News: Skyhawk testing begins

they should hurry up and move the web cam up a bit so we can watch the testing :)

Quite informative how they can operative one arm at a time. Yet when they operate two, they always must swing in opposite directions. Wonder if they both swang in the same way, would the beam at the top brake?

Hopefully this means that Skyhawk will be able to remain in semi-operation if one side goes down.

Well with maXair, there are 4 points it connects to the ground, and the center of gravity and pressure it can take is spread out over a greater distance. Skyhawk is nothing more than two large towers, with the balance points being at a much tighter section. If they both went in the same direction, that could make unnecessary pressure on the towers. May not be enough to brake it, but if it were done many times, I certainly see that possible. It'll look better going opposite anyway, and be far more efficient with less potential damage.

If they both ran the same way, i imagine it would put tremendous stress on the structure. Same thing happens when two kids on a wooden swing set swing in synch with each other....it wants to flip over and the legs start to hop due to the force. *** Edited 4/13/2006 3:07:36 AM UTC by Kyle Dersch***

DBCP said:
Looks good to me! I too, however, wish the lighting wasn't as plain, although it does look nice and should make for some nice night-time photography.

I like the plainness of it. I think it fits well with the Frontier area. If they would have had multi colour moving lights like the maXair area, it may have been a bit too much. Also, in a question asked on the blog T&T said the rest of the new lighting looks great. It's amazing how lighting can improve an area so much.

^ I wasn't at all refering to colored lighting or moving yolk fixtures like around maXair, but rather the method which they used to light the ride. Although it's hard to tell from the picture, it doesn't look like the arms will be well lit when they are in full swing.

That will make it look cool though. The two arms disappearing up into the dark.

I think the "disappearing" arms is more related to the camera not being able to produce and/or capture enough light at night. In person, I'd be willing to bet we'll have no problem whatsoever seeing the arms in their full-swinging glory when its dark. It will make for some incredible pictures, especially with a longer exposure!

I can't wait to ride this. I wonder how much airtime there is going to be.

No reason that Skyhawk can't be made strong enough for the swings to both swing simultaneously in the same direction. I'm sure it is designed for that.

Making the swings move in opposite directions adds an extra torque element that the structure must handle, that it wouldn't have to if the swings moved in the same direction.

Actually, the torque would seemingly be greater with the arms swinging in the same direction. Think about the power required to stop and start the swings at their apex. That power puts stress on the axle, so it would theoretically cancel itself out with opposed motion, and would effectively be doubled with them swinging together. Add in the horizontal force element, and the overall energy absorbtion on the structure would be far greater. Of course, this is all off the top of my head, and static & dynamic force analysis might prove otherwise.

Physics 101: Equal and opposite forces cancel each other out. If the forces are not equal and opposite, there is some math depending on the angles and what not, which is pretty easy if they are in the same direction, add them together.

Skyhawk (full circuit) testing continues:

http://www.cedarpoint.com/public/park/rides/thrill/skyhawk/?modeSet=gallery&gallery_name=construction_gallery

I don't think they'll ever get those photo gallerys correct. That's not what matters though, at least they have pictures.

Colour Scheme still looks f**ked up...

Example: Red sunshades for a blue and white ride???
*** Edited 4/16/2006 3:31:56 AM UTC by Screamomatic***

^Um... Red, white and blue... as in Patriotic colors... ;)

Hence Americana- Red, White, and Blue... ;)

Man I can't wait to stand right up against that fence and watch skyhawk come screaming right at me then up over my head.

The american flag sucks. Canadas flag rulez, it has weed on it!

Ok.......