Ever heard of a flying coaster?

    Over a year ago, rumors started flying about a new roller coaster at Paramount's Great America in Santa Clara, California. Some said it would e a dive machine, a flying coaster, and many other things. Then we started watching this twisted track start to take place. Rumors also suggested that Vekoma and Paramount was together designing a prototype coaster. At the top of the quite normal looking lift, it seemed that the track just twisted upside-down, then, enthusiasts started to get excited. Finally, this past June PGA told us of their plans for the world's first Flying coaster. Project Stealth, as it's called now, will be the first flying coaster in the world where passengers are suspended from the track and face downward for a good part of the ride. While in other sections of the ride, the passengers are on their backs speeding through the 66-foot vertical loop, or the two back-to-back corkscrews. The 155-foot-tall lift hill starts out normal, as passengers are on their backs going up the silent, electro-magnetic, 30° lift, and then twist a full 180° to the flying position.

    After the twist, the 4-across seating trains turn left and drop down, into the horseshoe-element. This new element inverts the riders to 110° then back to the flying position. Project Stealth's 2,766-foot-long course will put the riders through an amazing 8 inversions. Project Stealth is also not what the coaster will be called, some have suggested it being called Mission Impossible, or the Matrix, but we don't know for sure. Even though Project Stealth has been built for months now, it will not open until March of 2000. Why? Testing has been going on for months and months, and will continue to undergo numerous safety tests to ensure rider safety. No one has been allowed to ride it either, usually news reporters are allowed to ride the ride for the press release or a segment on the news, but that's not going to happen. Whenever people are present, there are also guards present. Are they for safety to make sure no one tries to ride? Or are they just part of the new themeing for the ride suggesting the new name for Stealth? Safety or themeing; we hope we'll know soon. Many of the tests are to make sure the 4.3 positive G's and the -2.5 G's the ride pulls will be safe for riders in the flying position and on your back. We do know one thing for sure, this will be some ride! More information on Project Stealth is available here.

Project Stealth logo, and artwork courtesy of Paramount's Great America. All Rights Reserved. This site is in no way affiliated with Paramount, Paramount's parks, or Viacom. Visit the official Paramount's Great America site here.  Review ©1999 Coasters 2000.