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Best B&M Flying Coaster?

Best B&M Flying Coaster

  • Acrobat

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Galactica

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Harpy

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Superman SFOG

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Superman SFGAdv

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Superman SFGam

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    22
  • Poll closed .

Hyde

Matt SR
Staff member
Moderator
Social Media Team
I've only ridden Superman SFOG and Tatsu - Tatsu is such a novel ride, especially with it's setting and theme. The first overbank especially, swooping high above SFMM is a truly brilliant moment. One of my top favorite B&M's by far.
 

HeartlineCoaster

Theme Park Superhero
1. Flying Dinosaur - Crazy, intense and crazy intense. My favourite overall B&M. Even the bits that look dull are still crushing your brain.
2. Starry Sky Scrapper Ripper - 540 and the loop is fantastic, rest is a bit dull.
3. Acrobat - Proper layout with fewer dull moments than #2, just not as crazy.
4. Crystal Wings - Pretzel is great, rest is a bit dull.
5. Air/Galactica - Fly to lie sucks. Don't do one of those again.[/QUOTE]
 

HeartlineCoaster

Theme Park Superhero
1. Flying Dinosaur - Crazy, intense and crazy intense. My favourite overall B&M. Even the bits that look dull are still crushing your brain.
2. Starry Sky Scrapper Ripper - 540 and the loop is fantastic, rest is a bit dull.
3. Acrobat - Proper layout with fewer dull moments than #2, just not as crazy.
4. Tatsu - Pretzel and location is great, still got some dull bits.
5. Crystal Wings - Pretzel is great, rest is a bit dull.
6. Air/Galactica - Fly to lie sucks. Don't do one of those again.
 

roomraider

Best Topic Starter
1. Skyscrapper/Sky Ripper - One of my all time fav rides. The straight first drop and hammerhead are amazing and the bone crushing intensity of the loop is brilliant
2. Tatsu - Great setting and solid ride but lacking the intensity of Sky Ripper
3. Manta - Decent layout and the splash and its setting is excellent. but after the pretzel it could be better.
4. Crystal Wings - Solid Superman but made better by themeing
5. Superman - Has the Pretzel i love but after that not much going on.
6. Air - It's a decent enough ride and as the first flyer i rode i loved it but its not got the intensity i crave.
 

Matt N

CF Legend
Ooh, interesting thread! I've ridden 2 B&M flyers, and I think my ranking of them may be somewhat controversial:
  1. Galactica - I know it's not the world's most intense ride, but I just find Galactica to be a very nice ride on the whole! Gliding through the trees is really pleasant, it's glossy smooth and it just leaves me with a smile on my face every time!
  2. Manta - Now, I must admit that I went into this coaster with extremely high expectations and was quite disappointed in it. I'll admit that I only rode this coaster once when I visited SeaWorld in August 2016 and that ride was on the back, which apparently isn't the optimal row to experience Manta in, but I don't remember getting as much enjoyment out of Manta as I do Galactica. Admittedly, the pretzel loop was intense, but I think it was so intense that it got a bit unpleasant for me. In terms of the rest of it, I didn't find it to be quite as interesting as Galactica and I actually found it quite rattly. So in my opinion, Manta is still a good ride, and I admit I may have just had a bad ride on it, but I don't seem to be able to love it as much as everyone else does.
As for my opinion on the ride type as a whole; they're fun rides, and I admit I probably haven't experienced the best of them yet, but neither of the two I've ridden are among my top 10 or anything. If you're interested in a more in depth idea as to where I rank them, I have Galactica at #22 and Manta at #27, so they're actually quite close.
 

oriolat2

Giga Poster
1. Flying Dinosaur. This thing really pushes what a flyer can do. The 540º roll, immelmamn followed by the pretzel loop is one of the craziest sequences I have ever experienced. I am still amazed Universal invested in something *that* intense. Plus, it's the only flyer with actual airtime! Bonus for the cool cars and overall themeing.
2. Manta - The setting, the inversions, everything is so well-put together. Ride-wise, I found the ride to be really well-balanced with a fierce first half followed by a more relaxed second half, which lets you take in the sensation of flying. Loved it!
3. Acrobat - Car park Manta, basically. It felt a bit bland and kind of rattl-ish, which is not that common in new B&Ms. I left the ride quite underwhelmed although I love flyers! If it had been a bit better landscaped I would have rated it higher.
4. Air - This was my first flyer and the one that got me hooked to this model. The sensation of soaring as well as the old station soundtrack where just something worth experiencing. Haven't been on it since its conversion to Galactica but it looks ****e.
5/6. Superman (SFGAm/SFGAdv) - It felt like a pretzel loop with an excuse to go back to the station. Meh. I guess it works as a clone, but very forgettable.
 

Matt N

CF Legend
Interesting that you say you found Acrobat rattly; I haven't ridden Acrobat, but I oddly found the original Manta quite rattly. Maybe it's a layout thing?
 

