure from traditional roller coaster design, where guests ride below the track instead of above. Previous attempts to build coasters that hang from the track were unsuccessful and date as far back as the early 20th century. Arrow solved issues by utilizing modern technology in the design, including its tubular steel track developed in 1959 for Disneyland's Matterhorn Bobsleds. Arrow constructed a working prototype in 1978 capturing Kings Island's interest, and their engineering department assisted with the development, construction, and maintenance of the ride. The Bat required 18 months of design and two years of manufacturing and assembly. The anticipation leading up to the reveal and opening was intense, as park officials disclosed very little while construction was taking place in view of park guests. Despite a successful launch and reception, the suspended coaster was plagued with mechanical problems and frequent closures over the course of its short lifespan. After a sporadic three seasons, the ride was permanently closed in 1983 and removed from the park. Arrow implemented improved banking and braking design in future installations that were more successful, such as Big Bad Wolf at Busch Gardens Williamsburg, which opened in 1984.

The Beast (roller coaster)
The Beast (roller coaster)

The Beast is a wooden roller coaster located at Kings Island amusement park in Mason, Ohio. Designed and manufactured in-house for approximately $3 million, the ride opened in 1979 as the tallest, fastest, and longest wooden roller coaster in the world. Decades later, it is still the longest, spanning 7,361 feet (2,244 m) across 35 acres (14 ha) of hilly terrain. Two lift hills contribute to the ride's duration of more than four minutes, which also ranks as one of the longest among roller coasters. A refurbishment in 2022 increased the angle of the first drop and lengthened the ride by 2 feet (0.61 m). The Beast was designed over the course of two years without assistance from scientific calculators and computers. Lead engineers Al Collins and Jeff Gramke consulted with well-known coaster architect John C. Allen, who shared design formulas and strategies to assist during development. Issues discovered during early testing delayed plans to build an enclosure over the helix finale until 1980. Ruth Voss, the park's public relations manager who would often overhear construction crews calling it "a beast of a project", is credited with coming up with the ride's name in early 1979. The record-breaking coaster was well-received at a press event preview held on April 13, 1979. Since its opening, The Beast has consistently ranked in the top ten among wooden coasters in the annual Golden Ticket Awards publication from Amusement Today. It has also earned a favorable reputation across the industry, including praise from American Coaster Enthusiasts (ACE), which held one of its first official events at Kings Island in 1979. ACE awarded the ride its Roller Coaster Landmark designation in 2004. After more than 40 years, it also remains one of the most popular rides at Kings Island, having accommodated over 54 million riders.