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Phantasialand | F. L. Y. | Vekoma Launched Flying Coaster | 2020

I went back to Phantasialand and made some new pictures from several angles:
First, an overview of the area:
TikKo5m.jpg


The blue line shows the new trackpieces they assembled, including an S-curve similar to Taron. These trackpieses go towards the (underground) launch.
I start to think there might be 2 launches (or an even bigger lifthill), the first one would be right after the small lifthill. The amount of track before the underground launch is way too long for just the lifthill. So there has to be a other way to get enough speed for this part of the ride. They placed a few supports for a long straight piece of track after the lifthill aswell.
x927zfT.jpg


The last piece of track before the launch, right after the S-curve.
Zk4Dpap.jpg


The new trackpieces from a different angle. In the bottom you can see they are assembling the lifthill. (underneath the green canvas)
3QYoG3R.jpg

(thanks to Stanjensjens for blurring the construction workers)
 
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Its honestly crazy to think that mess of track and concrete will be a well themed area. Can't wait to see it all come together, and find out what else will be in Rookburgh.

ATI said:
It looks like that zero-g roll is right after the Immlemann after the launch. I the launch tunnel left or right?
Click to expand...
The left tunnel houses the launch.
The Immlemann/launch seems to be almost directly next to the Zero-G so I don't think it will right after, but given that the Zero-G is still the tallest part of the coaster it must come soon after. At the moment based on the apparent heights and the fact the Immlemann exits to the left. I think it will leave the Immlemann go across the area into that banked curve through the steel towers, through that concrete building, up into the stretched out hill which then goes into the Zero-G.

[ Bear ] said:
The blue line shows the new trackpieces they assembled, including an S-curve similar to Taron. These trackpieses go towards the (underground) launch.
I start to think there might be 2 launches (or an even bigger lifthill), the first one would be right after the small lifthill. The amount of track before the underground launch is way too long for just the lifthill. So there has to be a other way to get enough speed for this part of the ride. They placed a few supports for a long straight piece of track after the lifthill aswell.
x927zfT.jpg
Click to expand...
There aren't any signs of another launch straight and that would make the lifthill rather redundant (why not just launch it straight away?)
Can't see that happening. A drop after the lifthill into that empty concrete space currently in the centre of the site should give it enough momentum to navigate a decent amount of track.


It has also been reported today on PhantaFriends.de that Universal Rocks have started working inside the launch tunnel.
fly.thumb.png.850c0a076d4f57c7246a305ec77011a7.png

PHL-Marcus on PhantaFriends has also added the new track (yellow) to this diagram showing the overview of the layout so far.
 
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CSLKennyNI said:
There aren't any signs of another launch straight and that would make the lifthill rather redundant (why not just launch it straight away?)
Can't see that happening. A drop after the lifthill into that empty concrete space currently in the centre of the site should give it enough momentum to navigate a decent amount of track.
Click to expand...
First of all as I said there are a few supports for a long straight piece of track right after the lifthill. If you would look closely at the first picture you can see the new track pieces before the underground launch reach higher than the lifthill. So there has to be something else. ( a launch or an extented lifthill)
''why not just launch it straight away?'' Well because there is no space for a launch in that corner.
 
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If you look at the marked track, the curve on the left is at least as high as the cannon. Also considering the banking in that curve, the train will be going at a reasonable speed. So I think another launch would be the most logical option.
 
[ Bear ] said:
First of all as I said there are a few supports for a long straight piece of track right after the lifthill.... If you would look closely at the first picture you can see the new track pieces before the underground launch reach higher than the lifthill. So there has to be something else. ( a launch or an extented lifthill)
''why not just launch it straight away?'' Well because there is no space for a launch in that corner.
Click to expand...

There are no supports visible for a long straight piece of track after the lifthill in that picture. Could you draw on their location?
Due to perspective it is obviously difficult to accurately tell but the height difference between the new curve and the tallest lifthill support doesn't appear to be that much. Also worth noting the if there is a drop right down to the bottom of that pit; the track would be reaching a level lower than that of the station/bottom of the lifthill which is bound to build up a decent amount of speed to take those curves.

Having a launch high up on supports (as it has left the lifthill building by this stage) over the area wouldn't be great from a visual and thematic point of view. Then why not have the canon/tunnel after the launch?
I cannot logically see another launch at all.
 
I've written this on PhantaFriends already, but looking at the banking of all those helices and turnarounds, then I'm not all that worried about pacing anyway, and thus would be very surprised if we actually saw a 2nd launch. My biggest gripe with the B&M-Flyers always was that they were certainly it's own caliber of a coaster, but you weren't really... flying. Ya know? It's a very intense and overwhelming experience for the most part. From what I can tell, this appears to be Vekoma's attempt at a true flying experience, and that requires a pacing that feels very floaty, because otherwise this layout would kill you with positive Gs everywhere which are not very enjoyable in a flying position.

