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Floater airtime or ejector airtime?

Do you prefer floater airtime or ejector airtime?


  • Total voters
    42

Matt N

CF Legend
Now, since I first made this thread in June 2018, I've ridden quite a number of new coasters (well, 14). And to tell you the truth, I'm now a little undecided as to whether I prefer floater or ejector. To me, both forms are amazing; the sustained floater on rides like Mako is amazing, but I've also experienced great ejector on rides like Icon and Megafobia over the years. I still think I slightly prefer sustained floater airtime, but I'm not even sure if I'd call Mako's airtime floater based on how strong I remember it being. It was certainly stronger than anything else I've experienced, as well as more sustained, but I was always told that it was floater airtime.
 

Matt N

CF Legend
Let's not embellish how good it was shall we? It was flojector at MOST, but mainly just simple floater.
That would imply that I probably haven't experienced proper ejector, then, as Mako certainly felt stronger than any other airtime I've experienced!
 

Snoo

The Legend
That would imply that I probably haven't experienced proper ejector, then, as Mako certainly felt stronger than any other airtime I've experienced!

We have to properly murder your legs soon then! Probably have to get away from the UK and Florida then.. at least until the RMC is built for Gwazi. ;)
 

Matt N

CF Legend
We have to properly murder your legs soon then! Probably have to get away from the UK and Florida then.. at least until the RMC is built for Gwazi. ;)
Has Mine Blower got what you'd call "proper ejector" @Snoo? Because there's a small chance I may be able to ride that in April when we return to Florida; my parents told me to remind them about it when we get to Florida!

To be fair, I wouldn't say I haven't experienced ejector; I'd say that rides like The Smiler, Speed, Saw, Megafobia and Icon have ejector (and possibly Mako if sustained airtime counts as ejector). It's just that no one seems to rave about the ejector of those rides like I do.
 

Snoo

The Legend
Has Mine Blower got what you'd call "proper ejector" @Snoo? Because there's a small chance I may be able to ride that in April when we return to Florida; my parents told me to remind them about it when we get to Florida!

To be fair, I wouldn't say I haven't experienced ejector; I'd say that rides like The Smiler, Speed, Saw, Megafobia and Icon have ejector (and possibly Mako if sustained airtime counts as ejector). It's just that no one seems to rave about the ejector of those rides like I do.

Mine Blower? Yes to a point. It's not the focus but definitely has strong throw you around airtime.. especially a little hill mid ride that just makes you orgasm intensely. :p
 

Benenen

Hyper Poster
Has Mine Blower got what you'd call "proper ejector" @Snoo? Because there's a small chance I may be able to ride that in April when we return to Florida; my parents told me to remind them about it when we get to Florida!

To be fair, I wouldn't say I haven't experienced ejector; I'd say that rides like The Smiler, Speed, Saw, Megafobia and Icon have ejector (and possibly Mako if sustained airtime counts as ejector). It's just that no one seems to rave about the ejector of those rides like I do.
I haven't done Mako yet but out of those coasters Speed has the most airtime. It's very overlooked as it's in the far end of Wales but the speed you hit the camelback is insane. Every time I rode I got a strong yank of ejector as I crested which was sustained all the way down. It's a shame the Gerst harnesses push so tight into your legs which spoils the fun.

I think in general I prefer floater but I haven't been on a lot of the more renowned Intamin airtime machines. Rides like Balder I find a bit underwhelming because while I get that the negative forces are high in magnitude you only get to experience it for a short tickle at a time. I didn't get much from that ride that I don't get driving over a humped bridge in third gear.

The most intense moment of airtime for me subjectively is the backwards spike on Capitol Bullet Train which I presume is pure 0G floater. I wasn't stapled so found my bum rising from the seat at the top and then my body was pulled down the spike fully against the restraint. Time slowed down and the sensation went on forever. Having that lovely roomy Mack Mega restraint and a view face down to the ground made it feel all the more intense. Weirdly the next day I felt no airtime at all on the even taller reverse spike at Ferrari World so I have no idea how Mack managed to do what they did.
 

Matt N

CF Legend
I haven't done Mako yet but out of those coasters Speed has the most airtime. It's very overlooked as it's in the far end of Wales but the speed you hit the camelback is insane. Every time I rode I got a strong yank of ejector as I crested which was sustained all the way down. It's a shame the Gerst harnesses push so tight into your legs which spoils the fun.

