Firehawk (roller coaster)

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Former roller coaster at Kings Island

title: "Firehawk (roller coaster)" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["roller-coasters-operated-by-cedar-fair", "former-roller-coasters-in-ohio", "roller-coasters-operated-by-six-flags"] description: "Former roller coaster at Kings Island" topic_path: "general/roller-coasters-operated-by-cedar-fair" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firehawk_(roller_coaster)" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Former roller coaster at Kings Island ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox roller coaster"]

FieldValue
nameFirehawk
logo
logodimensions
imageFirehawk 5.jpg
imagedimensions250px
captionFirehawk in 2007
previousnamesX-Flight at Six Flags Worlds of Adventure/Geauga Lake (2001–2006)
locationKings Island
sectionConey Mall
subsectionX-Base
coordinates
statusRemoved
opened
year2007
closed
replacementOrion
extend{{Infobox roller coaster extend
locationGeauga Lake
coordinates
section50's Midway
subsection
statusRelocated to Kings Island
soft_openedMay 24, 2001
opened
year2001
closed
costUS$15 million
typeSteel
type2Flying
manufacturerVekoma
modelFlying Dutchman (1018m)
liftChain lift hill
height_ft115
length_ft3340
speed_mph50
inversions5
duration2:10
angle33
capacity520
gforce4.3
restriction_in54-80
rcdb_number3793
trains2
carspertrain6
rowspercar1
ridersperrow4
virtual_queue_nameFast Lane Plus
virtual_queue_imageCedar Fair Fast Lane Plus availability icon.svg
virtual_queue_statuswas available
::

::callout[type=note] the Vekoma flying roller coaster at Kings Island ::

|name=Firehawk |logo=
|logodimensions=
|image=Firehawk 5.jpg |imagedimensions=250px |caption=Firehawk in 2007 |previousnames=X-Flight at Six Flags Worlds of Adventure/Geauga Lake (2001–2006) |location=Kings Island |section=Coney Mall |subsection=X-Base |coordinates= |status=Removed |opened= |year=2007 |closed= |cost= |replacement=Orion |extend={{Infobox roller coaster extend |location=Geauga Lake |coordinates= |section=50's Midway |subsection= |status=Relocated to Kings Island |soft_opened=May 24, 2001 |opened= |year=2001 |closed= |cost=US$15 million |type=Steel |type2=Flying |manufacturer=Vekoma |designer= |model=Flying Dutchman (1018m) |track= |lift=Chain lift hill |height_ft=115 |length_ft=3340 |speed_mph=50 |inversions=5 |duration=2:10 |angle=33 |capacity=520 |gforce=4.3 |restriction_in=54-80 |rcdb_number=3793 |trains=2 |carspertrain=6 |rowspercar=1 |ridersperrow=4 |virtual_queue_name =Fast Lane Plus |virtual_queue_image = Cedar Fair Fast Lane Plus availability icon.svg |virtual_queue_status = was available |custom_label_1= |custom_value_1=

Firehawk was a flying roller coaster located at Kings Island in Mason, Ohio. Manufactured by Vekoma, it originally opened as X-Flight at Six Flags Worlds of Adventure on May 26, 2001, billed as the Midwest's first and only flying roller coaster. Cedar Fair purchased Worlds of Adventure in 2004 and began efforts to downsize the park. X-Flight was relocated to Kings Island following the 2006 season, where it reopened as Firehawk on May 26, 2007.

The roller coaster's layout was identical to the now-defunct Batwing, another Vekoma Flying Dutchman model, located at Six Flags America. Firehawk closed permanently on October 28, 2018, and was later demolished. On August 15, 2019, it was announced that Firehawk would be replaced by a new Bolliger & Mabillard coaster named Orion, a giga coaster that opened in 2020.

