Condor (ride)


The Condor is the trade name of an amusement ride sold by HUSS of Bremen, Germany. It was debuted at the 1984 New Orleans World's Fair, under the name "Cyclo Tower".
The Condor has 28 steel-framed gondolas, each with a fiberglass shell, frequently painted to resemble a bird. The seats hold one to two people, one sitting behind the other if they decide to ride double. It can accommodate approximately 1,700 riders per hour. The automatic doors on the ride are operated by pneumatic air pressure and are manually opened and closed. The ride uses a cable and counterweight system within the tower to assist with the raising and lowering of the rotating assembly.
An AC induction motor located at the end of each arm rotates the gondolas; three more on the middle lifting structure rotate the entire assembly and move the tower. To start the ride, most Condors require three buttons be hit at the same time to start the cycle.
Operators of the ride have options to operate the ride at different speeds and rotation configurations, with the potential for unique computerized programs on each ride. These unique motions can also be controlled manually. Most Condor installations are park models. An exception is one of the few traveling models left in the world, Blume & Wollenschlaeger's "Ikarus-Der-Mythos". Ikarus was one of the fastest Condors still in operation, and featured different and unique manually operated ride cycles, usually with reverse rotation. Ikarus was taken off the funfair circuit and put into storage in 2007.
The Condor offers a scenic view combined with an exciting ride cycle, making it one of the most distinctive amusement experiences in the industry. In 2007, Huss discontinued manufacturing new installations of the ride. In 2013, Huss re-introduced the Condor as Condor 2-G.
In 2016, the first Condor 2GH opened in Tivoli Gardens, Denmark. Called "Fatamorgana", it features both standard Condor gondolas and a "thrill version." In this variation, riders are seated in a ring, facing away from the center, and are spun around at high speed.

Installations

There are several Huss Condor locations throughout the world, including
NameParkLocationModelOpenedStatus
CondorPleasure Island Family Theme Park United KingdomCondor
HökfärdenLiseberg SwedenCondor1985
CondorBobbejaanland BelgiumCondor1986
CondorPhantasialand GermanyCondor1986
TaifunTykkimäki FinlandCondor1986
CondorMorey's Piers United StatesCondor1988
CondorSix Flags Magic Mountain United StatesCondor1988
CondorSix Flags St. Louis United StatesCondor1988
IkarusGardaland ItalyCondor1989
RotorParque de Atracciones de Madrid SpainCondor1989
Sky HawkMarineland CanadaCondor1989
The CondorGreat Escape United StatesCondor1989
CondorLa Ronde CanadaCondor1990
CondorHeide Park GermanyCondor1990
Flying FalconHersheypark United StatesCondor1990
CondorSix Flags AstroWorld United StatesCondor1991
CondorSix Flags Great America
Six Flags Great Adventure
United StatesCondor1991
1988 to 1990
Bounty TowerHoliday Park GermanyCondor1994
IkarusFreizeit-Land Geiselwind GermanyCondor1994
CondorDream Park EgyptCondor1995
SengaSerengeti Park GermanyCondor1995
The EagleAttractiepark Slagharen NetherlandsCondor1998
IkarusVidámpark HungaryCondor1999
DrachenflugAbenteuer Park Oberhausen GermanyCondor2000
LossepladsenBonBon-Land DenmarkCondor2000
CóndorLa Feria Chapultepec Mágico MexicoCondor2002
DrachenflugBelantis GermanyCondor2004
Le CondorLuna Park Fréjus FranceCondor2007
CondorEuropark Idroscola ItalyCondor2009
Sky TwisterSkyline Park GermanyCondor2009
IkarusFantasilandia ChileCondor2011
CondorMiragica ItalyCondor2012
CondorHappy Valley Beijing ChinaCondor 2G2014
AtlantisWunderland Kalkar GermanyCondor2015
Giant CondorM&D's Scotland's Theme Park United KingdomCondor2015
FatamorganaTivoli Gardens DenmarkCondor 2GH2016
Falcon's FlightWorlds of Fun United StatesCondor2017
CondorSun Tzu Cultural Park ChinaCondor 2G2018

External video

*
*
*