I think in general I prefer floater but I haven't been on a lot of the more renowned Intamin airtime machines. Rides like Balder I find a bit underwhelming because while I get that the negative forces are high in magnitude you only get to experience it for a short tickle at a time. I didn't get much from that ride that I don't get driving over a humped bridge in third gear.

The most intense moment of airtime for me subjectively is the backwards spike on Capitol Bullet Train which I presume is pure 0G floater. I wasn't stapled so found my bum rising from the seat at the top and then my body was pulled down the spike fully against the restraint. Time slowed down and the sensation went on forever. Having that lovely roomy Mack Mega restraint and a view face down to the ground made it feel all the more intense. Weirdly the next day I felt no airtime at all on the even taller reverse spike at Ferrari World so I have no idea how Mack managed to do what they did.
Ah yes! Speed's airtime hill is a particularly great moment; definitely one of the highlights of what I feel is a very underrated ride!

Like you, I don't think I've really experienced any coasters that are really aimed towards ejector airtime, but out of what I've experienced, I too prefer sustained airtime. Out of everything I've done, nothing compares with the sheer awesomeness of being yanked out of your seat for 4 or 5 seconds at a time like you are on Mako and other rides with sustained airtime, in my opinion! The great thing about Mako is that it combines the awesomeness of sustained airtime with great strength, meaning that you are yanked out of your seat for what feels like forever! I'm not sure whether you've ridden any B&M hypers, but I'd imagine that something like Shambhala would feel quite similar! Out of what I've experienced, I'd certainly say that Mako's airtime felt as though it had both the best strength and length of airtime!

Abrupt airtime can be very good if it's reasonably strong and taken at a reasonable speed, but I think I personally prefer sustained airtime.
 

DelPiero

Strata Poster
Has Mine Blower got what you'd call "proper ejector" @Snoo? Because there's a small chance I may be able to ride that in April when we return to Florida; my parents told me to remind them about it when we get to Florida!

To be fair, I wouldn't say I haven't experienced ejector; I'd say that rides like The Smiler, Speed, Saw, Megafobia and Icon have ejector (and possibly Mako if sustained airtime counts as ejector). It's just that no one seems to rave about the ejector of those rides like I do.
Speed's airtime hill has the most ejector of those listed imo, though I'm yet to ride Icon. Saw's hill is flojector at the most and Smiler/Megafobia are barely floater.
Once you experience real ejector you'll know about it, that first time you grab for the restraint because you feel like you're gonna fly out of the train is quite the experience.
 

Matt N

CF Legend
Speed's airtime hill has the most ejector of those listed imo, though I'm yet to ride Icon. Saw's hill is flojector at the most and Smiler/Megafobia are barely floater.
Once you experience real ejector you'll know about it, that first time you grab for the restraint because you feel like you're gonna fly out of the train is quite the experience.
I did that on Mako... I don't know if you've ridden Mako or not. But I get what you mean!

Out of interest, what strength of airtime qualifies as ejector? Because I'd say that Mako felt like the strongest airtime I've ever experienced, and that apparently had a maximum airtime strength of -1G on the speed hill, with the rest of the ride's larger hills varying between -0.5G and -0.7G. The strange thing is that I've heard some people dismiss Mako's airtime as very weak floater, whereas I've heard others call it true ejector.

Another strange thing is that I didn't think Speed's airtime hill felt quite as strong as any of the airtime on Mako, but apparently it has an airtime strength of -1.3G; technically stronger than any hill on Mako. Might that have been down to the restraints?
 
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Hutch

Strata Poster
I vaguely remember someone making a nice chart using forces and how long airtime lasts to classify floater and ejector. I can't remember if it was @furie or not, though I wouldn't be surprised if it was him!
 

furie

SBOPD
Staff member
Administrator
Moderator
I was going to do one, but Hixee trumped me with some serious shizzle not even my yellow could compete with!

Sent from my H8416 using Tapatalk
 

Hixee

Flojector
Staff member
Administrator
Moderator
Social Media Team
I was going to do one, but Hixee trumped me with some serious shizzle not even my yellow could compete with!
Maybe not compete with (the Inversion Chart will always be the best), but certainly inspired by. I even did it in yellow as a homage.

nDW1qGW.jpg
 
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