Why are S&S drop towers slower than Intamin AG's Giant Drops? Is it because they need extra air in the cyclinders to bring the ride to a smooth stop?

I never found these slower since they fall faster than the rate of gravity gravity, while intamin towers drop at the same rate of gravity.

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UOIT Mechanical Engineering Student

Well, I'm not talking about the turbo drop ones, just the normal ones. All we have is Scream at SFFT.

The cars on Intamin towers are mechanically released from the top causing the cars to accelerate all the way down the towers -- not quite at the rate of gravity, but a portion of that rate due to friction/resistance. So you'll hit the top speed (usually around 60 MPH) on those just before the brakes. Those on S&S towers experience a "controlled plunge" at some constant speed for most of the way down, the acceleration is quicker down the first several feet down the S&S tower, but then falls at the same speed (usually between 40 and 50 MPH depending on the tower) until it hits the brakes -- basically they are propelled downward using the compressed air technology rather than dropped as the Intamin towers are.

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ThrillNetwork Lead Moderator (Originally known as Hurricane)

Good explanation Jimmy. And that's why I like the S&S towers more. The initial part of the drop gives an incredible pop of ejector air and doesn't place you back in your seat until you get to the bottom.

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The taller S&S's are extremely fun...aka Power Tower. I love it. On the red side, you get launched up (which is a good thrill waiting to be pushed up) and then pushed back down and while on the way shoved up and out of your seat...it's great. Intamin's don't do that to me...but they still are fun...

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Element of Freedom - December 15th

Whenever I ride STOP, it's like an accelerated elevator. for the first half a second or so, Iim off of my seat, but the rest of the fall, I'm just sitting there...it's really lame, IMO. Wildcatter (Intamin 1st gen) > STOP

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I know Jimmy covered most of the ground with his post, but I want to reiterate and add some stuff to it...

To be technical, yes, S&S towers are slower in top speed than Intamin Giant Drops. The Intamin Giant/Gyro Drop towers have a descent that's powered by gravity, and gravity alone whilst the S&S towers are "controlled" descents, via a cable & pulley system powered by pneumatics.

However, on the flipside, while S&S carriages do not attain top speeds as high as their Intamin counterparts because the descent is controlled, S&S towers actually produce more intense G's because the rapid descent/rapid ascent because of this control. While on an Intamin tower riders experience "free-fall" or "zero gravity," S&S riders on the descent can experience -1.0 G's and up to -1.5 G's on the larger 300-foot models -- meaning NEGATIVE gravity is felt, where not only do you feel the free-fall sensation, but riders are actually thrown up against their shoulder harness very forcefully.

I remember when Knott's Supreme Scream came out in July of '98 (S&S 312' foot Turbo Drop), the OC Register ran a very extensive article about the ride including detailed diagrams and they said if given enough room between shoulder and the harness, the ride is capable of lifting riders 6-inches off their seat down the rapid descent because of the amount of negative G's produced.

And that is what coasterlove was referring to with the pop of ejector airtime on S&S during the first second of the plunge, which is caused by the split-second "powered" acceleration. And as Chris mentioned, more intense G-forces are felt once the cars are powered to a sudden halt at the bottom, as caused by the riders' own inertia.

On Intamin towers, the magnetic brakes produce less G-forces at the bottom due to the slower deceleration rate, but the "weightless" sensation and faster speeds make up for that. Basically each kind of tower (Intamin or S&S) has its own advantages and disadvatages in riding. Intamin towers have elements that S&S doesn't have and vice versa.

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ThrillNetwork Lead Moderator (Originally known as Hurricane)

Intamin should make a launched tower ride similar to what s&s has. They could use the hydralic launch system that they use on rocket coasters, but virtically.

It would probably be more expensive to do that than to buy a S&S model...

But see thats what makes these companies different. They give different rides. I have been on both a second gen Intamin and an S&S tower.

I prefer the launch up on the S&S as it is different. But, the drop I prefer the intamin. Intamin is famous for their drop towers, S&S are more innovative and have different ways of running their towers.
They have the launch up and drop down and double shot.

Keep them different. IMO. Though I think I got more air on the S&S then I did the Intamin.

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And that's exactly why Intamin Giant Drops (Pitt Fall, Hellevator) are by far my favorite.