History

Six Flags Worlds of Adventure/Geauga Lake (2001–2006)

When Geauga Lake was known as Six Flags Ohio, plans for a new roller coaster known as X-Flight were revealed on January 4, 2001. Six days later, Six Flags purchased SeaWorld Ohio – next to Geauga Lake – and merged the two to create Six Flags Worlds of Adventure. X-Flight was advertised as the first flying roller coaster in the Midwest, and it was the park's tenth roller coaster overall – the fifth added since 2000. The new coaster was built on a former bus parking lot, and Geauga Lake Road had to be rerouted around the ride. Regarding the design of the attraction, Jake Bateman, Vice President and General Manager of Six Flags Worlds of Adventure, said:

Land clearing began on December 1, 2000, and construction on the footers began February 9, 2001. X-Flight was originally intended to open on May 5, but due to technical difficulties, its opening was delayed. During testing, problems were discovered with several devices, including the reclining mechanism on the trains and their restraints. X-Flight's media day was eventually held on May 24, 2001, and the ride officially opened two days later on May 26.

Cedar Fair purchased the park from Six Flags in 2004 for $145 million. They announced intentions of returning the park to its roots as a family-oriented amusement park. The efforts to downsize the park eventually led to X-Flight's removal. On November 22, 2006, Geauga Lake park officials announced that X-Flight was being dismantled to be moved to another unspecified Cedar Fair property. Moving the ride would take several months, as the final sections of track and supports wouldn't be removed until March 2007.

Kings Island (2007–2018)

On January 22, 2007, green Vekoma track resembling the track of X-Flight was spotted at Kings Island, a Cedar Fair park in Mason, Ohio. On February 5, 2007, Kings Island officially announced Firehawk as the former X-Flight roller coaster from Geauga Lake. Construction was scheduled to begin later that month, and the opening was set for Memorial Day weekend later that year. Firehawk officially opened as scheduled on May 26, 2007. It was the first roller coaster to be introduced at the park since Cedar Fair purchased it from Paramount Parks in 2006. The first 2,500 riders received commemorative Firehawk t-shirts.

On September 27, 2018, Kings Island announced that Firehawk would close permanently on October 28, 2018. The ride was demolished prior to the 2019 season. Firehawk's trains were shipped to Carowinds to be used as spare parts for Nighthawk. In 2020, Firehawk was replaced with a giga coaster named Orion. The former photo booth was reused as the new coaster's entrance.

Ride experience

Track

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6a/Firehawk_train_in_final_helix.jpg" caption="Train in final helix"] ::

The steel track was 3340 ft in length, and the height of the lift hill was 115 ft. There were approximately 300 sections of track colored red, with steel gray supports. When the ride operated at Geauga Lake, the track was neon green with dark blue supports.

Firehawk had a total of five inversions – one vertical loop, two inline twists, and four 180-degree inline twists that were each counted as a half inversion. These 180-degree inline twists were also known as "Lie-to-Fly" and "Fly-to-Lie" elements, in which riders on their backs were flipped to face the ground or vice versa.

Layout

Once riders were seated and restrained, the train was tilted backwards into a 'lay-down' position and dispatched. The train traveled backwards out of the station, turned left and traveled up the 115 ft lift hill at a 33-degree angle. Once the train reached the top of the lift hill, it dipped down into a twist (called a "Lie-to-Fly") that turned the trains upside down into a flying position where riders faced the ground. After the twist, the train traveled down the first drop, reaching speeds of 51 mi/h. Riders then proceeded through an over banked horseshoe curve element, passing the queue area. Following the horseshoe, the train entered a "Fly-to-Lie" element that turned riders back to a lay-down position. After the banked turn, the ride entered the 66 ft tall vertical loop, where riders experience 4.3 Gs. The train then went into another "Lie-to-Fly" element. Following the loop, riders entered another turn and hit two consecutive inline twists. Following the inline twists, the train entered the final helix followed by the final "Fly-to-Lie" element. Afterwards, the train was slowed to a stop on the brake run before returning to the station.

Station

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/70/Firehawk_red_train_in_station.jpg" caption="Firehawk's red train in the station"] ::

The coaster featured a dual station which was connected to the main track using a switch track segment (similar to a railroad switch). Dual-station operation allowed for two trains to be loaded simultaneously for more efficient operation. This configuration has existed since the ride debuted at Geauga Lake.

