SkyLoop is a type of
steel roller coaster
A steel roller coaster is a type of roller coaster classified by its steel Railway track, track, which consists of long steel tubes that are run in pairs, supported by larger steel columns or beams. Trains running along the track typically rely ...
manufactured by
Maurer AG
Maurer AG, formerly known as Maurer Söhne GmbH & Co. KG, is a steel construction company and roller coaster manufacturer. Founded in 1876 in Munich, Germany, the company has built many styles of steel buildings, ranging from bridges, industrial ...
. There are currently 10 SkyLoops operating worldwide, nine of which are identical XT 150 models, and one of which is an extended XT 450 model. The first SkyLoop to open was Sky Wheel in 2004 (XT 150) while the sole XT 450, Abismo, opened in 2006. There are also three other models—XT 900, Custom, and Launch—which have no installations .
History
The world's first SkyLoop, Sky Wheel, opened in 2004 and is currently located at Skyline Park in
Germany
Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
. Sky Wheel is a XT 150 model. This would continue to be the only model of the SkyLoop to be built until 2006 when Abismo at Parque de Atracciones de Madrid in
Spain
Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
was built. Abismo is a SkyLoop XT 450 (an extension to the XT 150) and remains the only XT 450 to have been built. Since then, only XT 150's have been built around the world.
Maurer Söhne
Maurer AG, formerly known as Maurer Söhne GmbH & Co. KG, is a steel construction company and roller coaster manufacturer. Founded in 1876 in Munich, Germany, the company has built many styles of steel buildings, ranging from bridges, industrial ...
also have 3 additional models of the SkyLoop: XT 900 (extension to XT 150), Custom, and Launch (uses the XT 150 layout where the train gets launched up the lift hill), although none have been built .
Models

The SkyLoop consists of five models: XT 150, XT 450, XT 900, Custom, and Launch. However, only the XT 150 and XT 450 have been produced, and only one version of the latter has been constructed .
XT 150
SkyLoop XT 150 is a
roller coaster
A roller coaster is a type of list of amusement rides, amusement ride employing a form of elevated Railway track, railroad track that carries passengers on a roller coaster train, train through tight turns, steep slopes, and other elements, usua ...
that reaches a maximum height of (the actual track reaches ) and a top speed of . This model also has two inversions and uses a single
train
A train (from Old French , from Latin">-4; we might wonder whether there's a point at which it's appropriate to talk of the beginnings of French, that is, when it wa ... , from Latin , "to pull, to draw") is a series of connected vehicles th ...
featuring 2 X-Cars that seat 6 people each.
After the train departs from the
station
Station may refer to:
Agriculture
* Station (Australian agriculture), a large Australian landholding used for livestock production
* Station (New Zealand agriculture), a large New Zealand farm used for grazing by sheep and cattle
** Cattle statio ...
, it immediately begins to climb the vertical (90 degree)
lift hill
A lift hill, or chain hill, is an upward-sloping section of track on a roller coaster on which the roller coaster train is mechanically lifted to an elevated point or peak in the track. Upon reaching the peak, the train is then propelled from t ...
. Upon reaching the top of the lift, the train turns 45 degrees backwards putting the train and its riders in an upside down position. Then, as the train exits the lift, it goes through a
heartline roll
Roller coasters are widely known for their drops, inversions, airtime, and other intense ride elements that contribute to the ride. They are also made up of a variety of features and components responsible for the mechanical operation and safety ...
before going down the only drop in the layout of the roller coaster. The train speeds through the station going back up the lift. Once it loses momentum the train then returns down passing through the station again. It then proceeds back up the drop and partially into the heartline roll before once again losing momentum and returning to the ground. After passing the station for the third time, the train is stopped near the top of the lift hill. It is then lowered back down to the station where the next riders board the train.
The XT 150 has the option of sending riders around a second cycle at the operator's discretion. When the train stops on the lift hill at the end of the ride, instead of lowering slowly back to the station, the chain will raise the car up and send it through the ride again.
XT 450

SkyLoop XT 450 is a roller coaster that reaches a maximum height of (the actual track reaches ) and a top speed of . This model is an extension of the XT 150, and the beginning track is of the same design. The XT 450 has 4 inversions and also uses a train made up of 2 X-Cars that seat 6 people each.
The roller coaster begins the same way that the XT 150 model does. After the train departs from the station, it immediately begins to climb the vertical (90 degree)
lift hill
A lift hill, or chain hill, is an upward-sloping section of track on a roller coaster on which the roller coaster train is mechanically lifted to an elevated point or peak in the track. Upon reaching the peak, the train is then propelled from t ...
. Upon reaching the top of the lift, the train turns 45 degrees backwards putting the train and its riders in an upside down position. After, as the train exits the lift, it goes through a
heartline roll
Roller coasters are widely known for their drops, inversions, airtime, and other intense ride elements that contribute to the ride. They are also made up of a variety of features and components responsible for the mechanical operation and safety ...
. The train enters the first drop where it reaches its maximum speed of before traversing a tight left
overbanked turn
Roller coasters are widely known for their drops, inversions, airtime, and other intense ride elements that contribute to the ride. They are also made up of a variety of features and components responsible for the mechanical operation and safety ...
. After the turn, the train goes over the only camelback hill followed by another left overbanked turn. The train then follows a flat section of track before going down a small drop leading into the station and back up the lift where the train stops. The train is then lowered back down to the station where the next riders board the ride.
XT 900
SkyLoop XT 900 is a concept that has yet to be built . The design of model begins the same way as the XT 150 does as the lift, first inversion, and first drop are all present in both models. Along with the elements from the XT 150 model, the XT 900 includes a series of turns, overbanked turns, a loop, and a
cobra roll
Roller coasters are widely known for their drops, inversions, airtime (rides), airtime, and other intense ride elements that contribute to the ride. They are also made up of a variety of features and components responsible for the mechanical opera ...
.
Custom
SkyLoop Custom is a concept that also has yet to be built . The design of this model is based on the SkyLoop XT 150 with an extension of what the particular
amusement park
An amusement park is a park that features various attractions, such as rides and games, and events for entertainment purposes. A theme park is a type of amusement park that bases its structures and attractions around a central theme, often fea ...
wants. Roller coasters of this model can vary from one another.
Launch
SkyLoop Launch is a concept that has also yet to be built . This design can be incorporated with the XT 150, 450, 900, and Custom models as the "launch" takes place where the normal lift would be. The top speed of the launch would be and is driven by
linear synchronous motors (LSM). If this concept were to be built, not only would it have the world's highest inversion, but also the world's highest vertical launch.
Installations
Maurer AG has built ten SkyLoops . Nine are SkyLoop XT 150s while one is a SkyLoop XT 450. The roller coasters are listed in order of opening dates.
Similar rides
Premier Rides
Premier Rides is an amusement ride manufacturer based in the United States. The company was the first to use Linear Induction Motors (LIMs) on their roller coasters. Jim Seay has been the sole owner and company president since 1996.
The firs ...
has installed several versions of the
Sky Rocket II
Sky Rocket II is a steel roller coaster model made by American manufacturer Premier Rides. The first Sky Rocket II was Superman: Ultimate Flight at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, which opened on June 30, 2012, and the latest is Sky Loop at Riyadh ...
model, which is similar to the SkyLoop; these include
Superman: Ultimate Flight. In addition, several Chinese SkyLoops have been made.
References
External links
* {{Commons category-inline, SkyLoop
Roller coasters manufactured by Maurer AG
Mass-produced roller coasters