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Premier Rides Awarded for Best New Product at IAAPA Attractions Expo 2012

Left to right: Lana Magilner, Sara Ingram, Jim Seay of Premier Rides,
CEO Jim Reid-Anderson, Tom Iven, Walt Bowser,
and John Odum of Six Flags.

Baltimore, MD, USA — Officials at the annual International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) Expo in Orlando, Florida have awarded Premier Rides, with a prestigious Best New Product Award in the category of Major Theme/Amusement Park Ride for the high-tech custom magnetic launch coaster, SUPERMAN Ultimate Flight™, which debuted at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom (SFDK) in Vallejo, California for the 2012 season.

The IAAPA Attractions Expo is the largest industry trade show, with more than 500,000 square feet of exhibit space, 1,150 exhibitors, and more than 26,000 attendees. Premier received the award in recognition for the groundbreaking SUPERMAN Ultimate Flight™, which features the tallest inversion west of the Mississippi and ranks alongside the tallest coaster inversions in the world. It incorporates many exciting and unique elements including multiple launches, a twisting heartline inversion, ascending and descending twists, and two vertical rolls.

Jim Seay, President of Premier Rides, said, “We are extremely proud of this product because it showcased the collaborative talents of Six Flags and Premier and brought an innovative technological perspective to roller coaster attractions. Six Flags has a coveted reputation for delivering cutting-edge, one-of-a-kind thrill rides and all of us at Premier were honored with the trust placed in us to deliver such a powerful attraction. We are grateful for the industry’s recognition.”

The ride was one of the most anticipated theme park attractions of the 2012 season and did not fail to deliver. Coaster experts from around the globe traveled to SFDK to experience SUPERMAN Ultimate Flight™. American Coaster enthusiast Nicholas Laswitch stated, “On my list, I would say it’s the best. I really, really enjoyed it. I think this ride is going to make people come from long distances to experience it. I think this ride is going to push Six Flags Discovery Kingdom over the top.”

One of the attraction’s first riders, San Francisco 49ers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh said, “It gets you right from the beginning. One time, I had a chance to go up in an F-18 with the Blue Angels for a ride-along. It compares more to that than it does a roller coaster ride.”

After an initial slingshot launch using Premier Rides’ signature magnetic launch technology, riders execute a vertical ascent of approximately 65 feet, and then drop back through the station where they are accelerated backwards to a height of 80 feet. After a brief cliffhanger pause, the sleek train rockets through the station and is accelerated this time to a height of 150 feet. The train then slows for dramatic effect where guests can appreciate how high they are while anticipating an amazing twisted heartline roll directly ahead. After executing the roll, the train is braked before guests enter a face-first vertical drop, ending in a twisting loop where riders will experience the force of approximately 3 ½ Gs. The riders then drop to ground level, where they are smoothly braked a final time as the train comes to a stop in the station.

Premier Rides and Six Flags have teamed up again for the 2013 season to develop Full Throttle™ featuring, amongst other thrill elements, a world record loop where the trains travel on the inside and the outside of the loop.

For more information, please visit www.premier-rides.com

ABOUT PREMIER RIDES, INC. 

Premier Rides is best known for its high-tech magnetic launch roller coasters. The company is also a global supplier of traditional roller coasters, observation wheels, towers, water rides and custom designed attractions. Premier’s service division offers engineering support, complete ride and train rehab, and it maintains and offers spare parts supply on a 24-hour emergency basis. The company is headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland and has additional U.S., European, and Asian offices. 
Joe Kleiman
Joe Kleimanhttp://wwww.themedreality.com
Raised in San Diego on theme parks, zoos, and IMAX films, InPark's Senior Correspondent Joe Kleiman would expand his childhood loves into two decades as a projectionist and theater director within the giant screen industry. In addition to his work in commercial and museum operations, Joe has volunteered his time to animal husbandry at leading facilities in California and Texas and has played a leading management role for a number of performing arts companies. Joe previously served as News Editor and has remained a contributing author to InPark Magazine since 2011. HIs writing has also appeared in Sound & Communications, LF Examiner, Jim Hill Media, The Planetarian, Behind the Thrills, and MiceChat His blog, ThemedReality.com takes an unconventional look at the attractions industry. Follow on twitter @ThemesRenewed Joe lives in Sacramento, California with his wife, dog, and a ghost.

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