Also from a storytelling-perspective, it makes sense to "theme" the first part of the ride as a bad start of your ridiculous flying-machine contraption, and then the launch makes it a successful attempt or something like that. It also helps the riders acclimate to the flying position because it happens during the ride instead of in the station. Overall, I think the ride will have just as awesome constant pacing as Taron, but at a slower overall speed. Which makes a ton of sense. They really thought this through perfectly. And you can tell that from barely half the layout being erected.
 
Fluorineer said:
I've written this on PhantaFriends already, but looking at the banking of all those helices and turnarounds, then I'm not all that worried about pacing anyway, and thus would be very surprised if we actually saw a 2nd launch. My biggest gripe with the B&M-Flyers always was that they were certainly it's own caliber of a coaster, but you weren't really... flying. Ya know? It's a very intense and overwhelming experience for the most part. From what I can tell, this appears to be Vekoma's attempt at a true flying experience, and that requires a pacing that feels very floaty, because otherwise this layout would kill you with positive Gs everywhere which are not very enjoyable in a flying position.
Click to expand...

If you look at the trend of Phantasialand coasters they do tend to be towards the more intense end of the spectrum. Taron, Raik, Chiapas, River Quest, Black Mamba and Talocan being some of the most intense versions of those rides in the world. I've assumed this was as a counterpoint to Europa Park.

Whilst I don't think it'll be as intense as Taron or Flying Dinosaur I don't think it'll be as tame as you may think. Something like Manta at Seaworld is what I'm expecting, some intense moments and some more glidy moments between them.
 
ATI said:
I can't wait to see this completed. I wonder where they will fit the family coaster in that mess.
Click to expand...
Family coaster?
I assume you are referring to speculation/hope that there will another attraction in the area aimed at families/younger audience, in the same way Klugheim had Raik. If there is anything I think it is highly unlikely it will be a family coaster again.

To be honest the lack of rumours about, or signs on the construction site of, any other ride at this point is making me start to have doubts.
As is the rumour of a hotel; which would explain the still unanswered question of the meaning of the teaser: Rookburgh will be an area you can "experience by day & night" . Although I question the feasibility of constructing even a small hotel in time for Summer 2019.

Maybe somewhere at street level they could just enclose or integrate a small family/kid flat ride(s) in the area.
Or as they take up very little space maybe a kiddie coaster, similar in scale to the Kleine Zar in Hansa Park or Baaa Express in Europa? It's something they lack in their line up and it would well positioned beside the more kids/family orientated areas of Fantasy and Berlin. (Rookburgh +2?)

If there is no hotel, or something else (event or entertainment venue, restaurant, shops etc.) to explain the day & night teaser, located there; they could build a significant family attraction on the currently un-built section of the site bordering the road (seen in the foreground of the overview pictures). And the lack of rumours is because the park have just managed to keep it a complete secret this time.

There's too many variables to accurately predict anything at this point. But I do hope there will be something else.


Also off the back of the most recent pictures I've seen on a couple of forums and on social media some people questioning if Rookburgh will actually be done for 2019. To quell any concerns here's a picture of Klugheim from 25th August 2015. Worth noting as well that Klugheim's wooden buildings and structures were put together by hand, while the concrete/brick buildings and steel structures (which as we have already seen are delivered to the site finished) can be done quicker. Unless major technical problems arise (although with the previous extensive testing on the prototype at Vlodrop, and the fact Vekoma aren't Intamin, I'm confident it will be fine) they should have no problem completing the project in time.
klugheim_2015.08.25_09.jpg
 
Was looking at the European Union Intellectual Property Office's records for Phantasialand - the various names that the park have trademarked/copyrighted such as Rookburgh, Taron, Raik, Hotel Ling Bao, etc. Oddly enough no trademark for F.L.Y. has ever appeared?
http://euipo.europa.eu/eSearch/#details/owners/144666

The legal representative listed for most of the names is a firm called 'Klocke und Linkens' so I clicked on their profile and found out that they actually did apply to trademark the name "F.L.Y." in June 2017 (when the coaster was first announced).
Screenshot_20180827-194306_Samsung_Internet.jpg

Oddly enough Phantasialand isn't on the application however given the name format, the date and classifications (same as Taron & Raik's plus a few more merch options) it was definitely for the flying coaster.

https://euipo.europa.eu/eSearch/#details/trademarks/016873135

However the application was rejected after opposition from two different companies under the grounds of 'likelihood of confusion'.

I wonder if the park would keep the name even if they can't get it trademarked?
Or could they maybe change it?
The correspondence section of the webpage lists activity as recent as 14th August 2018. Which would suggest the park are perhaps trying to resolve the situation with those who opposed it.
 
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