Tatsu
Encyclopedia
Tatsu, meaning "dragon
" in Japanese
(Kanji: 竜) is a steel
flying roller coaster
operating at Six Flags Magic Mountain
in Valencia, California
. It opened May 13, 2006. The ride was promoted with a Japanese mythology
theme. Tatsu is the only flying coaster to have a Zero-G Roll. It is also the world's tallest and fastest flying coaster.
Built by the Swiss roller coaster company Bolliger & Mabillard
, seating is designed to simulate flight. After the riders are harnessed, the seat is rotated 90° from the upright to a face-down position. The face-down position is kept for the duration of the ride. The 3,602-foot track passes over four areas of the park and features an elevation change of 263 feet (80.2 m). The ride has a maximum speed of 62 mph and broke records with a 124 feet (37.8 m)
pretzel loop.
Tatsu is a four-minute ride (three minute "in flight") and accommodates an average of 1800 riders per hour. Two trains can be loaded with passengers at the same time. A switch track exists on both sides of the station's exit. The station's floor has a unique design that eliminates the need for a movable floor, which was used on B&M's previous flying coasters. The floor under each car is recessed to allow the seats to flip into flying position with plenty of clearance for the riders' feet, while the floor between the cars are the same height as the rest of the station to allow riders to board easily. B&M's previous flying coasters would include a retractable floor that would drop down prior to the seats being raised into the flying position, to give clearance for the cars and the rider's feet, as part of the dispatch procedure. Ride elements include: a 103' tall corkscrew, a 96' tall Zero-G Roll, an 80' tall Horseshoe, a 124' tall Pretzel Loop, and a 77' tall In-Line Twist.
Dragon
A dragon is a legendary creature, typically with serpentine or reptilian traits, that feature in the myths of many cultures. There are two distinct cultural traditions of dragons: the European dragon, derived from European folk traditions and ultimately related to Greek and Middle Eastern...
" in Japanese
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
(Kanji: 竜) is a steel
Steel roller coaster
A steel roller coaster is a roller coaster that is defined by having a track made of steel. Steel coasters have earned immense popularity in the past 50 years throughout the world...
flying roller coaster
Flying roller coaster
A flying roller coaster is a variation of roller coaster meant to simulate the sensations of flight by harnessing riders in a prone position during the duration of the ride. The roller coaster cars are suspended below the track, with riders secured such that their backs are parallel to the track...
operating at Six Flags Magic Mountain
Six Flags Magic Mountain
Six Flags Magic Mountain is a theme park located in Valencia, California north of Los Angeles. It opened on Memorial Day weekend on May 30, 1971 as Magic Mountain, by the Newhall Land and Farming Company. In 1979, Six Flags purchased the park and added the name Six Flags to the park's title. In...
in Valencia, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. It opened May 13, 2006. The ride was promoted with a Japanese mythology
Japanese mythology
Japanese mythology is a system of beliefs that embraces Shinto and Buddhist traditions as well as agriculturally based folk religion. The Shinto pantheon comprises innumerable kami...
theme. Tatsu is the only flying coaster to have a Zero-G Roll. It is also the world's tallest and fastest flying coaster.
Overview
Bolliger & Mabillard
Bolliger & Mabillard Consulting Engineers is a roller coaster design consultancy based in Monthey, Switzerland. The company was founded in 1988 by Walter Bolliger and Claude Mabillard, with Bolliger acting as president and Mabillard as vice-president...
, seating is designed to simulate flight. After the riders are harnessed, the seat is rotated 90° from the upright to a face-down position. The face-down position is kept for the duration of the ride. The 3,602-foot track passes over four areas of the park and features an elevation change of 263 feet (80.2 m). The ride has a maximum speed of 62 mph and broke records with a 124 feet (37.8 m)
pretzel loop.
- The show Who Wants To Be A Superhero makes use of Tatsu for season two's third episode.
- The MTV series Parental Control featured footage of two contestants riding Tatsu.
- Discovery Channel program Mega Builders dedicated an episode to the construction of Tatsu.