Cutting-edge Superman: Ultimate Flight takes to the sky at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom

By | July 5, 2012

Vallejo, Calif. — In a significant sharpening of the Northern California thrill ride landscape, Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, in partnership with Warner Bros. Consumer Products and DC Entertainment, introduced Superman: Ultimate Flight to its patrons June 30.

Featuring the tallest inversion west of the Mississippi, the 15-story-tall, one-of-a-kind launch coaster propels riders to a maximum speed of 62 mph through two vertical rolls and two upside-down twists.

“Superman: Ultimate Flight definitely pushes the envelope in the thrill category,” said Dale Kaetzel, Six Flags Discovery Kingdom park president. “We’re excited to bring this caliber of ride to Discovery Kingdom.”

Custom-manufactured by Baltimore, Md.-based Premier Rides, the coaster represents the company’s newest technological developments, including a highly sophisticated, multi-directional magnetic launch system. Twelve passengers are seated two abreast in a pair of connected coaches that are then propelled through a tunnel — negotiating a heartline roll 150 feet in the air before twisting into a 180-degree dive. The train then enters a full non-inverting loop before returning to the station.

Midway through the 863-foot course, the ride brakes twice at unexpected intervals for a touch of cliffhanger drama. The entire coaster experience is completed in less than 60 seconds.

Themed to one of DC Comics’ greatest super heroes, Superman: Ultimate Flight is vibrantly colored in red, blue and yellow. The queue is lined with panels showcasing Superman’s powers and attributes, and the character’s iconic “S” Shield is incorporated prominently.

The first DC Comics-themed ride at Discovery Kingdom, which also features marine life and wildlife, Superman: Ultimate Flight is the sixth entry in the park’s collection of popular coasters. It is expected to solidify Discovery Kingdom’s standing as the best place to experience thrills of all kinds in the upper half of the state.

“It will, no doubt, be the ‘must-experience’ attraction in Northern California,” Kaetzel said.