Enterprise (ride)
Encyclopedia
Amusement ride
Amusement rides are large mechanical devices that move people to create enjoyment. They are frequently found at amusement parks, traveling carnivals, and funfairs.-Notable types:*Afterburner*Ali Baba*Balloon Race*Booster...
, manufactured primarily by HUSS Maschinenfabrik in 1972. The ride was an adaptation and improvement of a design produced earlier that year by Schwarzkopf
Anton Schwarzkopf
Anton Schwarzkopf was a German engineer of amusement rides, and founder of the Schwarzkopf Industries company, which built numerous rides and large roller coasters for both amusement parks and travelling funfairs....
, with an increased passenger capacity. Despite not owning the original incarnation of the ride, HUSS was issued the patent
Patent
A patent is a form of intellectual property. It consists of a set of exclusive rights granted by a sovereign state to an inventor or their assignee for a limited period of time in exchange for the public disclosure of an invention....
.
The ride is named after USS Enterprise
USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)
The USS Enterprise, NCC-1701, is a fictional starship in the Star Trek media franchise. The original Star Trek series depicts her crew's mission "to explore strange new worlds; to seek out new life and new civilizations; to boldly go where no man has gone before" under the command of Captain James...
from the TV series Star Trek
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
. The backdrop is decorated with space-themed art and a silhouette of the starship Enterprise.
Enterprises are manufactured by HUSS, Schwarzkopf, and Heinz Fähtz; all sharing the name Enterprise. Both trailer and park versions have been created and in use.
Design and operation
Centrifugal force
Centrifugal force can generally be any force directed outward relative to some origin. More particularly, in classical mechanics, the centrifugal force is an outward force which arises when describing the motion of objects in a rotating reference frame...
. A hydraulically-powered arm underneath the ride then raises and tilts the frame so that the ride is rotating at 87° from the horizontal, transforming the ride from a horizontal experience to a nearly vertical one.
On most Enterprise models there are no safety restraints; the force applied to the riders is sufficient to keep them pinned in their seats, however, some models have been fitted with seat belts. Most parks and carnivals require riders to be at least 48 inches tall, though it is not uncommon to see restrictions as much as 54 inches or more. The transportable version of the ride racks onto two trailers, the first carrying the wheel, arm, and drive systems while the second is loaded with the gondolas, platforms, and any additional equipment. The first trailer also acts as the base of the ride while in operation.
Giant Enterprise/SkyLab
In the early 1980s HUSS produced a larger version of the Enterprise called the SkyLab. It features fifteen to twenty four-seater gondolas (up to two riders per seat) and had a diameter of approximately 60 feet or greater. Most SkyLabs have been dismantled, however there are three known models still operating, The Orbiter at Canada's Wonderland in VaughanVaughan
Vaughan is a city in York Region north of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Vaughan is the fastest growing municipality in Canada achieving a population growth rate of 80.2% between 1996–2006, according to Statistics Canada having nearly doubled in population since 1991. Vaughan is located in Southern...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Super Planet at Yokohama Cosmo World in Yokohama City, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and Sky Loop at Luna Park in Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
.
UFO
HUSS used the basis of the Enterprise for another ride called the UFO. This ride was similar in operation, however the cars did not swing freely and riders stood up facing the center of the ride. Similarly to most Enterprise rides, there are no restraints due to the centrifugal force experienced on the ride. This ride is no longer in production.Fly Away
HUSS also used the design of the Enterprise for a newer attraction called Fly Away. In this version, riders lay on their stomachs to simulate the feeling of flying.Schwarzkopf
The Schwarzkopf versions of the Enterprise have either 16 or 21 gondolas, thus having a different diameter of the wheel. The gondolas are also smaller than the HUSS version. Originally, the gondolas were produced in-house; they were later replaced by gondolas manufactured separately by Reverchon.Heinz Fähtz
Heinz Fähtz manufactured some 16-gondola Enterprises. The last known operating park model is at Darien Lake, installed in 1980. Another portable ride is traveled in New Zealand by Mahons Amusements, loading on 2 trailers complete with backflash.Appearances
- Note: Schwarzkopf versions of the ride are indicated with "(SDC)" following the park or operator name. The Heinz Fähtz Enterprise is marked "(HF)".