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Bryan Wood Thrillnetwork Database Admin and review writer extraordinare

I think it's interesting how most enthusiasts prefer one to the other, not both (there are some exceptions, but very few). One either likes Intamin Giant Drops and dislikes S&S towers; or one likes S&S towers and dislikes Intamin Giant Drops. I personally prefer S&S towers to Intamin Giant Drops. I feel they offer more than just the single big drop like the Giant Drops (S&S's have that bounce back halfway up the tower for a second descent and little hops back down the tower -- for a longer ride duration and extended ride dynamics); and more powerful maximum G-forces (up to -1.5/+4.5 G's unlike true freefall drops).

I like S&S towers better than Intamin Giant Drops, but I like 1st generation Intamin rides more than the both of them.

I've always enjoyed both. I've had the pleasure of being bloody scared to death by both Supreme Scream at Knott's and SCREAM at SFFT. But I've always enjoyed Dungeon Drop (or what used to be....) while it was at AstroWorld. There's nothing like a good feeling that your legs are about to be driven straight into the concrete!

As to why S&S's may be slower, I do not know. The answers found in the former posts do put great ideas out, though. I just know that Intamin's Second Generation towers such as DD (now at SFSTL) provides a true gravity-enforced free-fall, as compared to S&S's air-powered free-fall. Intamin's towers are usually louder, with the standard 'DDZZZZZZZRRTT' at the end of the freefall, but S&S's (ha) does have the audible hisses from the air tanks and etc. But both provide fun to me!

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I've been on both types from the shorter to the higher ones but not with enough frequency to give an accurate description of their operations. This is where the SFGADV disadvantage for having neither sinks in. : (

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I prefer the S&S's, because of the noise when (on freefallers) being hoisted to the top, suddenly stop. Then you have a while to sit in near silence (assuming you get an empty ride) for a few moments. Then a snap-ish sound and you fall.

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o hai. i herd u liek mudkipz?

I love both drop towers the same.. Whether it is actually slower or not, I dont think Ive ever percieved the S&S ones to be slower exactly. Aside from the technology, maybe some of it has to do with perception, considering on the Intamin towers you are brought to a sudden stop closer to the ground, where as on the S&S tower you slowly come down from a decent height after the bounces.. If you know what I mean.

And after going to SFOT and SFFT recently, all I have to say is, why can't my hometown S&S towers (Doctor Doom) have the same programming as Scream and Superman??

...And BGT needs to get an Intamin GIANT Gyro Drop....

But you have a first gen Intamin, I actually consider you lucky! I love those.

I totally agree. Wildcatter is much more intense and amazing than S:TOP. The drop on S:TOP is good, but once you're out of your seat you get right back in it because the entire drop you fall at the same speed. But on Wildcatter you're up against your harness the entire way down. And, unlike S:TOP, it literally takes your breath away.

I've been on both S:TOP and Scream! (scream is considerably smaller) and I foun Scream! to be more intense and fun than S:TOP.

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"If you focus on your giants, you stumble. If you focus on God, your giants tumble."

The two drop ones that I have been on by S&S, blue power tower and Superman Power of Tower at SFOT, I got no air on the drop portion. Howerver on Demon Drop @ CP I got tons of air. I still like S&S Towers that launch more than any others, except Tower of Terror (4) is the best.

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Dirty Tramp

I have only sat on Power Tower at Valleyfair! It's pretty funb, but I agree it does feel slow. I think it reaches 55mph, that's what it says on there website. It awesome though, becuase it's right by the lake/pond.

You have Kingda Ka, that's way better in my opinion.

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I like it much better being launched down faster than gravity rather than just released. You get ejector air and that feeling in your stomach on turbo drops. I love S&S towers.

I have not had that ""stomach"" feeling in years...

^ That's unfortunate for you then. Are you on the "heavier" side? And by that, I don't mean that in disrespect.

Try riding sheikra...it got me the first time in about 10 years, probably the first ride since ToT...and no I am skinny, not on the heavier side. Then again when I went to Florida I also "lost" my stomach on plenty of other rides that I hadn't on before

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Dirty Tramp

SROS gives that feeling in the back seat.

I dont get it.. And I have been on SROSs back seat many-a-time.

Your loss, dude!

Perhaps you don't know real ejector air?