Launch Types

[dropthefloor93]

Whats Your favorite launch type?

Hydraulic?
Flywheel?
LIM/LSM?
Air Powered?
Tire Drive?
Counterweight?
Electric Ram? (Space Mountain Mission 2)

personally id say LIM/LSM.

Hydraulic is wayy to smooth and i love the sudden force of a LIM/LSM launch. if it knocks the wind out of you its good.

 

[Jer]

LIM for sure, no other launch feel quite as powerful as a LIM launch, even the 40mph one on Revenge of The Mummy was powerful.

 

[stuartredman1]

Well I have only ridden 2 launch coasters one being hydraulic (KK) the other being LIM (JJ SFA) and I liked the LIM mostly because it doesn't slowly accelerate to maximum force like KK it just goes.

 

[rollermonkey]

Air Powered is by far the most forceful type.

 

[Naemuti]

I guess it's not entirely fair for me to vote because I have only been on LIMs, hydraulic launches, and tire driven launches, but I personally prefer hydraulic. I don't understand what people are on about hydraulic launches not having force. I'm yanked out of my seat in a split second on Kingda Ka and Storm Runner. Not that LIM launches are BAD, I love them too, but I don't really see the disparity in intensity and acceleration.

 

[Hyde]

Hydraulic hands down. No other launch provides the same amount of power.

 

[LiveForTheLaunch]

Hydraulic, for sure. LIMs can actually be pretty good too, but they just don't have the power and acceleration that hydraulic launches seem to have.

 

[CreditCrazy]

LIMs are fun, and I love the jankiness of a Flywheel Launch.

But Xcelerator's Hydraulic Launch just eliminates everything...

 

[dropthefloor93]

Hydraulic, for sure. LIMs can actually be pretty good too, but they just don't have the power and acceleration that hydraulic launches seem to have.

Hydraulic launches tend to be smoother and more crushing. LIMs are more like getting smashed in the face with a deadweight, even though they tend to get half the speeds as Hydros. But those Hydros get INSANE amounts of downtime. Most LIMs dont get nearly as much, with the exception of the Chiller.

 

[CMonster]

I've only been on LIM, LSM, and tire drives.

I'd say LIM.

 

[Ian]

I can honestly say that if I was blindfolded and put on each different launch type that I wouldn't notice a difference.

If I think about the launch coasters I've been on, the ones I seem to enjoy the most are hydraulic ones.

 

[Hyde]

Hydraulic, for sure. LIMs can actually be pretty good too, but they just don't have the power and acceleration that hydraulic launches seem to have.

Hydraulic launches tend to be smoother and more crushing. LIMs are more like getting smashed in the face with a deadweight, even though they tend to get half the speeds as Hydros. But those Hydros get INSANE amounts of downtime. Most LIMs dont get nearly as much, with the exception of the Chiller.

Downtime isn't a factor as you're not riding. Is the whole point of a launch to feel pure acceleration? Fastest speeds are clocked with Hydraulics.

 

[dropthefloor93]

^ Yes but acceleration is the change in velocity, not the sheer speed. Therefore Dodonpa will give you the best sense of acceleration. You cant base it on speed alone. You feel more accel going 0-110 in 1.7 seconds as opposed to 0-128 in 4.5. So air powered would take over Hydraulic.

 

[gavin]

With the air launch, you don't really feel the sense of acceleration that the hydraulic launches give; you're just instantly travelling at over 100mph.

 

[Hyde]

^ Yes but acceleration is the change in velocity, not the sheer speed. Therefore Dodonpa will give you the best sense of acceleration. You cant base it on speed alone. You feel more accel going 0-110 in 1.7 seconds as opposed to 0-128 in 4.5. So air powered would take over Hydraulic.

So therefore a good launch is a good mix of a solid acceleration that is not too short and high speed. Hydraulics deliver on both.