VIDEO: Reality-Defying 'Launched Wing Roller Coaster' Opening In Indiana
The latest roller coaster in Indiana doesn't literally defy reality, but it sure looks like it does.
A wing roller coaster has seats on either side of a track with nothing above or below the riders, creating a sensation of flying through the air. A launched roller coaster uses motors to propel riders forward, instead of only using large drops and the magic of gravity.
Holiday World & Splashin' Safari in Santa Claus, Indiana -- a place that totally, really exists -- has become the first theme park in the U.S. to create a launched wing roller coaster.
Dubbed the "Thunderbird," this exciting piece of ingenuity opens April 25th. It's the theme park's first steel roller coaster, and it's an ambitious one at that.
According to Holiday World & Splashin' Safari, the Thunderbird features a zero-to-60 miles-per-hour launch in 3.5 seconds, followed by multiple inversions – including a 14-story Immelmann loop, Zero-g roll, barrel roll, and a loop soaring 125 feet in the air. The ride lasts one-minute, 18-seconds.
See it in action below.
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