Suspended Looping Coaster


The Suspended Looping Coaster is a model of steel inverted roller coaster built by Vekoma. There are at least 39 different installations across the world. The minimum rider height requirement is. Vekoma is now marketing a Suspended Thrill Coaster to replace the Suspended Looping Coaster.

History

The first Suspended Looping Coaster installation was El Condor at Walibi Holland in the Netherlands. It was initially designed to run with ten cars in each train. Trouble with this configuration lead to the trains being shortened to eight cars to a train. T3 at Kentucky Kingdom was the second prototype model Suspended Looping Coaster and the first in the United States. Like El Condor, it was designed to run with ten cars in a train, though T3's trains were shortened to seven cars for similar reasons.
The roller coaster is considered to still be in production as the latest new installation was Queen Cobra at Sun World Danang Wonders in Đà Nẵng, Vietnam which opened in 2017

Ride

Layouts

There are several different layouts of Suspended Looping Coasters although most feature a similar pattern. The ride starts by taking riders up a chain hill. Once at the top, the train goes down a steep, banked turn to the right where it enters the first inversion element - a rollover. A rollover first features an Immelmann loop quickly followed by a Dive Loop Upon exit from this element, the train goes up a hill which features some banking at the top before descending and approaching the ride's next inversion - a sidewinder. A sidewinder is similar to an Immelmann loop however it features a half-loop followed by a half corkscrew. From the exit of this sidewinder, the train goes into a sharp helix before entering the ride's final two inversions - inline twists. These two twists are followed one after the other. A banked curve to the right turns the train back around to face towards the station. At this point some models feature an additional helix to the left while others simply continue straight into the brake run. The standard model also has a relatively compact layout, providing for "footchoppers".
Vekoma have also manufactured two custom Suspended Looping Coasters: Fly - The Great Nor'easter at Morey's Piers and Jubilee Odyssey at Fantasy Island.
NameNumber of installationsFirst installationLast installation
662m Prototype219941995
689m Standard2619952015
765m Extended w/Helix519951999
787m Extended219972007
Shenlin220022006
Shenlin w/Helix220062009
Custom219952002
4119942015

Trains

Many Suspended Looping Coasters operate with two trains consisting of ten cars, though some operate with as few as seven cars. Poorly maintained, poor track layout or most likely non-exact track manufacturing can cause SLCs riders to experience notoriously painful "head banging", whereby the head hits the Over the Shoulder Restraints. They also use very small plastic seats with little or no room for a person to move. Contrary to popular belief, the wheel spacing on the trains adds little to the roughness of these rides. Vekoma is currently manufacturing new trains with convenient hip harnesses. Unlike the first generation of trains, this modification will make the overall ride experience more comfortable. Vekoma also makes vest-like harnesses that allow to rider to sit more comfortably while riding. The only three known places to have these trains are Morey's Piers, Isla Magica in Spain and Six Flags New England in Agawam, MA. In 2012, Lethal Weapon - The Ride at Warner Bros. Movie World reopened as Arkham Asylum - Shock Therapy. The newly opened ride runs with trains manufactured by Kumbak and uses less restrictive harnesses which are similar, but not identical to, the vest-like restraints found on the SLCs at Morey's Piers and Isla Magica.
The Suspended Looping Coaster is similar in design to other inverted roller coasters, however unlike the four-across seating found on Bolliger & Mabillard inverted roller coasters, Vekoma SLC's use two-across seating.

