The first of what S&S hopes will be a successful line of new coasters debuted late June at the Swedish park Skara Sommarland. Tranan (The Crane) is a Free Fly coaster featuring longitudinally spinning cars suspended from the outside of the track.
This patented new coaster concept provides riders with an exhilarating feeling of flight as they glide through the ride in open seating. Air suspension creates an exceptionally smooth ride as passengers rotate around the track’s centreline in a clockwise or anticlockwise direction.
Coaster enthusiasts are already raving about the experience which features the same world-class engineering that brought the industry both the world’s fastest coaster and the magnificent X2.
“Skara Sommarland was looking to add a new and different family coaster, and we were pleased to offer them our new Free Fly product,” says Kevin Rohwer, vice-president of sales and marketing for S&S Worldwide, “we have created a coaster that is as exciting to ride as it is to watch.”
Tranan has a track length of 370-metres (1,215ft) and a lift height of just over 18-metres (60ft). Reaching a top speed of 40mph, it delivers a maximum G-force of +3.2. The complete ride cycle lasts 64 seconds. The coaster’s four eight-seater spinning vehicles can accommodate a theoretical 960 passengers per hour. Friction brakes and monitored seat belt restraints provide added safety.
“This new coaster offers great capacity, a smooth family riding experience, the unique excitement of longitudinally spinning vehicles and the ability to be themed to any amusement park’s needs,” concludes Rohwer. “We have enjoyed working with Skara Sommarland, and we have appreciated their willingness to be the first to install this new and radical coaster concept.”
Located near the town of Axvall in the Skara Municipality, Skara Sommarland is operated by Parks & Resorts Scandinavia. A full report on Tranan will feature in a future edition of Park World.
