Tatsu
3838565
225861664
2008-07-15T19:14:33Z
T1madpaintballer
5598238
/* Overview */
{{Infobox roller coaster
|name= Tatsu
|image= Tatsu signage.png
|caption= Tatsu's Logo
|location= Six Flags Magic Mountain
|section= Samurai Summit
|type= Steel
|type2= Flying
|status= Operating
|opened= [[May 13]], [[2006]]
|manufacturer= Bolliger & Mabillard
|model= Flying coaster
|track= Terrain
|lift= Chain [[lift hill]]
|height= 170
|drop= 111
|length= 3602
|speed= 62
|inversions=4
|duration= 3:30
|capacity= 1600
|cost= [[United States dollar|$]]21 million
|gforce=
|rcdb_number= 3305
}}
'''Tatsu''' is a [[Steel roller coaster|steel]] [[flying roller coaster|flying]] [[roller coaster]] operating at [[Six Flags Magic Mountain]] in [[Valencia, Santa Clarita, California|Valencia]], [[California]]. It opened [[May 13]], [[2006]].
== History ==
[[image:Tatsu.jpg|thumb|left|Tatsu's 124-foot-tall pretzel loop<br>{{Audio|Tatsu, Six Flags Magic Mountain, completing a Pretzel loop.ogg|Watch}}]]
{{nihongo|"Tatsu"|[[wiktionary:龍|龍]]}} is the [[Japanese language|Japanese]] word (Kanji) for "[[Japanese dragon|dragon]]," and the ride is being promoted with a [[Japanese mythology]] theme.
== Overview ==
[[Image:Tatsu station.png|thumb|left|Seats are boarded normally, then rotate 90 degrees into flying position once engaged.<br>{{Audio|Tatsu, Six Flags Magic Mountain, station platform.ogg|Watch}}]]
Built by [[Bolliger & Mabillard]], Seating is designed to simulate flight (like [[Superman: Ultimate Flight]] at [[Six Flags Great Adventure]], [[Six Flags Over Georgia|Over Georgia]], and [[Six Flags Great America|Great America]]). After the riders are harnessed, the seat is rotated 90°From the upright to a face-down position. The face-down position is kept for the duration of the ride. The 3,602-[[foot (unit of length)|foot]] track passes over four areas of the park and features an elevation change of 263 feet. The ride has a maximum speed of 62 [[Miles per hour|mph]] and broke records with a 124-foot [[Roller_coaster_elements#Pretzel_loop|pretzel loop]].<ref>Gieszl, Eric: [http://www.ultimaterollercoaster.com/coasters/records/more_records.shtml "More Record Breaking Attractions"], ''Ultimate Rollercoaster''</ref>
[[image:TatsuAtSunset.JPG|thumb|left|Tatsu At Sunset]]
Tatsu is a three-and-a-half-minute ride (a little more than one minute "in flight") and accommodates an average of 1600 riders per hour. Two trains can be loaded with passengers at the same time. As with [[Kingda Ka]] at [[Six Flags Great Adventure]], a switch track exists on both sides of the station's exit. The station's floor has a unique design that eliminates the need for a movable floor, which was used on B&M's previous flying coasters. The floor under each car is recessed to allow the seats to flip into flying position with plenty of clearance for the riders' feet, while the floor between the cars is the same height as the rest of the station to allow riders to board easily. B&M's previous flying coasters would include a retractable floor that would drop down once the seats were in flying position.
*The show ''[[Who Wants To Be A Superhero]]'' makes use of Tatsu for season two's third episode.
*The MTV series ''[[NEXT]]'' featured footage of two contestants riding Tatsu.
*Discovery Channel program ''[[Mega Builders]]'' dedicated a documentary of the construction of Tatsu.
== References ==
{{reflist}}
== External links ==
* [http://www.sixflags.com/magicMountain/rides/Tatsu.aspx Official site]
{{SFMM Coasters}}
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