Ben said:
The drops look fab, but other than them it's just a load of corners and a Zero-G which no one would give a crap about if it was steel. Well, you know, totally steel. Causeitishalfsteel.
Such a gimmick and I just don't get it <////3
I'm not really sure if materials are that important in the big picture. The average park goer doesn't see "Woodies" or "Steels" like we do, they see "Coasters" and are happy with that. We measure and categorize the rides we have, keeping a clear difference between wood coasters and steel coasters, but to most people, that difference doesn't matter. It's a fun ride nonetheless.
I think it a wooden coaster fits better in some situations than steel coasters would. Wood coasters create their own sort of atmosphere, they fit in the "old and rickety" setting, and they stand out visually with their intricate structures and old-timey woodiness. They also provide fun rides, for the most part, but they can't do the insane things steel coasters are capable of. Traditionally, you build wood for "ricketyness" and atmosphere, and steel for a wild ride.
These coasters, however, bring out the best of both. They have the atmosphere of a woodie (in the public eyes, mind you), looking sort of old-fashioned while performing wild maneuvres. The roar of the woodie with the grace of the steel, so to say (It's past midnight. Bear with my posting).
I wouldn't call this a Hybrid coaster. I like the sound of "Composite coaster" better. You pick two materials with properties that compliment each other, and fuse them into one structure utilizing the best of both. Like reinforced concrete or fibreglass, you mix the best properties of your ingredients and get a product which can do both things. The result in this case is a woodie-looking coaster which can do inversions. Launches too, probably. It also doesn't age as bad as quickly, and load bearing elements can be reinforced with steel beams so you don't have to replace boards every other week.
I think it is a wonderful idea, and am for more composite coasters in the future. Woodies and steels are cool in their own right, but a mix every now and then isn't half bad either. After all, there are still a lot of "single-material" rides out there for purists.