Soarin' Eagle

Soarin' Eagle
Luna Park, Coney Island
Park section	Scream Zone
Coordinates	40°34′26″N 73°58′50″W / 40.573848°N 73.980459°W / 40.573848; -73.980459
Status	Operating
Opening date	April 2011 (2011-04)
Elitch Gardens
Coordinates	39°44′54″N 105°00′42″W / 39.748338°N 105.011569°W / 39.748338; -105.011569
Status	Removed
Opening date	May 18, 2002 (2002-05-18)
Closing date	2007 (2007)
General statistics
Type	Steel – Flying
Manufacturer	Zamperla
Designer	Werner Stengel
Model	Volare
Lift/launch system	Spiral Lift
Height	50 ft (15 m)
Drop	17 ft (5.2 m)
Length	1,282.8 ft (391.0 m)
Speed	25.7 mph (41.4 km/h)
Inversions	2
Duration	0:48
Max vertical angle	31°
Capacity	500 riders per hour
G-force	3.3
Height restriction	52 in (132 cm)
Trains	7 trains with a single car. Riders are arranged 4 across in a single row for a total of 4 riders per train.
This is a Pay-Per-Use attraction
Soarin' Eagle at RCDB

Soarin' Eagle is a steel roller coaster located at the Scream Zone at Luna Park in Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York.^[1] The ride was the first ever Zamperla "Volare" roller coaster when it opened in 2002 at Elitch Gardens in Denver, Colorado, as the Flying Coaster.^[2][3] The Elitch Gardens ride was constructed by Martin & Vleminckx.^[4] The Volare, the cheapest option for a flying roller coaster, contains a compact layout with a distinctive spiral lift hill. In late 2010 the ride got dismantled and relocated to Luna Park in Coney Island, where it opened in April 2011 as the Soarin' Eagle.^[5] The ride has an identical sister, Hero, which opened in July 2013 at Flamingo Land in North Yorkshire.

Riders begin their experience by boarding the four-across trains on a moving walkway. The trains are initially upright, allowing riders to board from a standing position. Each rider selects their desired height on a five-rung ladder-like step system, which determines their orientation once the train tilts into a horizontal position upon departure. A safety cage is then latched over the riders to secure them for the duration of the ride.^[6]

Soarin' Eagle has a rich and varied history, beginning with its debut as the Flying Coaster at Elitch Gardens in Denver, Colorado, on May 18, 2002. This ride was the prototype for Zamperla's Volare model, which was unique for its spiral lift hill and compact design. However, during its operation at Elitch Gardens, the ride faced numerous technical difficulties, leading to frequent downtime and a reputation for roughness among riders. These operational challenges, combined with low popularity, resulted in the ride being closed in 2008. It stood dormant for two years until it was sold and relocated to Luna Park, Coney Island, where it was rebranded as Soarin' Eagle. The ride reopened to the public in April 2011, becoming one of the key attractions in the park’s revitalization efforts. Since its reopening, Soarin' Eagle has been operating successfully, offering visitors the unique experience of flying through the air in a prone position, although it has retained some of the roughness that characterized its earlier years. The ride's journey from Denver to New York reflects the challenges and triumphs of maintaining an innovative but problematic roller coaster, ultimately finding new life and a loyal fan base at Luna Park.^[6][1][7]

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Riders begin their experience of the Soarin' Eagle by boarding the four-across trains as they pass slowly along a moving walkway. The trains are originally upright so riders can walk up from behind and enter from a standing position. Each rider must select their desired height on a five rung series of ladder-like steps which determine how a rider will be positioned when the train tilts to the horizontal position upon leaving the station. Before departure, a cage is latched down over the backs of the trains to secure the riders for the duration of the trip. The train then heads up the spiral lift hill, which slowly twirls the train upward. After the lift, the train then heads down a short, steep drop and then ascends slowly back up. A hairpin turn then occurs and takes riders through the first Barrel Roll inversion. The train then hits another hairpin turn into another short drop. Another hairpin turn then leads the train into the second Barrel Roll and turns again.

The train is then slowed by the trim brakes and then twists through another set of hairpin turns and twists until the train slows by the final brake run. The train enters the station and completes the experience.

• 
  An overview of Soarin' Eagle's layout when it was located at Elitch Gardens
• 
  View of Soarin' Eagle after relocation to Luna Park, Coney Island
• 
  View of Soarin' Eagle from the ground

• 2011 in amusement parks

• Soarin' Eagle at the Roller Coaster DataBase