The Suspended Looping Coaster (often shortened to SLC) is a model of inverted roller coaster built by Dutch manufacturer Vekoma. There are 42 different installations of this ride type across the world. The minimum rider height requirement is . Vekoma markets the Suspended Thrill Coaster model as a successor to the Suspended Looping Coaster. The Odyssey at Fantasy Island is the tallest and fastest SLC in existence.

History The first SLC installation was El Condor, opening in 1994 at Walibi Holland (then known as Walibi Flevo) in the Netherlands. It was initially designed to run with ten cars in each train. Trouble with this configuration led to the trains being shortened to eight cars per train. T2 at Kentucky Kingdom was the second SLC, and the first built in the United States. Like El Condor, it was designed to run with ten cars per train, though its trains were eventually shortened to seven cars for similar reasons.

The roller coaster model was discontinued in 2017. The last new installation (not including relocations of older SLCs) was Queen Cobra, which opened in 2017 at Sun World Danang Wonders in Đà Nẵng, Vietnam.

Ride Layouts There are several different layouts of Suspended Looping Coasters, although most feature a similar pattern. The ride begins by taking passengers up a chain lift hill. Once at the top, the train drops down a steep, banked right turn where it enters the first inversion element, a right rollover. A rollover is an Immelmann loop followed by a Dive loop After exiting this element, the train traverses a banked left turn and approaches the ride's next inversion, a left sidewinder. After exiting the sidewinder, the train navigates a 270° right helix upwards before entering the ride's final two inversions, a double inline twist. The train then traverses a 90° banked turn to the right. At this point, some models feature an additional helix to the left, while others simply continue straight into the brake run. The standard model also has a relatively compact layout, providing numerous "footchoppers".

Vekoma have also manufactured three custom SLCs: The Great Nor'easter at Morey's Piers (which is nearly identical to a 689m Standard SLC, but features a custom station and supports), Kumali at Flamingo Land, and The Odyssey at Fantasy Island.

Model name Number of installations First installation Last installation 662m Prototype 2 1994 1995 689m Standard 27 1995 2017 765m Extended w/Helix 5 1995 1999 787m Extended 2 1997 2007 671m Shenlin 2 2002 2006 748m Shenlin w/Helix 2 2006 2009 Custom 2 1995 2002 42 1994 2017

Trains

Many SLCs operate with two trains consisting of ten cars, though some operate with as few as seven cars. Poor maintenance and non-exact track manufacturing have led many SLCs to inflict notoriously painful "head banging" upon their riders, wherein a rider's head constantly slams against the over-the-shoulder restraints.

To help solve this issue, Vekoma is currently offering new trains with hip harnesses and vest-like restraints that allow the rider to avoid hitting their head against the restraints while riding. SLCs with these trains include The Great Nor'easter at Morey's Piers, Jaguar at Isla Mágica, Riddler Revenge at Six Flags New England, Firewhip at Beto Carrero World, Nopuko Air Coaster at Lost Island Theme Park, The Mind Eraser at Six Flags Darien Lake, and Condor at Walibi Holland. Arkham Asylum – Shock Therapy at Warner Bros. Movie World used similar trains manufactured by Kumbak later into its service life before its closure in 2022.

The Suspended Looping Coaster is similar in design to other inverted roller coasters. However, unlike the four-across seating found on Bolliger & Mabillard's inverted roller coasters, Vekoma SLCs feature two-across seating.

Installations , there are 42 different installations across the world, which have been located at 52 different amusement parks.

Name Park Opened Status Model Image Arkham Asylum – Shock TherapyFormerly Lethal Weapon - The Ride Warner Bros. Movie World 1995 Removed 765m Extended w/ Helix Batman - The Ride Six Flags México 2000 Operating 689m Standard Blue Tornado Gardaland 1998 Operating 765m Extended w/ Helix CondorFormerly El Condor Walibi Holland 1994 Operating 662m Prototype Death Rail Al Zawraa Land 2015 Operating 689m Standard Desafío Parque de la Costa 1999 Operating 689m Standard Dragon in Clouds Happy Valley Chengdu 2009 Operating Shenlin w/ Helix Ednör – L'AttaqueIn StorageFormerly Serial Thriller La RondeSix Flags Great Escape & Hurricane HarborSix Flags AstroWorld 201020051999 Operating2009Closed 2005 689m Standard F2 Fright Flight Nasu Highland Park 1995 Operating 689m Standard FireWhipFormerly Blackout Beto Carrero WorldSuzuka Circuit 20081995 Operating 689m Standard Flight DeckFormerly Top Gun Canada's Wonderland 1995 Operating 689m Standard The Gauntlet Magic Springs 2004 Operating 689m Standard Golden Wings over the SnowfieldFormerly Golden Wings in Snowfield Happy Valley Beijing 2006 Operating Shenlin w/ Helix The Great Nor'Easter Formerly Fly the Great Nor'Easter Morey's Piers 1995 Operating Custom Hurricane Rusutsu Resort 1996 Operating 689m Standard InfusionFormerly TraumaTizer Pleasure Beach ResortAdventure Coast Southport 20071999 OperatingClosed 2006 689m Standard Iron Claw Formerly MP-XpressFormerly FXFormerly Eraser Movie Park Germany 2001 Operating 689m Standard Jaguar Isla Mágica 1997 Operating 765m Extended w/ Helix KongFormerly Hangman Six Flags Discovery KingdomOpryland USA 19981995 OperatingClosed 1997 689m Standard Kumali Flamingo Land Resort 2006 Operating Shenlin Kumba Superland 2001 Operating 689m Standard Maya AdventureFormerly Mayan Adventure Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village 1997 Operating 689m Standard The Mind Eraser Six Flags Darien Lake 1997 Operating 689m Standard Mind Eraser Elitch Gardens Theme Park 1997 Operating 689m Standard Professor Screamore's SkyWinder Formerly Mind Eraser Six Flags America 1995 Closed 689m Standard Nio Greenland 1997 Operating 689m Standard Nopuko Air CoasterFormerly CobraFormerly Cape Cobras Lost Island Theme ParkRatanga Junction 20221998 Operating 765m Extended w/ Helix The Odyssey Formerly Jubilee Odyssey Fantasy Island 2002 Operating Custom Queen Cobra Sun World Danang Downtown 2017 Operating 689m Standard Raptor Formerly Dream Thunder FantasilandiaInternational Dream Exchange Fair 2008 1997 Operating 689m Standard Roller Coaster Dream Park 1999 Operating 765m Extended w/ Helix Roller Coaster Mayan Energylandia 2015 Operating 689m Standard Snow Mountain Flying Dragon Happy Valley Shenzhen 2002 Closed Shenlin Suspended Looping Coaster Suzhou Amusement Land 2003 Removed 787m Extended T3 Formerly T2 Kentucky Kingdom 1995 RemovedClosed 2022 662m Prototype The Riddler RevengeFormerly Mind Eraser Six Flags New England 1997 OperatingRenamed 2018 689m Standard ThunderhawkFormerly Serial Thriller Michigan's AdventureGeauga Lake 20081998 OperatingClosed 2007 689m Standard TitánideFormerly Tizona Terra Mítica 2003 Operating 689m Standard Toxic GardenFormerly Limit Heide Park 1999 Operating 689m Standard Twisted TyphoonFormerly Hangman Wild Adventures 1999 Operating 689m Standard Vampire Walibi Belgium 1999 Operating 689m Standard VortexFormerly Pusing Lagi Siam Amazing ParkJerudong Park Playground 20071997 OperatingClosed 2006 787m Extended

References

External links Official website Listing of all Suspended Looping Coasters on the Roller Coaster Database