Trains

Firehawk operated with two trains. There were six cars with four seats in each row for a total of 24 riders per train. Originally, riders reclined on the lift hill, rather than in the station, and returned to an upright position prior to re-entering the station. However, this was changed to occur in the station due to problems that arose during the ride's first season. The trains featured the Firehawk logo on the front colored yellow and red. At Geauga Lake, the X-Flight logo was featured on the trains.

Incident

On August 8, 2009, an adult male passenger was rushed to a hospital after he was found with breathing problems following the ride. He died the same evening. The Hamilton County Coroner's Office reported that a heart condition was the likely cause of death and ruled it a natural cause. The ride was re-opened at 12:10 pm on August 9, 2009, after an inspection by the Ohio Department of Agriculture – a division of the state government responsible for amusement park ride safety in Ohio. They determined the ride was operating within the manufacturer's specifications.

Gallery

Geauga Lake

File:X-Flight (Geauga Lake) 1.jpg File:X-Flight (Geauga Lake) 2.jpg File:X-Flight (Geauga Lake) 3.jpg

Kings Island

File:Firehawk yellow train.jpg File:Firehawk switch track.jpg

References

References

  1. "Orion: Kings Island". Kings Island.
  2. (April 21, 2011). "A Blast From The Past - Six Flags Worlds of Adventures X-Flight Pt. 2". News Plus Notes.
  3. (January 10, 2001). "Six Flags, Inc. Purchases SeaWorld in Ohio". PR Newswire.
  4. (January 10, 2001). "Six Flags Buys SeaWorld Ohio To Combine Parks". Ultimate Roller Coaster.
  5. (January 7, 2001). "X-Flight to Take Riders Flying at Six Flags Ohio". Ultimate Roller Coaster.
  6. (January 4, 2001). "Incredible flying coaster". [[Roller Coaster Database]].
  7. "X-Flight R.I.P.". Jesmedia.
  8. (April 9, 2004). "Cedar Fair Completes Purchase of Six Flags Worlds of Adventure". The Business Journal.
  9. Seewer, John. (March 12, 2004). "Cedar Fair buys Six Flags park near Cleveland". The Associated Press.
  10. Olsen, David. (November 22, 2006). "X-Flight cleared for takeoff from Geauga Lake". Coaster-Net.
  11. (November 23, 2006). "Geauga Lake workers to relocated coaster". [[The Vindicator]].
  12. "X-Flight (Geauga Lake Today)". Geauga Lake Today.
  13. "Parking Lot Staging Area". Kings Island Central.
  14. (February 5, 2007). "X-Flight Gets Paint, New Name For Kings Island Move". [[WLWT]].
  15. "Firehawk at Coaster-Net". Coaster-Net.
  16. (May 22, 2007). "Firehawk ride set to open at Kings Island". Go!.
  17. Matarese, John. (September 27, 2017). "Farewell, Firehawk: Kings Island announces roller coaster will come down". WCPO.
  18. Glaser, Susan. (September 27, 2018). "Kings Island removing Firehawk roller coaster, a Geauga Lake hand-me-down". The Plain Dealer.
  19. (January 31, 2019). "Video: Kings Island's Firehawk roller coaster comes crashing down". WLWT.com.
  20. (March 5, 2020). "Carowinds Off-Season Maintenance Update".
  21. {{cite RCDB
  22. "KINGS ISLAND'S ORION ROLLER COASTER A STORY-DRIVEN ATTRACTION". Kings Island.
  23. {{Cite RCDB
  24. {{Cite RCDB
  25. {{Cite RCDB
  26. "Flying Coasters". Coaster Force.
  27. (September 21, 2010). "Firehawk POV". Sharp Productions.
  28. "ACN review (X-Flight)". America Coasters.
  29. (April 14, 2011). "A Blast From The Past - Six Flags Worlds of Adventures X-Flight Pt. 1". News Plus Notes.
  30. (November 20, 2009). "Heart condition killed park rider". [[Toledo Blade]].
  31. (August 9, 2009). "Kings Island roller coaster reopened after Toledo-area man's death". [[Springfield News-Sun]].

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::

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