- Argentina – Two Enterprises; Enterprise I at Parque de la CiudadParque de la CiudadThe Parque de la Ciudad is an amusement park in Buenos Aires, Argentina.-History:The park was planned by the administration of Mayor Osvaldo Cacciatore in 1978. Cacciatore, appointed by Argentina's last military government, envisaged the park as the centerpiece of efforts to revitalize the...
and Enterprise II at Parque de la CiudadParque de la CiudadThe Parque de la Ciudad is an amusement park in Buenos Aires, Argentina.-History:The park was planned by the administration of Mayor Osvaldo Cacciatore in 1978. Cacciatore, appointed by Argentina's last military government, envisaged the park as the centerpiece of efforts to revitalize the...
(SDC). - India −5 enterprises;three at Mumbai 2 in Six Flags and 1 at Play Land, 1 at New Delhi at essel world and one at Hydrabad at Musky Mountain
- Colombia – one enterprise at parque nacional del cafe
- Australia – Four Enterprises; The Enterprise at Luna Park Melbourne, Reef DiverReef DiverReef Diver is a themed Enterprise amusement ride in the Ocean Parade section of Dreamworld on the Gold Coast, Australia.-History:Reef Diver opened in the County Fair section of Dreamworld in 1983. At that time it operated under the name Enterprise. In 2000, the actual ride was replaced with an...
at DreamworldDreamworldDreamworld is a large theme park situated on the Gold Coast in Queensland. It is currently Australia's largest theme park with over 27 rides including 4 roller coasters. The park is made up of several themed lands: Ocean Parade, Kid's World, Wiggles World, Gold Rush Country, Rocky Hollow, Tiger...
(SDC), one traveling model. The fourth is under refurbishment, location unknown. - Canada – At least three Enterprises; one at PlaylandPlayland (Vancouver)Playland is an amusement park in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It is located in Hastings Park and is the oldest amusement park in Canada....
, The STORM, at Calaway ParkCalaway ParkCalaway Park is Western Canada's largest outdoor family amusement park. The park is located in Springbank, Rocky View County, Alberta, west of the city of Calgary on the Trans-Canada Highway....
, and several portable models. At least one Skylab, The Orbiter at Canada's Wonderland - Denmark – One Enterprise; 'Enterprise' at BakkenBakken-People:*Alf Bakken, Norwegian politician for the Progress Party*Atle Bakken, Norwegian composer*Anne-Lise Bakken , Norwegian politician*Brenda Bakken-Lackey, former Canadian provincial politician*Christopher Bakken, American poet and professor...
. - Egypt – One in Dream Park; largest amusement park in Egypt and the Middle East
- Estonia – At least one; a traveling model owned by Tivoli Tuur. Got into fire in 2007. 41 were inuried.
- Finland – At least two; Enterprise at TykkimäkiTykkimäkiTykkimäki is an amusement park in Kouvola, Finland. It has 30 different rides, along with some restaurants and kiosks. A camping site and Lake Käyrälampi are located near Tykkimäki....
amusement park and Kehrä at LinnanmäkiLinnanmäkiLinnanmäki is an amusement park in Helsinki, Finland. It was opened on May 27, 1950 and is owned by non-profit Lasten Päivän Säätiö . Linnanmäki has 44 different rides of different sizes...
amusement park (SDC) (from 2009). - Germany – Only one travelling Enterprise; Mondlift owned by Zehle., plus a few stationary Enterprises in different amusement parks – all manufactured by Huss.
- The Netherlands – Three Enterprises; Enterprice at Attractiepark Slagharen (SDC), G-Force at Walibi Holland, Kwal at Drievliet.
- New Zealand – One Traveling Enterprise, 'Enterprise' Mahons Amusements"(HF)".
- Israel – One in the Luna Park in Tel AvivTel AvivTel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
(this is the only mobile built Sky Lab ride that had been travelled in Germany in 1979–1990). - Spain – At least one; La Turbina at Parque de Atracciones, Madrid. (SDC)
- United Kingdom At least Seven; Enterprise at Dreamland MargateDreamland MargateDreamland Margate is an amusement park located in Margate, Kent, England. It is currently owned by Margate Town Centre Regeneration Company and is closed to the public...