HeartlineCoaster

Theme Park Superhero
1. Flying Dinosaur - Crazy, intense and crazy intense. My favourite overall B&M. Even the bits that look dull are still crushing your brain.
2. Harpy - Really fell for this thing. Way better than it should have been. Doesn't let up.
3. Starry Sky Scrapper Ripper - 540 and the loop is fantastic, rest is a bit dull.
4. Acrobat - Proper layout with fewer dull moments than #3, just not as crazy.
5. Tatsu - Pretzel and location is great, still got some dull bits.
6. Crystal Wings - Pretzel is great, rest is a bit dull.
7. Air/Galactica - Fly to lie sucks. Don't do one of those again.
8. Superman (SFGAdv) - For some reason I left it off before. Clone, and a grim one at that, worse than Air.
 

gavin

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Social Media Team
Forgot about this topic. I got the full collection back in June (or was it July?). Here it is then:

1. Flying Dinosaur - ridiculous thing, stupidly intense, but fab. Great setting flying over Jurassic Park as well.
2. Skyscrapper/Sky Ripper - excellent, unique coaster, but very plonked and lacking atmosphere.
3. Tatsu - Great setting on the mountain, was easily my favourite until I rode the above two.
4. Harpy - I was expecting Superman, but it was a lot better.
5. Manta - Decent layout and good theming elements.
6. Acrobat - Only just below Manta (same coaster) since the theming isn't as good despite having the splashdown etc.
7. Crystal Wings - Boring Superman clone elevated by excellent theming.
8. Air - Never got the hate for it; it's a decent enough ride and is at least totally different to all the others
8/9/10. Superman (SFGAd/SFGAm/SFoG) - Yep, it's weird to have a coaster between these and Crystal Wings, but the theming really does make that much of a difference.


Sent from my Redmi Note 7 using Tapatalk
 

Coaster Cinema

Mega Poster
1. Tatsu - Six Flags Magic Mountain
2. Manta - SeaWorld Orlando
3. Air - Alton Towers
4. Superman: Ultimate Flight - Six Flags Great Adventure
5. Superman: Ultimate Flight - Six Flags Great America
 

TMCoasters

Mega Poster
Here's my relatively short collection

1) Starry Sky Ripper - this is eons ahead, from the ejector filled drop, 540 degree roll, and vertical loop. It has a very unique layout and I just adored this ride. The section right after the vertical loop is a bit tame but the rest of the ride more than makes up for it.
2) Manta - The pretzel loop is unbelievably intense, but the rest of the layout feels a bit lackluster at times. I do love the terrain interaction however and the drop off the MCBR gives great airtime.
3) Superman: Ultimate Flight (GAdv) - I actually think this ride is a bit underappreciated, because even a boring layout on a flyer is a ton of fun, but besides the pretzel loop it just doesn't do all that much.
 

Pear

Strata Poster
Guess I should revisit this

1. Flying Dinosaur* - Just by looks it seems like the best. It's just amazing elements strung together and the setting is very nice. Plus the pretzel around the Jurassic Park sign is super badass.
2. Starry Sky Ripper* - Once again the elements make the ride look very cool and unique, especially the loop.
3. Tatsu - It doesn't register how high up you are off the ground on this ride until you ride it. The sheer scale of the ride makes it very interesting and fun. Also the pretzel loop is insanity, though was a bit much after a few rides for me.
4. Firehawk - I adored this ride to bits. It was perfectly smooth, forceful, whippy, and fun. I'm gutted it was torn down instead of relocated, but at least Batwing is almost as good.
5. Manta - Definitely had a much better ride on it this time around than last. It starts off strong but it sort of dies down after the first element. However, the setting is really nice and it utilizes the flying well.
6. Batwing - Almost as good as Firehawk, but was running a bit slower and rougher.
7. Nighthawk - It's rough but still has some fun moments. I haven't ridden it in forever though because of the constant long line and poor operations/reliability.
8. Superman Clones (GADV, SFOG) - Start off good but then get really boring.

*Haven't Ridden
 

Nitefly

Hyper Poster
I really don’t like when these rides do the whole “fly on the their back with your head lower than your feet” - you would never choose to fly like that. I rode Air on its opening day... I remember looking at that stupid on your back drop and thinking... but, whyyyyy.
 

VonRolland

Hyper Poster
Air has some good moments such as the second so-called drop through the portal especially on row 7 but I absolutely hate fly to lie Section, however definitely the best bit is after the turnaround above the Plaza to brake run
 

Nitefly

Hyper Poster
So it’s just dawned on me that the horrible inversion on these is called a Pretzel Loop. It’s a weird sensation and just generally unpleasant as your brain struggles to cope with why anyone would deliberately move you in that motion.

Not for me!
 

Serena

Miss CoasterForce 2016
Staff member
Social Media Team
I think Acrobat is my favourite. Firstly, because it has merch of a cute little bat wearing acrobats clothes. Secondly because the track is a nice shade of blue. And thirdly because it just felt way more comfortable than the others I've ridden. I've always been in the I Don't Like B+M Flyers Club, but Acrobat changed my mind. Now I'm actually looking forward to riding Tatsu in June.

I also sometimes enjoy Air, but mainly for the Fly to Lie. Manta and Superman (SFGrAdv) did nothing for me though.
 

Ben

CF Legend
I always say I like Flyers, and then I list them out and realise I really ****ing don’t. At least I only have one left to get now! Even doing Tatsu and Starry again last year (yes I went back to World Joyland, yes I know how dumb that is) I didn’t like them quite as much as I remembered.

1. Tatsu - it’s so pretty on the mountain and until the pretzel loop, really fun
2. Starry Sky Ripper whatever it’s called - intense but not vile
3. Manta - it’s swooshy and the pretzel doesn’t offend. Nicely themed
4. Acrobat - swooshy still but not nicely themed
5. Crystal Wings - a polished turd
6/7/8. Superman - an unpolished turd
9. Air - ****ing boring I hate it
10. Flying Dinosaur - a brain haemorrhage
 
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