WORLD’S FIRST FREE FALL TOWER FEATURING A TRUE “SKY DIVING” EXPERIENCE
The SKY JUMP is a highly unusual attraction, which is the first of its kind to offer the guests an unforgettable sky diving experience. The development of this very unique attraction was only possible by using a special magnetic braking system designed by INTAMIN. This patented brake system allowed INTAMIN to create this absolutely unique free fall tower attraction.
After the very successful introduction of the first SKY JUMP at Busch Gardens in Tampa, Florida in 2014 (which features a 102m high tower, a ring-shaped vehicle holding up to 32 passengers and the unique 95° tilting mechanism), Intamin has now developed a less talland lower capacity version, resulting in a very attractive price for this type of unique thrill ride.
The SKY JUMP 16 – 76M features a 76 meters high lattice tower structure and is equipped with two independent vehicles, each holding up to 8 passengers, which are tilting 95° face forward.
The vehicles are located on the opposite side of the tower structure. Each of the two vehicles consists of a special carrying structure, which holds 2 seat units for 4 passengers each and are equipped with the unique 95° tilting mechanism.
The passengers are seated in a moulded seat and are secured by a redundant shoulder restraint system for optimum passengers safety and comfort, which was specially designed for this highly unusual free fall tower attraction.
The two catch cars, which lift the vehicles to the top of the tower, are connected via a steel chain to the drive motor, which is located at the top of the tower. The two ride vehicles are lifted alternately and are guided on the lattice tower corner main tubes. Once the vehicle has reached the top of the tower (and after the tilting and waiting sequence), the vehicle is automatically released from the lifting system and rushes downwards giving the riders an exciting experience of weightlessness.
For the passengers the actual ride experience begins when one of two vehicles is lifted to the top of the tower. On the way up, the passengers – in an upright position like on a “normal” free fall tower and with their feet dangling freely – can enjoy the view before the vehicle comes to a stop at the top of the tower. Then the seat-unit is tilting 95° backwards and the passengers are about to experience a ‘flying’ sensation.
Being with the torso almost parallel to the ground, this is exactly the position sky divers assume once out of the airplane. The vehicle and consequently the passengers will remain in this position for a few seconds, before the vehicle is disconnected from the catch car and the riders are “skydiving” towards the ground. Accelerated by gravity only, the vehicle reaches in a 100% real free fall a speed of approx. 90 km/h.
After the pure free fall in a face-down dive position the vehicle enters the braking section and this is when the seats are automatically moving backwards into upright position and consequently take the passengers back to a vertical position – just in the same way when skydivers open their parachute. The passengers will experience a powerful but at the same time very smooth deceleration of up to 3.5 g’s within the fail safe “Eddy Current Brakes” (magnetic braking system) along the bottom part of the tower.
The pure ride time from “take off” until “landing” is approx. 90 seconds with the highlight of an unforgettable sky diving experience and all the thrills and excitements that come along with it.
ORIGINALITY OR UNIQUENESS OF THE PRODUCT
- There is no doubt of the uniqueness: it is a world’s first free fall ride featuring seats tilting 95°, facing riders straight down while dropping.
- For the first time, a drop ride offers a real sky diving experience
- Two (2) independent vehicles which hold 2 seat units for 4 passengers each
- The elements of surprise are omnipresent: riders cannot estimate when the seats will tilt since they cannot see the top of the tower. They cannot know how long the vehicle will hold them in horizontal position facing the ground before the drop. The ground gets closer and they are wondering when the seats will tilt back again to vertical position
- It offers extreme sensations never experienced before
- The Sky Jump is another milestone in the development of free fall towers
- The freefall time is approximately 5 seconds
- The deceleration and braking is made smooth with the use of Intamin’s patented magnetic brake technology, even though the vehicle reaches a speed of 90 km/h (59 mph) during the drop
ORIGINALITY OR UNIQUENESS OF THE PRODUCT
- There is no doubt of the uniqueness: it is a world’s first free fall ride featuring seats tilting 95°, facing riders straight down while dropping.
- For the first time, a drop ride offers a real sky diving experience
- Ring vehicle of 32 seats arranged in 8 seat units of 4 passengers
- The elements of surprise are omnipresent: riders cannot estimate when the seats will tilt since they cannot see the top of the tower. They cannot know how long the vehicle will hold them in horizontal position facing the ground before the drop. The ground gets closer and they are wondering when the seats will tilt back again to vertical position
- It offers extreme sensations never experienced before
- The Sky Jump is another milestone in the development of free fall towers
- The freefall time is approximately 7 seconds
- The deceleration and braking is made smooth with the use of Intamin’s patented magnetic brake technology, even though the vehicle reaches a speed of 95 km/h (60 mph) during the drop