Flying Scooters

Flying Scooters, also known simply as Flyers, is an amusement ride consisting of a center post with ride vehicles suspended from arms attached to the center post. The ride dates back to the 1930s and 1940s when Bisch-Rocco manufactured the ride. In the early 2000s, Larson International revived the concept. In the early 2010s, Larson partnered with Majestic Manufacturing, Inc. to create a portable version of the ride.^[1]

Air Crow at Indiana Beach. Note the "No snapping of cables" sign

Flyers in operation at Stricker's Grove

When the ride is in operation, a motor causes the arms to spin, with centrifugal forces causing the ride vehicles to fly outwards. Each ride vehicle is equipped with a large rudder, allowing riders to control the motion of their vehicle. The minimum rider height requirement is usually 36 inches tall or more.

Cable snapping

Although Flying Scooters are generally considered a mild ride, a skilled rider can "snap" the cables suspending the vehicle, and thus gain a more extreme and out-of-control experience. Snapping is caused by the cables slacking due to quick motions of the vehicle. Snapping is made easier on older and faster Flying Scooters rides such as the Flyer at Knoebels or others manufactured by Bisch-Rocco. Some newer models, such as those manufactured by Larson, are designed to prevent snapping. Snapping is sometimes discouraged due to maintenance and safety reasons, and in the case of some parks, snapping is punishable by the ride cycle being stopped early and the offending rider being removed from the ride.

Installations

Name	Park	Location	Manufacturer	Opened	Status	Ref
Flyer	Knoebels Amusement Resort	United States	Bisch-Rocco	1972	Operating	[2]
Flying Fish	Story Land	United States	Larson International	Unknown	Operating	[3]
Flying Scooter	Bland's Park	United States	Bisch-Rocco	Unknown	Removed	[4][5]
Flying Scooter	LeSourdsville Lake Amusement Park	United States	Bisch-Rocco	Unknown	Removed
Flying Scooter	Waldameer & Water World	United States	Bisch-Rocco	1944	Removed
Flying Scooters	Erieview Park	United States	Bisch-Rocco	Unknown	Removed	[6]
Flying Scooters	Stricker's Grove	United States	Ray Evers	Unknown	Operating
Hurricane	Lakeside Amusement Park	United States	Bisch-Rocco	Unknown	Operating
Flying Scooters	Whalom Park	United States	Bisch-Rocco	Unknown	Removed	[7]
Rowdy Roosters	Canobie Lake Park Palisades Amusement Park	United States	Bisch-Rocco	Unknown	Operating
Mission Macaw Formerly SS Stingray	Rides At Adventure Cove in Columbus Zoo	United States	Larson International	2008	Operating	[8]
Seabreeze Flyers	Seabreeze Amusement Park	United States	Bisch-Rocco	C. 1944	Removed
Spirit of Kitty Hawk	Frontier Village	United States	Bisch-Rocco	Unknown	Removed
Falcon Flyer Flying Circus	Wild Adventures Celebration City	United States	Larson International	2010 Unknown	Operating
Aerial Joy Ride	Hersheypark	United States	Spillman Manufacturing	1941	Removed
Flying Aces	Lagoon Amusement Park	United States	Bisch-Rocco	1941	Operating
Screaming Eagles	Fun Spot America (Kissimmee)	United States	Larson International	Unknown	Operating
Dive Bombers	Santa's Workshop	United States	Bisch-Rocco	Unknown	Operating
Flying Scooter	Bushkill Park	United States	Bisch-Rocco	1950	Removed	[4]
Flying Scooters	Playland Park	United States	Bisch-Rocco	1950	Removed	[9]
Flying Scooters	Geauga Lake	United States	Bisch-Rocco	1958	Removed
Flying Eagles	Kings Dominion	United States	Bisch-Rocco	1975	Operating
Eagle's Flight	Holiday World	United States	Bisch-Rocco	1976	Operating	[10]
Flying Scooter	Conneaut Lake Park Euclid Beach Park Old Indiana Fun Park	United States	Bisch-Rocco	1997 Unknown Unknown	Operating
Flying Eagles	California's Great America	United States	Larson International	2002	Operating
American Flyers Formerly Phantom Phlyer	Lake Compounce Kennywood West View Park	United States	Bisch-Rocco	2003 1995 to 1996 1937 to 1977	Operating
Frontier Flyers	Hersheypark	United States	Larson International	2003	Operating	[11]
Air Crow	Indiana Beach	United States	Larson International	2004	Operating
Tink's Flying School	Oakwood Theme Park	United Kingdom	Larson International	2004	Operating
Mountain Gliders Formerly Woodstock Gliders, Phantom Flyers Formerly Flying Eagles, Flying Scooters	Carowinds Kings Island Coney Island	United States	Bisch-Rocco	2005 1972 to 2004 1940 to 1971	Operating
Flying Scooters	Camden Park	United States	Larson International	2006	Operating
Flying Aces	Idlewild Park	United States	Premier Rides	2007	Operating
Dragon Flyer	Castle Park	United States	Larson International	2008	Operating	[12]
Hornet's Nest	Six Flags Darien Lake	United States	Larson International	2012	Operating	[13]
Thunderbirds Formerly Flying Scooters	Eldridge Park Fun Spot Amusement Park & Zoo Fantasy Farm	United States	Bisch-Rocco	2012 Unknown Unknown	Operating
Lakeside Gliders	Michigan's Adventure	United States	Larson International	2013	Operating
Screamin' Eagles	Six Flags Great Escape	United States	Larson International	2013	Operating	[14]
Surfside Gliders	Knott's Berry Farm	United States	Larson International	2013	Operating	[15]
French Quarter Flyers	Six Flags America	United States	Larson International	2014	Operating
Lake Erie Eagles	Cedar Point	United States	Larson International	2014	Operating
Honeybee Buzzers Formerly Professor John's Flying Machines	Kentucky Kingdom	United States	Larson International	2014	Operating
Winged Warrior	Frontier City	United States	Larson International	2014	Operating
MT Buckets Formerly Cedar Creek Flyers	Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom	United States	Larson International	2015	Operating
Kong	Morey's Piers	United States	Larson International	2015	Operating
Franklin’s Flyers Formerly Woodstock Gliders	Kings Island	United States	Larson International	2015	Operating
Flying Eagles	Canada's Wonderland	Canada	Larson International	2016	Operating
Flying Eagles	Valleyfair	United States	Larson International	2016	Operating
Phoenix	La Ronde	Canada	Larson International	2016	Operating	[16]
Woodstock Gliders	Worlds of Fun	United States	Larson International	2016	Operating
Wonder Woman Flight School	Six Flags Over Georgia	United States	Larson International	2016	Operating	[16]
Flying Scooter	Fox Creek Amusement Company	United States	Bisch-Rocco	2016	Operating
The Mad Mocking Bird	Dollywood	United States	Larson International	2019	Operating
Flying Circus	Celebration City	United States	Larson International	Unknown	Closed	[17]
The Barnstormers	Guyton's Fun Junction	United States	Unknown	Unknown	Closed