Skytrak

Skytrak was a flying roller coaster located at Granada Studios Tour amusement park in Castlefield, Manchester, England. Opened in October 1997, it was the first flying roller coaster in the world,^[1] in which riders were tilted forward to experience the sensation of flying. It was named after an event from the Gladiators television series,^[2] and was the only roller coaster constructed by Skytrak International, a subsidiary of Fairport Engineering.^[3]

Skytrak
Skytrak in operation
Granada Studios Tour
Location	Granada Studios Tour
Coordinates	53.478128°N 2.257115°W / 53.478128; -2.257115
Status	Removed
Opening date	October 1997 (1997-10)
Closing date	1998 (1998)
General statistics
Type	Steel – Flying
Manufacturer	Skytrak International
Height	50 ft (15 m)
Length	1,282 ft (391 m)
Speed	28 mph (45 km/h)
Capacity	240 riders per hour
G-force	2.5
Height restriction	55 in (140 cm)
Skytrak at RCDB

The ride was a "solo coaster" having only one person per car, which along with a complicated boarding process limited capacity to between 200 and 240 riders per hour.^[2][4] Issues with the ride delayed its opening by several months, and it continued to suffer reliability issues.^[2] It closed in 1998, with the park closing soon after. The ride was eventually removed and scrapped.^[4]