You’re sitting in the jet black and cherry red seats of the newest addition to Six Flags, X Flight. Eyes closed, feet dangling 120 feet above the air, and knuckles white with anticipation, you anxiously wait for that thrilling moment when the train jerks forward. Finally, the ride picks up speed, and so begins your journey of flying through 3,000 feet of twisted steel at 55 miles per hour.
Wind blowing through your hair, you look up in panic, thinking that you’re about to crash into the manufacturing less than a few feet away from you. Suddenly, you’re jerked into a vertical flip, completely dodging the collision and just barely making it through a keyhole cut out. The fun doesn’t end there. For the rest of the three minutes, get ready to undergo five inversions; including a zero-g roll, in-line roll, and a barrel roll.
Sound familiar, Niles West? Probably not, considering Six Flags Great America’s newest roller coaster, X Flight, is only the fourth coaster in the world to offer that kind of experience.
According to Six Flags Great America’s public relations supervisor Brandon Bruce, X Flight is nothing like riders have seen before.
“The trains look like airplanes, and the structure allows people to swing toward structures. [This ride] is more about the feeling of danger,” Bruce said.
With the X – Flight being the first big thrill addition to Six Flags since SUPERMAN: Ultimate Flight in 2003, students are already anticipating the ride’s debut.
“If they’re saying that [the ride is] like nothing that you’ve ever experienced, I’d be expecting an adrenaline rush and I’d want to be scared. That’s kind of the point of a roller coaster,” says senior Vicky Georgevich.
According to Bruce, Georgevich won’t be disappointed.
“Safety is always number one, and you’ll never be in danger, but on this ride, you’ll think that you are,” said Bruce.
Loading ...Unlike SUPERMAN: Ultimate Ride and BATMAN: The Ride, X Flight, although designed by the same company, is not themed after a character. According to Bruce, X Flight follows a militaresque theme, giving riders a top-secret experience.
As for the effect of the ride, Bruce claims that it should feel similar to riding on the wings of an airplane–an experience that is probably not common to most people.
Bolliger & Mabillard, the Swiss manufacturer of the roller coasters who also designed Raging Bull, is credited for designing the roller coaster, but it is the workers in Gurnee who assemble it.
Katy Enrique, the supervisor of advertising, said Bolliger & Mabillard are always coming up with unique, innovative rides that are hard to find at just any amusement park.
According to Bruce, once the amusement park gets designed, it is the workers’ job to lay the groundwork that includes all the concrete that support the coaster. Once the groundwork is complete, the track, which is build in segments, is assembled like a puzzle, a process which usually takes a bit longer than six months.
Those who have been working hard to oversee the construction of the ride are anticipating the people’s responses.
“We have expectations similar to Batman and Superman. We’re hoping for at least seven coasters that all deliver at least one million rides, and the X – Factor should be one of them,” said operations supervisor Eddie Katich.
Check out Six Flags Great America’s Facebook and Twitter pages for special promotions, sweepstakes, and contests. The Park opens on May 5 to the public. Six Flags Great America is located at 1 Great America Parkway Gurnee, IL 60031.
To win a free admissions pass to Six Flags, simply leave a comment.
- What’s your favorite ride?
- What would you do to skip the lines at Six Flags for free?
- How long would you be willing to wait in line to ride X Flight this summer?
Comment as much as you would like, but you will only get an entry for your first.
One winner will be selected via random.org. The winners will be contacted via email and will be announced on morning announcements.
This contest ends April 5 at 8 AM, so act quick!
Ivana Kosir contributed to this article.
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Student • Apr 6, 2012 at 10:46 PM
I love roller coasters almost as much as I love banana bread.
Maybe even more.
Student • Apr 6, 2012 at 10:45 PM
Boy, do I love roller coasters.
brianna weiss • Apr 4, 2012 at 9:58 AM
i love it its is so much fun
Basia • Apr 3, 2012 at 6:48 PM
My favorite ride at Six Flags is Batman. I rode it like 5 times in a row when I went last time. You could probably get me to do a lot to skip the lines. I hate waiting that long for a short ride. That’s why I like going on rainy days. Then there aren’t as many people there. I’ll probably wait a maximum of 1.5 hours to ride X Flight because I really want to see what it’s like.
Haley • Apr 3, 2012 at 5:50 PM
It sounds great! If it turns out to be as good as they say it will be, I would be willing to wait as long as I have to in order to ride X Flight.
Tricia Gotcha • Apr 3, 2012 at 3:21 PM
My favorite ride would be Raging Bull for sure. We’ll see if X Flight will be better though =) cannot wait! I would do ANYTHING to skip the long lines. I probably would crawl around people to skip the long lines. I’m not sure if that would work though…. I’d get a fast pass but I’d wait as long as possible for X Flight; it looks worth it.
Armeen • Mar 26, 2012 at 12:09 PM
My favorite ride at Six Flags would have to be Raging Bull. The ginormous drop during the ride is priceless. I would do just about anything to skip the lines at Six Flags for free. Those lines definitely test my patience. I would be willing to wait about 1-2 hours to ride the X Flight. It seems insanely thrilling and I can’t wait for it to be completed next year!
Karan Syal • Mar 25, 2012 at 8:13 PM
I am exited to ride this new ride(x flight)
Czarina • Mar 25, 2012 at 10:41 AM
I absolutely love Superman..best ride ever! I would go on a mission just so I could try to sneak into the front lines! I could wait all day to just to ride the X flight.. BUT there’s a company that my uncle works for that opens the park for their company before the public so you don’t have to wait in line!!
Andy • Mar 25, 2012 at 10:12 AM
Superman is my favorite ride. I would go there on a weekday to avoid some of the long lines. I would wait in line a few hours for X Flight — seems really cool.
Lesley • Mar 23, 2012 at 3:09 PM
Good video Michelle!! I am so going to go to this ride!! Thank you for the information 🙂
stephanie • Mar 23, 2012 at 11:21 AM
That looks so scary, but fun 😀
Hannah • Mar 23, 2012 at 10:42 AM
My favorite ride is the Raging Bull and Vertical Velocity, if I could skip all the lines I would go on all of them several times, and I wouldn’t want to wait over an hour.
Daniel • Mar 22, 2012 at 9:45 PM
Looking at this makes me miss Deja jvu
Veton • Mar 22, 2012 at 12:40 AM
Looks like a mixture of Batman and Superman.
Should have made it higher, longer and faster since it’s supposed to feel like you’re “riding on the wings of an airplane.”
Geneva • Mar 21, 2012 at 9:59 PM
Batman and Superman are both my favorite roller coasters 😀 , but the x flight sounds awesome enough to wait all day for, and I would do almost anything to skip the lines because they take forever.
Talha Ahmed • Mar 21, 2012 at 7:51 PM
I would wait hours in line if I had to do get on this roller coaster. It’s definitely going to be cooler than the Superman or Raging Bull! Can’t wait for Summer!
Kru • Mar 21, 2012 at 3:02 PM
Very well written article and good informative video. I will definitely check this ride out this summer.
sana attia • Mar 21, 2012 at 10:45 AM
wow thats cool i want to be in six fags
Dana Kanwischer • Mar 21, 2012 at 10:44 AM
I can’t wait for the ride but I couldn’t get the sound right on your story, Michelle.
Mrs. K
John • Mar 21, 2012 at 10:34 AM
I love the superman! my first rollercoaster lol. I would probably do much of anything to skip the lines to the rides. Way too long. But if it was for the new coaster i would go hours just to ride it!