The world’s tallest tower swing ride, which sends those foolhardy enough to get on-board a whopping 400 feet up in the air, was officially opened on Saturday at the Six Flags Over Texas amusement park in Arlington. The Texas SkyScreamer allows up to twenty-four riders to sit in open-air swings while spinning in a 124-foot circle at speeds up to 35mph.
At its 40 story peak – and if the riders still have their eyes open – they can see not only Arlington, but also Dallas and Fort Worth. ‘We are thrilled to add the tallest swing ride in the world to our premier line up of rides and attractions,’ said Steve Martindale, park president of Six Flags Over Texas.
‘It offers the most unique ride experience for an attraction of this kind, and also lives up to the Texas mantra that everything is bigger in the Lone Star state!’ There are seven SkyScreamer rides located at theme parks throughout the U.S. but this latest one dwarfs the competition, the next tallest is in Georgia and is a mere 242 feet tall.
Due to the far greater height though, riders are spun at a reduced speed of 35mph compared to the usual 43pmh. All the rides follow the same tried and test formula, riders are carried aloft in two-person swing-like chairs attached to a rotating gondola mounted on a central tower.
When the gondola reaches the top of the tower, riders are swung in a wide circle at its fastest speed, while offering expansive views of the local countryside. One of the first people to try out the new ride was ‘Cowboy’ Chris from local radio station 94.9 KLTY, he later posted footage on YouTube showing his reactions to the death-defying ride. Six Flags Over Texas is now open for daily operation and continues through August 25.
