# Suspended Family Coaster

A Suspended Family Coaster is a steel inverted roller coaster built by Vekoma designed for families with no inversions. Just like all inverted roller coasters the train runs under the track with the seats directly attached to the wheel carriage. This latter attribute is what sets it apart from the older suspended swinging coaster, which runs under the track, but "swings" via a pivoting bar attached to the wheel carriage.

## History

The Suspended Family Coaster debuted in 2001 with the Rugrats Runaway Reptar opening at Kings Island in Ohio, USA, and Silver Streak at sister park Canada's Wonderland. Several clones and variations have opened since.
The original designs featured trains with a safety system consisting of over-the-shoulder restraints. These restraints would lock into place with a belt-type connector which would be attached the seat base. All of the original track designs were of the 342m model with concrete footers.
In March 2007, Vekoma debuted a new version of the Suspended Family Coaster, the 294 m model. The first installation of this was Jimmy Neutron's Atomic Flyer at Movie Park Germany. The ride differs from previous Suspended Family Coasters because it has a portable base-frame beneath the track rather than concrete footers and features a new train style with fully padded seats that use lap bar restraints.
One month later in April 2007, the 395 m model was launched at Gröna Lund in Sweden. The ride, which was named Kvasten, features the same redesigned trains as Jimmy Neutron's Atomic Flyer. The ride also features a larger layout with a peak height of 20 metres (66 ft) and a length of 395 metres (1,296 ft).

## Models

All models have one train, which has 10 cars with 2 seats on each car. This caters for up to 650 riders per hour. All of the models feature lift hills powered by tires and magnetic brake runs.
* 294 m — features a compact footprint where riders rise to 13 metres (43 ft) before completing a 48-second ride of turns and drops.
* 342 m — riders are taken up 14.8 metres (49 ft) and go through a tight helix, followed by a series of small turns and drops for a one-and-a-half-minute ride.
* 395 m — This model stands 20 metres (66 ft) above the ground and reaches speeds of up to 55 kilometres per hour (34 mph).

## Installations

| Name | Amusement park | Location | Opening date | Model | Notes |
| Bat | Lagoon Amusement Park | Farmington, Utah, United States | 16 April 2005 | 342 m | |
| Big Top | Oriental Heritage Changsha | Ningxiang, Changsha, China | 2019 | 453 m | |
| Dragonflier | Dollywood | Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, United States | 2019 | 453 m | |
| Eagle Warrior | VinWonders Phú Quốc | Phú Quốc, Kiên Giang, Vietnam | 1 June 2020 | 453 m | |
| Family Coaster | Children's Grand Park, Seoul | Seoul, South Korea | 2014 | 395 m | |
| Flight of the Pterosaur | Paultons Park | Romsey, Hampshire, England | 17 May 2016 | 395 m | |
| Fire Mountain | Zigong Fantawild Dinosaur Kingdom | Da'an District, Zigong, China | 2022 | 453 m | |
| Woodstock’s Air Rail | Kings Island | Mason, Ohio, United States | 7 April 2001 | 342 m | |
| Flying School formerly Swamp Thing | Legoland Florida | Winter Haven, Florida, United States | 9 December 2004 | 342 m | Installed by Martin & Vleminckx |
| Freedom Flyer | Fun Spot America | Orlando, Florida, United States | May 2013 | 395 m | |
| Insomnio | Kataplum | Mexico City, Mexico | 1 November 2018 | 395 m | |
| Jimmy Neutron's Atomic Flyer | Movie Park Germany | Bottrop, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany | March 2007 | 294 m | |
| Kenny's Forest Flyer | Dreamworld | Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia | 26 December 2002 | 342 m | |
| Kiddy Hawk | Carowinds | Charlotte, North Carolina, United States | 22 March 2003 | 342 m | |
| Kvasten | Gröna Lund | Stockholm, Sweden | 28 April 2007 | 395 m | |
| Orkanen | Fårup Sommerland | Jylland, Denmark | 5 June 2013 | 453 m | |
| Orochi | Parc du Bocasse | Le Bocasse, Normandy, France | 1 July 2021 | 453 m | |
| Phoenix | Deno's Wonder Wheel Amusement Park | Brooklyn, New York, United States | 2 July 2021 | 375 m | |
| Roller Coaster | Galaxy | Kyiv, Ukraine | 2016 | 375 m | |
| Silver Streak | Canada's Wonderland | Vaughan, Ontario, Canada | 6 May 2001 | 342 m | |
| Suspended Family Coaster | Happy Valley Nanjing | Qixia District, Nanjing, China | 11 November 2020 | 453 m | |
| Steel Lasso | Frontier City | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States | 18 July 2008 | 294 m | |
| Swamp Thing | Wild Adventures | Valdosta, Georgia, United States | 10 May 2003 | 342 m | |

## Gallery

* Kenny's Forest Flyer at Dreamworld is a standard 342 m (1,122 ft) model.
* A car from Swamp Thing at Wild Adventures.
* Roller coaster train for the Bat at the Lagoon Amusement Park.
* Kvasten at Gröna Lund is the first 395m model in operation.