, Black Widow's Web at Lightwater ValleyLightwater ValleyLightwater Valley is a theme park in Ripon, North Yorkshire, England. The park is perhaps best known for being the home of Europe’s longest rollercoaster - The Ultimate....
, Zodiac at Thorpe ParkThorpe ParkThorpe Park is a theme park located in Chertsey, Surrey, England, UK. It was built in 1979 on the site of a gravel pit which was partially flooded, the intention of creating a water based theme for the park. The park's first large roller coaster, Colossus, was added in 2002...
, Enterprise at Alton TowersAlton TowersAlton Towers is a theme park and resort located in Staffordshire, England. It attracts around 2.7 million visitors per year making it the most visited theme park in the United Kingdom. Alton Towers is also the 9th most visited theme park in Europe...
, Enterprise at Flamingoland,The Captain's Wheel at Loudoun CastleLoudoun Castle (theme park)Loudoun Castle was a theme park set around the ruins of the 19th century Loudoun Castle near Galston, in the Loudoun area of Ayrshire, Scotland, United Kingdom. The park opened in 1995, and closed at the end of the 2010 season...
. ,and a traveling Enterprise owned by Funfair Props. - United States of America – At least seventeen; Enterprise at Casino PierCasino PierCasino Pier is an amusement park situated on a pier , in Seaside Heights, New Jersey, USA. The pier extends approximately 300 feet into the Atlantic Ocean, from the narrow strip of the Barnegat Peninsula in which Seaside Heights exists...
, Dorney Park & Wildwater KingdomDorney Park & Wildwater KingdomDorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom is an American amusement and water park located in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The park features nine roller coasters, other adult and children's rides, and a waterpark, Wildwater Kingdom....
, Valleyfair!Valleyfair!Valleyfair, sometimes stylized Valleyfair! is a 125 acre amusement park located in Shakopee, Minnesota, USA and is currently the largest amusement park in the Upper Midwest United States. The park has over 50 rides and water attractions and currently operates 8 roller coasters, one of the most...
, Lake CompounceLake CompounceLake Compounce is an amusement park located in Bristol, Connecticut, United States and a part of the neighboring town of Southington, Connecticut; the lake itself lies completely in Southington. It is the oldest continuously operating amusement park in North America, having operated every year...
, Six Flags Kentucky KingdomSix Flags Kentucky KingdomKentucky Kingdom is an amusement park located in Louisville, Kentucky, USA. The park is located on of land which includes a collection of 27 amusement rides and a water park named Splashwater Kingdom...
, the Strates ShowsStrates ShowsStrates Shows is America's only railroad carnival. It travels the United States during a seven-month season, transporting personnel and equipment with 61 rail cars and 34 trucks. Traveling with the show are some 400 employees and families who operate the many rides, games and...
traveling railway carnival, and Murphy Bros. Exposition; Highland Fling at Six Flags St. LouisSix Flags St. LouisSix Flags St. Louis , is an amusement park owned by Six Flags, Inc. It is located in Eureka, Missouri, USA . Opened in 1971 as the third theme park of the Six Flags chain, this was the last park that was built under the Six Flags name...
(SDC); Centennial Screamer at Lagoon Amusement ParkLagoon Amusement ParkLagoon is an amusement park in Farmington, Utah, United States located about seventeen miles north of Salt Lake City. It is privately owned...
; Silver Bullet at the Darien Lake Theme Park Resort (HF); Vertigo at Alabama Adventure; Volcano (formerly Enterprise) at Kennywood Park; Wheelie at Six Flags Over GeorgiaSix Flags Over GeorgiaSix Flags Over Georgia is a theme park located west of Atlanta, in unincorporated Cobb County. Opened in 1967, it is the second park in the Six Flags chain, after the original opening in 1961 in Texas....
(SDC); Witches' Wheel at Cedar PointCedar PointCedar Point is a 364 acre amusement park located in Sandusky, Ohio, United States on a narrow peninsula jutting into Lake Erie. Cedar Point is the only amusement park with four roller coasters that are taller than...
; The Orbit at Six Flags Great AmericaSix Flags Great AmericaSix Flags Great America is a Six Flags theme park in the Chicago metropolitan area, located in Gurnee, Illinois. It first opened in 1976 as Marriott's Great America. Six Flags purchased the park from the Marriott Corporation in 1984, making it the seventh park in the chain...
