Sky Swat
Encyclopedia

The Sky Swat is a thrill ride which is built by S&S Power
S&S Power
S&S Worldwide is a company known for its pneumatically powered amusement rides and roller coaster designing.-History:S&S Worldwide was founded by Stan Checketts as S&S Sports, Inc. S&S Sports manufactures bungee jumping and trampoline equipment. S&S Sports was sold in 1996...

 of Logan, Utah
Logan, Utah
-Layout of the City:Logan's city grid originates from its Main and Center Street block, with Main Street running north and south, and Center east and west. Each block north, east, south, or west of the origin accumulates in additions of 100 , though some streets have non-numeric names...

. It was developed and put onto the market in 2003. Only 2 have ever been built, although one has existed at 2 locations. The first ever installation of a Sky Swat was at Six Flags AstroWorld
Six Flags Astroworld
AstroWorld was a seasonally operated theme park located on approximately of land between Kirby Drive and Fannin Avenue, directly south of Loop 610 in Houston, Texas, USA...

 in Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...

 in 2003. The ride was then known as 'SWAT!'. After Six Flags AstroWorld closed in 2005, the ride was moved to Six Flags New England
Six Flags New England
Six Flags New England , formerly Riverside Amusement Park, is a Six Flags theme park, named for the New England region, in which it is located. Located off of Massachusetts State Route 159, Six Flags New England is located less than from the major City of Springfield, Massachusetts, in the nearby...

 in Agawam
Agawam
- Native Americans :* Agawam of native Americans, eastern Essex County, Massachusetts, during colonial times, or their language- Municipalities :* Agawam, Massachusetts, USA* Agawam, Oklahoma, USA, a ghost town in Grady County- Rivers :...

, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...

 and renamed Catapult. Thorpe Park
Thorpe Park
Thorpe Park is a theme park located in Chertsey, Surrey, England, UK. It was built in 1979 on the site of a gravel pit which was partially flooded, the intention of creating a water based theme for the park. The park's first large roller coaster, Colossus, was added in 2002...

 installed a Sky Swat called Slammer
Slammer (Ride)
Slammer is an S&S Power Sky Swat at Thorpe Park, Chertsey, UK. It is one of only two Sky Swats in the world, alongside Catapult ....

in 2005, and is the most recent installation of the ride.

The ride vehicle is a long arm with 4 rows of 6 seats per row at each end. The restraints consist of a side-lowering lap bar and semi over-the-shoulder restraints, a restraint system also found on the S&S Screamin' Squirrel and Sky Sling rides. The floor is ventilated, allowing air and small objects to escape through it. The center of the arm sits between 2 towers.

When the ride is ready to start, the arm is lifted to the top of the towers, where it then begins to spin. As the arm spins between the two towers, the riders are orbiting either up or down around the center. After a few flips, it reverses and flips in the opposite direction. As of July 2010 these are the only 2 rides of this type which exist in the World.

Although these rides are known for their large capacity, as well as for their unique ride experience, they have also had their share of problems. Most notably, at all its locations, these rides have suffered extended and constant downtime. Along with this, people have complained that the rides have had long lines and that they have not quite lived up to their 'high capacity' rating.

As of 2010 S&S Power no longer have the ride in production.
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