FLASHBACK     Six Flags Magic Mountain There is one thing about the Flashback roller coaster that makes it different. It has a title that it will likely hold forever. Designed to simulate the feeling and motion of a fighter jet rolling over and diving, Flashback is the only roller coaster of it's kind, ever built. Designed by Intamin AG of Switzerland, Flashback at Six Flags Magic Mountain takes on a unique look with its six diving, vertical corkscrew drops which attempt to mock a fighter jet in a hairpin dive. While the result may not be exactly what it was intended to be. It does offer a completely different experience compared to the average roller coaster. Rising up eight stories, twenty passengers sit comfortably in a five car train, with four abreast seating. The trains design with seating four abreast was not common when Flashback originally opened at Six Flags Great America in 1985. After the quick trip up the lift, the train is left to glide along a straight horizontal section of track before it enters the first of six unique, diving drops.		Type of coaster: Space Diver Height: 86 feet Top speed: 35 mph Length: 1,900 feet Features: Six diving drops, 540-degree upward helix Ride Time: 2 minutes Number of Trains: 3 - 20-Passenger Ride History: Opened as Z-Force at Six Flags Great America in 1985; Relocated to Six Flags Over Georgia in 1988. Opening Date: March 1992 Coaster Designer: Intamin AG of Switzerland Location: Six Flags Magic Mountain Valencia, California
	Abruptly taking a sharp turn and dive, the train rolls over, nearly flipping. Sending passengers on one side over the riders on the opposite side, while the train falls in a fast diving direction. Bottoming out the train speeds up a quick climb regaining some lost vertical in the dive. Flashback features a total of six dive drops, which is followed by the finale, a gravity defying 540-degree upward helix, with the train entering the spin at the coaster's maximum speed of 35 mph. Difficult to describe, Flashback is not your average, off the shelf roller coaster. The unique layout and original sensations is certainly something that every coaster enthusiast should experience for themself. Flashback History Flashback opened in 1985 as Z-Force at Six Flags Great America. The attraction was designed by Intamin AG, but two now famous coaster designers Claude Bolliger and Walter Mabillard, founders of B&M worked on the project. After three years of operation the ride was moved to Six Flags Over Georgia in 1988 as part of a ride rotation program between Six Flags Theme Parks. After three seasons Z-Force was put into storage for a year before being moved to Six Flags Magic Mountain where this one-of-a-kind roller coaster operated through 2002. Flashback remained at Six Flags Magic Mountain in a non-operating state for four years. The attractions was caused in part by its location. Located next to the Hurricane Harbor water park, the noise from the roller coaster was problematic for the water park's lifeguards. In January 2007, the park announced that Flashback would be dismantled to make room for future expansion. This unique roller coaster has been placed in storage, so it is possible Flashback may make a reappearance someday. Artist rendering showing the layout of the Flashback roller coaster.

Photos by Eric Gieszl. Copyright © 1998 Ultimate Rollercoaster.
Flashback logo courtesy of Six Flags Magic Mountain. All rights reserved.

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