Lost Legends: Rye Beach Airplane Coaster |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In 1928, a brand new amusement park was constructed in Rye, New York. Rye Beach covered 273 acres of land with beautiful gardens and elegant Art Deco architecture. The park cost five million dollars to develop; and two hundred thousand dollars were spent construction three roller coasters. All three were designed by Fredrick Church. One of the them was a kiddie coaster, and another was the Dragon Coaster, a gentle ride which still operates today. The third coaster was the spectacular Airplane Coaster. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Fred Church's office was located located in Venice, California, near the entrance to "Race Thru The Clouds", a dual track side-friction coaster of his own design. It was here, sitting in his office doodling, that he came up with the Airplane's brilliant layout. In 1927 construction began, overseen by Frank W. Darling. The footers were poured, and the towering walls of timber soon began to take shape. It was originally thought that the Traver Engineering Company had been responsible for the construction of this ride; however, in 1983 the original blueprints, signed by Fred Church, were discovered in an attic at the park. These proved that Traver had nothing to do with the Airplane. Construction was completed in early 1928, and the coaster opened on May 26 of that year. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A ride on the Airplane was truly a memorable one. After exiting the curved loading station, the coaster made a 90º turn to the left and began climbing the lift. After the lift, the track dipped straight into a tight, left hand turn. Then the track dropped straight into a tunnel, faded slightly to the right, and climbed. The next drop was a descending right hand spiral that banked so hard that riders were thrown to one side and rattled around. The rest of the layout was full of spiralling drops and high speed plunges. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The Airplane coaster was such a phenomenal ride because of many things. The ride was so quick and full of curves that riders never knew what to expect. The track crossed over, under, and through its own structure very often, and also travelled alongside its structure for much of the ride. The presence of the structure and groves of trees very close to the track created a feeling of speed over the entire ride. Its two whirlpool sections and distinctive "bottleneck" created a symmetry that was extremely visually appealing. At night, Airplane was an incredible sight, lit with lights all along its structure. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Known originally as Airplane Dips, its name was changed to Aero-coaster and then finally to Airplane Coaster. For almost thirty years the it stood majestically over Long Island Sound, terrifying its riders. Sadly, all good things must come to an end, and roller coasters are no exceptions. Admittedly, to call this coaster good would be a ludicrous understatement; nevertheless, in 1957 Airplane ran its last train and thrilled its last passenger. Later that year Fred Church's great masterpiece was dismantled. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
No other coaster in history has been able to so well combine symmetrical beauty and flawless pacing with such a magnificent and unique layout; its spiraling drops have never been matched elsewhere. An even remotely similar ride has never been built; but perhaps to do so would spoil the very sanctity of this incredible ride. Rye Beach's magnificent, inimitable, and diabolical Airplane Coaster may be as close to perfection as roller coasters will ever come. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
¹Louis Botto, "Playland: Where it all began," New York Daily News Sunday Magazine, 21 May, 1978, p. 30
Written by James Kay
© Coasterglobe.com
Layout diagram © Coaster.org
Photos:
