A Launched Loop is a type of steel launched shuttle roller coaster manufactured by

Arrow Dynamics Arrow Dynamics was an American manufacturing and engineering company that specialized in designing and building amusement park rides, especially roller coasters. Based in Clearfield, Utah, the company was the successor to Arrow Development (19 ...

. With 8 different installations, 7 of them being relocated at least once, the ride was introduced in 1977, with the last one opening in 1993.

History

The first installation of a Launched Loop dates back to 1977 with the installation of Demon at

Kings Island Kings Island is a amusement park located northeast of Cincinnati in Mason, Ohio, United States. Owned and operated by Cedar Fair, the park first opened in 1972 by the Taft Broadcasting Company. It was part of a larger effort to move and exp ...

Mason, Ohio Mason is a city in southwestern Warren County, Ohio, United States, approximately north of downtown Cincinnati. As of the 2020 census, Mason's population was 34,792. Mason is home to Kings Island amusement park and one of the largest tennis st ...

. Two more also opened in 1977; Zoomerang at Boardwalk and Baseball in

Haines City, Florida Haines City is a city in Polk County, Florida, Polk County, Florida, United States. Its population was 13,174 at the 2000 census and 20,535 at the 2010 census. It is the third most populous city in Polk County. It is part of the Lakeland, Florida, ...

, and Black Widow at Six Flags New England in

Agawam, Massachusetts Agawam is a city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 28,692 at the 2020 census. Agawam sits on the western side of the Connecticut River, directly across from Springfield, Massachusetts. It is considered part of t ...

. These were most likely built to rival Intamin's

Shuttle Loop Shuttle Loop is a type of steel launched shuttle roller coaster designed by Reinhold Spieldiener of Intamin and manufactured by Anton Schwarzkopf. A total of 12 installations were produced between 1977 and 1982. These 12 installations have been ...

, which started being built the same year. In 1987, Demon at Kings Island became the first Launched Loop to be relocated, becoming Thunderbolt Express at Camden Park in Huntington, West Virginia. , only three Launched Loops operate: Revolution at

Blackpool Pleasure Beach Blackpool Pleasure Beach is an amusement park situated on Blackpool's South Shore, in the county of Lancashire, North West England. It operates as a secure facility, and has introduced epayments via smartphones for admission charges, replacin ...

Lancashire, England Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated Lancs) is the name of a historic county, ceremonial county, and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The boundaries of these three areas differ significantly. The non-metropolitan county of Lancashir ...

, Sidewinder at Elitch Gardens in

Denver, Colorado Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the United ...

, and Diamond Back at

Frontier City Frontier City is a western-themed amusement park in Oklahoma City. It is owned by EPR and operated by Six Flags. The park originally opened in 1958. Frontier City is the third-oldest Six Flags park behind Six Flags New England and Six Flags Grea ...

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, it ranks 20th among United States cities in population, an ...

Notable installations

Lightnin' Loops Lightnin' Loops was a pair of Shuttle Loop roller coasters that were originally installed at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey. The ride consisted of two identical tracks, both of which were later relocated and renamed: the stil ...

was a combination of two different launched loop roller coasters with interlocking loops built for

Six Flags Great Adventure Six Flags Great Adventure is an amusement park located in Jackson, New Jersey. Owned and operated by Six Flags, the park complex is situated between New York City and Philadelphia and includes a water park named Hurricane Harbor. It first ope ...

in 1978. One track closed in 1987 and stood nonoperational until 1992 when the other track closed. The track that closed in 1987 was then relocated to

as Diamond Back as the other track was relocated to

Six Flags America Six Flags America is a theme park located in the Woodmore CDP of Prince George's County, Maryland,

as Python, both opening in 1993. * Demon at

, while not being the first built, was the first launched loop to open. The ride was then relocated to Camden Park as Thunderbolt Express where it operated until 1999. *

Revolution In political science, a revolution (Latin: ''revolutio'', "a turn around") is a fundamental and relatively sudden change in political power and political organization which occurs when the population revolts against the government, typically due ...

at Blackpool Pleasure Beach is the longest-operating launched loop, opening in 1979, and also is the only of its kind to not be relocated any time in its lifetime.

Installations

{, class="wikitable sortable" !Name !Park !Opened !Closed !Status !Cite(s) , - ,

Afterburner An afterburner (or reheat in British English) is an additional combustion component used on some jet engines, mostly those on military supersonic aircraft. Its purpose is to increase thrust, usually for supersonic flight, takeoff, and combat ...

Zoomerang , Fun Spot Park Boardwalk and Baseball , 1991 1977 , 2008 1990 , Closed Relocated , , - , Black Widow , Six Flags New England , 1977 , 1999 , Closed , , - , Boomerang ,

Tokyo Dome City , referred to as Big Egg City before January 1, 2000, is an entertainment complex in Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan. It also includes the world's largest roofed baseball stadium, known as Tokyo Dome (AKA "Big Egg"); an amusement park known as Tokyo Dom ...

, 1980 , 1984 , Closed , , - , Diamond Back

, 1993 1978 , Operating 1986 , Operating Relocated , , - , Python

Six Flags America Six Flags America is a theme park located in the Woodmore CDP of Prince George's County, Maryland,

, 1993 1978 , 1998 1992 , Closed Relocated , , - ,

, 1979 , Operating , Operating , , - , Sidewinder Roaring Tornado , Elitch Gardens Magic Springs Theme and Water Park , 1990 1980 , Operating 1989 , Operating Relocated , , - , Thunderbolt Express Demon , Camden Park

, 1988 1977 , 1999 1987 , Closed Relocated , {{Cite web, url=https://rcdb.com/313.htm, title=Demon - Kings Island (Mason, Ohio, United States), website=rcdb.com, access-date=2019-09-23

History

Notable installations

Installations

References