Installations

There are at least 42 different installations across the world which have been located at 48 different theme parks.
NameParkOpenedStatusModelImage
Arkham Asylum – Shock TherapyWarner Bros. Movie World1995Operating765m Extended w/ Helix
Six Flags Mexico2000Operating689m Standard
Blue TornadoGardaland1998Operating765m Extended w/ Helix
Cape CobraRatanga Junction1998Closed 2018765m Extended w/ Helix
CondorWalibi Holland1994Operating662m Prototype
DesafíoParque de la Costa1999Operating689m Standard
Dragon in CloudsHappy Valley Chengdu2009OperatingShenlin w/ Helix
Ednör – L'Attaque
In Storage
Formerly Serial Thriller		La Ronde
Great Escape
Six Flags AstroWorld		2010
2005
1999		Operating
2009
Closed 2005		689m Standard
F2 Fright FlightNasu Highland Park1995Operating689m Standard
FireWhip
Formerly Blackout		Beto Carrero World
Suzuka Circuit		2008
1995		Operating689m Standard
Flight Deck
Formerly Top Gun		Canada's Wonderland1995Operating689m Standard
Morey's Piers1995OperatingCustom
The GauntletMagic Springs and Crystal Falls2004Operating689m Standard
Golden Wings in SnowfieldHappy Valley Beijing2006OperatingShenlin w/ Helix
HurricaneRusutsu Resort1995Operating689m Standard
Infusion
Formerly TraumaTizer		Blackpool Pleasure Beach
Pleasureland Southport		2007
1999		Operating
Closed 2006		689m Standard
JaguarIsla Magica1997Operating765m Extended w/ Helix
Kong
Formerly Hangman		Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
Opryland USA		1998
1995		Operating
Closed 1997		689m Standard
KumaliFlamingo Land2006OperatingShenlin
KumbaSuperland2001Operating689m Standard
LimitHeide Park1999Operating689m Standard
Mayan AdventureFormosan Aboriginal Culture Village1997Operating689m Standard
Mind EraserSix Flags Darien Lake1997Operating689m Standard
Mind EraserElitch Gardens1997Operating689m Standard
Mind EraserSix Flags America1995Operating689m Standard
MP XpressMovie Park Germany2001Operating689m Standard
NioMitsui Greenland1997Operating689m Standard
The OdysseyFantasy Island2002OperatingCustom
Queen CobraSun World Danang Wonders2017Operating689m Standard
RaptorFantasilandia2009Operating689m Standard
Roller CoasterDream Park1999Operating765m Extended w/ Helix
Roller Coaster MayanEnergylandia2015Operating689m Standard
Snow Mountain Flying DragonHappy Valley Shenzhen2002OperatingShenlin
Suspended Looping CoasterSuZhou Amusement Land2003Operating787m Extended
T3
Formerly T2		Kentucky Kingdom1995Operating
Closed 2010; Reopened as T3 in 2015		662m Prototype
The Riddler Revenge
Formerly Mind Eraser		Six Flags New England1997Operating
Renamed 2018		689m Standard
ThunderhawkMichigan's Adventure
Geauga Lake		2008
1998		Operating
Closed 2007		689m Standard
TitánideTerra Mitica2003Operating689m Standard
Twisted Typhoon
Formerly Hangman		Wild Adventures1999Operating689m Standard
:fr:Vampire |VampireWalibi Belgium1999Operating689m Standard
Vortex
Formerly Pusing Lagi		Siam Park City
Jerudong Park Playground		2007
1997		Operating
Closed 2006		787m Extended

Similar roller coasters

In China, several alternate versions of this ride have been built. One of them is Shenzhou Coaster, an inverted roller coaster at Beijing Shijingshan Amusement Park in Beijing, China. The train and track are similar to the Suspended Looping Coaster design by Vekoma, but the ride was instead designed and manufactured by Beijing Shibaolai Amusement Equipment. There have been several problems with other models with the same layout, most notably bad pacing in parts of the ride. For example, the "Hanging Roller Coaster" at Crab Island stalled before its sidewinder element, stranding 12 people for over 3 hours. Other SLC's in China are sometimes manufactured by Hebei Zhongye Metallurgical Equipment Manufacturing Co. Ltd., which are known for being poorer than the Beijing Shibaolai models. HZM has tried to smooth out the transitions but the rides experience has not improved. None of these models can operate during winds in excess of 15 mph.