Stunt Pilot (roller coaster)

Stunt Pilot is a steel roller coaster at Silverwood Theme Park in Athol, Idaho. The single-rail Raptor model was manufactured by Rocky Mountain Construction, who is headquartered 20 minutes south of the park. Its stunt pilot theme pays homage to the daily air shows that were once hosted at the park from 1988 to 1996. Stunt Pilot opened to the public on May 29, 2021.[1]

Stunt Pilot
Silverwood Theme Park
LocationSilverwood Theme Park
Park sectionRollercoaster Alley
Coordinates47.9065°N 116.7080°W / 47.9065; -116.7080
StatusOperating
Opening dateMay 29, 2021 (2021-05-29)
General statistics
TypeSteel – Single-rail
ManufacturerRocky Mountain Construction
DesignerAlan Schilke
ModelRaptor Track
Track layoutCustom
Lift/launch systemChain lift hill
Height105 ft (32 m)
Drop100 ft (30 m)
Length1,800 ft (550 m)
Speed52 mph (84 km/h)
Inversions3
Max vertical angle87°
Height restriction48 in (122 cm)
Trains2 trains with 10 cars. Riders are arranged 1 across in a single row for a total of 10 riders per train.
WebsiteOfficial website
Single rider line available
Stunt Pilot at RCDB

History
Construction of Stunt Pilot from the highway

Rocky Mountain Construction (RMC) was originally hired by Kentucky Kingdom amusement park to design and manufacture a single-rail roller coaster in time for the park's 2021 season.[2] Permits were filed with the FAA, which were uncovered by the public in June 2020 following a series of intentional leaks by the park on social media.[2] As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, however, Kentucky Kingdom backed out of the project, and its FAA filing was officially withdrawn in December 2020.[2]

After development stalled at Kentucky Kingdom, Silverwood Theme Park picked up the project, and began teasing a similar attraction through social media on September 3, 2020.[3] The single-rail coaster was unveiled as Stunt Pilot on September 17, 2020, with its aerobatics theme meant to commemorate Silverwood's aviation history and daily air shows that were once on display from 1988 to 1996.[4][5][6] The park is located on the former Henley Aerodrome airfield.[7] Daily air shows ended following a fatal crash during an air show at Fairchild Air Force Base on September 15, 1996.[8][9]

Construction of the new ride began in early 2021, with sections of track arrived in February 2021.[10] The first piece was installed on March 4, 2021, and the final track piece was placed on May 3, 2021.[11][12][13] By mid-May, the coaster had performed its first test runs.[14] The ride opened on May 29, 2021.[15]

Ride experience

Layout

The ride begins by exiting the station and immediately ascending the 105-foot-tall (32 m) chain lift hill. The train then banks left into a 180-degree turn and enters the signature 87-degree drop,[16][17] diving and reaching a maximum speed of 52 mph (84 km/h). It enters a dive loop and rises up an airtime hill, followed by an ascending, banked turnaround, where it proceeds into a hairpin turn to the left. The train drops and immediately traverses a cutback followed by a corkscrew. The finale features a quick dip into an over-banked turn and ends with a slight uphill popup into the brake run.

Model

Stunt Pilot is a Raptor coaster from Rocky Mountain Construction, a local roller coaster firm based in Hayden, Idaho. The company had previously worked with Silverwood to install and test their then-prototype "topper track" system on nearly 700 feet of Tremors in 2010.[18] The coaster uses a monorail-esque track system that lets the train run along a single 15.5" thick rail.[19]

Trains

Stunt Pilot features ten-passenger trains, unlike the trains of similar models RailBlazer at California's Great America and Wonder Woman Golden Lasso Coaster at Six Flags Fiesta Texas which hold only 8 passengers. Riders are seated in ten rows with one per row.[20]

  • Entrance to Stunt Pilot
    Entrance to Stunt Pilot
  • Stunt Pilot train on first inversion
    Stunt Pilot train on first inversion
  • Stunt Pilot
    Stunt Pilot
  • Stunt Pilot Course at Sunset
    Stunt Pilot Course at Sunset
  • Stunt Pilot has some theming to the Pitt Special biplanes
    Stunt Pilot has some theming to the Pitt Special biplanes

References
  1. Weeks, Devin (May 28, 2021). "We have liftoff: Silverwood's new roller coaster, Stunt Pilot, opens Saturday". www.krem.com. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
  2. "New RMC Roller Coaster Coming To Kentucky Kingdom". Coaster Nation. July 15, 2020. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
  3. Pettey, Mike; Pettey, Chris (September 17, 2020). "Silverwood Announces "Stunt Pilot": RMC Raptor Coaster for 2021!". Roller Coaster Alley. Retrieved November 30, 2020.
  4. Stilwell, Andrew (September 17, 2020). "Silverwood Announces Stunt Pilot RMC Raptor For 2021". Coaster101. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  5. Weeks, Devin (September 18, 2020). "Ride the skies at Silverwood in 2021". Coeur d'Alene Press. Retrieved November 30, 2020.
  6. Higgins, Katie. "Silverwood - From Airport to Theme Park". Spokane Historical. Retrieved November 30, 2020.
  7. "Henley Aerodrome (S62), Athol, ID". Retrieved November 30, 2020.
  8. Coddington, Brian; Drumheller, Susan (September 15, 1996). "Stunt Pilot Ruled The Skies At Silverwood Amazing Aerobatic Performances All In A Day's Work For Bob Heale". The Spokesman Review. Retrieved November 30, 2020.
  9. "Stunt pilot dies after crash at air show". Kitsap Sun. September 16, 1996. Retrieved November 30, 2020.
  10. Roberts, Olivia (February 5, 2021). "Silverwood begins construction of new flight-themed roller coaster". KXLY Broadcast Group. Archived from the original on April 9, 2021. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  11. "Silverwood Theme Park Continues Stunt Pilot Updates". NewsPlusNotes.
  12. @silverwood4fun (March 4, 2021). "IT'S TRACK DAY!! Stunt Pilot's first piece of track has..." (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  13. @silverwood4fun (May 4, 2021). "We hit a major milestone yesterday!..." (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  14. "Stunt Pilot Makes First Test Run at Silverwood Theme Park". NewsPlusNotes.
  15. Weeks, Devin (April 22, 2021). "Stunt Pilot soars toward opening date". Coeur d'Alene Press. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
  16. Tinsley, Jesse (May 27, 2021). "Silverwood's new 'Stunt Pilot'". The Spokesman Review. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
  17. Marden, Duane. "Stunt Pilot  (Silverwood)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved May 14, 2021.
  18. Rogers, Joel. "Tremors". Coaster Gallery. Retrieved November 30, 2020.
  19. Stilwell, Andrew (August 3, 2017). "Six Flags Fiesta Texas adding Wonder Woman RMC Raptor in 2018". Coaster101. Retrieved November 30, 2020.
  20. Stilwell, Andrew (September 17, 2020). "Silverwood Announces Stunt Pilot RMC Raptor For 2021". Coaster101. Retrieved November 30, 2020.
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