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Best coaster for airtime in the UK?

Matt N

Matt N

TS Member
Favourite Ride
Shambhala (PortAventura Park)
Hi guys. Now I’ve noticed that most enthusiasts who’ve visited the UK rank Nemesis as their favourite roller coaster in the country. However, one key difference between Nemesis and the common favourites in countries abroad is that Nemesis doesn’t have any airtime, instead focusing a lot more on positive g-forces and inversions to generate its thrills over negative g-forces and airtime.

On the whole, while this country has some coasters with very good airtime, airtime-focused coaster design doesn’t seem to have caught on in the UK in the same way as it has abroad. So I’d be intrigued to know; out of the current crop of rollercoasters in Britain, which one do you think does airtime the best?

In terms of a singular moment, I personally think that Speed at Oakwood offers a phenomenal sustained ejector hill, but the rest of the ride lacks airtime. Megafobia’s first drop in the back row of the train is also absolutely phenomenal; huge ejector that lasts the entire way down! Not forgetting Stealth’s top hat, which is also a fantastic sustained ejector moment, in my opinion!

If you’re talking overall, I’m a little more undecided. A few options for me include:
  • Megafobia at Oakwood: The aforementioned first drop is a fantastic moment of airtime in the back row of the train, in my opinion, and there’s also another drop which provides a surprisingly intense pop of ejector (the drop where the on-ride camera is). However, I think the ride’s other hills are mainly weaker, and I think the overall intensity of airtime throughout does seem to be lower than on some other coasters in the country. I’d probably say it’s the most airtime-focused coaster in this country in terms of design, and it definitely has one of the strongest airtime moments in the country, if not the strongest airtime moment in the country (the first drop in the back) however I’m not sure whether the moments it has are quite as consistently strong as on some other UK coasters, personally.
  • Icon at Blackpool Pleasure Beach: Icon has very consistent ejector airtime throughout, in my opinion, with many fantastic moments on offer, including some in very unexpected places; the top hat, the sharp drop into the second launch and the sideways airtime hill towards the end are particularly fantastic moments for me, and all of Icon’s airtime seems to be very consistent in being pretty good ejector! However, if I was to be very picky, I think it lacks sustained airtime, and I’m not sure if it’s really an airtime-focused coaster.
  • Saw: The Ride at Thorpe Park: Despite the fact I don’t particularly enjoy Saw, I admit that it has a few pretty fantastic airtime moments interweaved into its layout. The beyond-vertical drop and the parabolic hill just before the MCBR provide some very good sustained airtime, as does the drop off of the MCBR. However, I do think the OTSRs nullify this airtime to a degree, and again, it’s not really an airtime-focused coaster; I can only count 3 real moments when I break the layout down.
  • Wicker Man at Alton Towers: Despite having previously stated that I felt Wicker Man lacked airtime, my last rides on it in July 2020 featured many fantastic pops of airtime, some of which were relatively strong; one that sticks out to me is the small hill after the unbanked corner, and the drop out of the very first sound tunnel at the beginning is also surprisingly good, as well as the steep drop following the 2nd pass through the Wicker Man structure! However, I don’t think the ride offers a wow-inducing individual moment that compares with some of the moments listed above (e.g. Megafobia’s first drop, for example), and I again feel as though it lacks some more sustained moments.
  • Grand National at Blackpool Pleasure Beach: Despite Grand National being one of my least favourite coasters, I think the layout is a fantastic one, with a fair few pops of fantastic ejector airtime on offer! However, I think it lacks sustained airtime, on the whole.
But what UK coasters do you feel offer the best airtime?
 
Oblivion, back row with a loose restraint for me. That said I think don’t think air time is a strong point for UK coasters.

(just to edit - by that I mean of course there are a handful of coasters with pops of airtime but non that are designed for that like the European/ US parks)

Airtime seems to be the in thing these days doesn’t it, not that I mind as I find it more enjoyable than being flipped upside down over and over.
 
Last edited:
rob666 said:
Dead rodent alert.
Was the Blackpool Mouse.
Last tiny little drop, just ripped the car from under you.
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Beat me to it Rob.

It was probably one of the last remaining coasters that actually offered proper out of the seat air time because there were no lap bars.

Can't think of anything else that comes close.

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Actually not a great deal of true air time machines in this country. Such a shame.
A top B&M hyper sadly missing as well as a more modern Woodie.

Blackpool you'd have to say has the most amount with a few old woodies and Icon. The Big One should give you airtime but it was so badly designed that it offers next to nothing. Magnum which is older and the same model actually still delivers some decent airtime moments.
 
Benjsh said:
Actually not a great deal of true air time machines in this country. Such a shame.
A top B&M hyper sadly missing as well as a more modern Woodie.

Blackpool you'd have to say has the most amount with a few old woodies and Icon. The Big One should give you airtime but it was so badly designed that it offers next to nothing. Magnum which is older and the same model actually still delivers some decent airtime moments.
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The Big One's hills are too stretched out to offer airtime unlike Magnums. You can sometimes get a pop of airtime but unfortunately, airtime is a big gift for us in the UK, so let's hope the next big coasters can offer some crazy airtime! Icon and the woodies do offer airtime but Grand National offers too much roughness to enjoy it these days depending on where you sit.
 
Pleasure Beach Valhalla said:
The Big One's hills are too stretched out to offer airtime unlike Magnums. You can sometimes get a pop of airtime but unfortunately, airtime is a big gift for us in the UK, so let's hope the next big coasters can offer some crazy airtime! Icon and the woodies do offer airtime but Grand National offers too much roughness to enjoy it these days depending on where you sit.
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The Big One was never a real favourite of mine tbh but since going to CP for the first time 2 years ago and riding Magnum it's now dropped even further down the pecking order.

We badly need a B&M hyper or giga in the UK but it just doesn't seem very likely at all. Most parks can't afford one, the best park (Towers) can't due to the tree height restrictions.
 
The only place that I think could feasibly get one is Thorpe Park, unless somewhere else (Towers or Blackpool) gets creative.

All the country’s other parks are bound by either space, planning restrictions or money.
 
I don't think a B&M hyper is needed in the UK for air time. It all seems a waste of resources and space to me having to build such a massive coaster just for air time, as much as I'd love one. You could build an airtime machine out of a much smaller coaster providing you have a well designed layout, the right length of train and the correct velocity.

Something with multiple launches, B&M dive coaster type trains, well designed camel humps and sudden steep declines would do the trick. Built in a shallow pit with near misses on the Air car park please!

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