(SDC) and California's Great America (SDC); Scream Weaver at Carowinds; and Zulu at Worlds of FunWorlds of FunWorlds of Fun is an amusement park in Kansas City, Missouri, United States. The park opened in 1973 and was originally built by Lamar Hunt and Jack Steadman . In 1995 Hunt-Midwest sold Worlds of Fun to Cedar Fair Entertainment Co., which currently owns the park...
. Wagon Wheel at Six Flags Fiesta TexasSix Flags Fiesta TexasSix Flags Fiesta Texas is a seasonally operated theme park located on approximately of land in San Antonio, Texas.Six Flags Fiesta Texas is the major entertainment component of USAA's La Cantera, a 1,600 acre master-planned development in northwest San Antonio...
.
Past appearances
- Apple Turnover at Kings Dominion (1976–1991), Doswell, VirginiaDoswell, VirginiaDoswell is an unincorporated community in Hanover County in the Central Region of the U.S. state of Virginia. Originally called Hanover Junction, it was located on the Virginia Central Railroad, which later became part of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad at a crossing of the Richmond,...
- Skylab at Kings IslandKings IslandKings Island is a amusement park located northeast of Cincinnati in Mason, Ohio. Opened in 1972 by Taft Broadcasting Company and now owned by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company, Kings Island is the most visited seasonal amusement park in the U.S...
(1986–1997), Mason, OhioMason, OhioMason is an affluent city in southwestern Warren County, Ohio, United States, 22 miles away from Cincinnati . As of the 2010 census, Mason's population was 30,712. Mason has experienced fast growth, with its historic Main Street remaining at the center of the community... - Enterprise at TusenfrydTusenfrydTusenfryd is an amusement park at Vinterbro, Norway. The park is located 20 kilometers south of Oslo. Two of the longest motorway corridors in Norway, E6 and E18, meet nearby Tusenfryd and the park is located on the west side near where they meet. SpeedMonster, SuperSplash, ThunderCoaster and...
(1988–2006), ÅsÅsÅs is a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. It is part of the Follo traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Ås...
, NorwayNorwayNorway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million... - Enterprise at WasalandiaWasalandiaWasalandia Amusement Park and Tropiclandia Waterpark is a small amusement park, waterpark and campground complex located in the city of Vaasa, Vaskiluoto district, Finland. It is Finland's fifth largest amusement park....
(1988–1996), VaasaVaasaVaasa is a city on the west coast of Finland. It received its charter in 1606, during the reign of Charles IX of Sweden and is named after the Royal House of Vasa...
, FinlandFinlandFinland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside... - Skylab at The Great Escape in Queensbury, NY (closed in 2001). The ride is still on Great Escape property, In storage in the Boneyard at the Great Escape.
- Nightwing at Six Flags New England (closed in 2008)
- Enterprise (Huss Portable Model) at Six Flags Great AdventureSix Flags Great AdventureSix Flags Great Adventure is a theme park in Jackson Township, New Jersey, owned by Six Flags Entertainment Corp., the world's largest amusement park corporation...
(1975–1977) - Enterprise/Spin Meister (Schwarzkopf Park Model) at Six Flags Great AdventureSix Flags Great AdventureSix Flags Great Adventure is a theme park in Jackson Township, New Jersey, owned by Six Flags Entertainment Corp., the world's largest amusement park corporation...
(1979–2005) - Cyclops at Hershey Park, Hershey, PennsylvaniaHershey, PennsylvaniaHershey is a census-designated place in Derry Township, Dauphin County in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The community is located 14 miles east of Harrisburg and is part of the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area. Hershey has no legal status as an incorporated municipality...
- Enterprise/Reactor at Six Flags Magic MountainSix Flags Magic MountainSix Flags Magic Mountain is a theme park located in Valencia, California north of Los Angeles. It opened on Memorial Day weekend on May 30, 1971 as Magic Mountain, by the Newhall Land and Farming Company. In 1979, Six Flags purchased the park and added the name Six Flags to the park's title. In...
- Loop Trainer Flying Machine (Schwarzkopf Park Model) at Knott's Berry FarmKnott's Berry FarmKnott's Berry Farm is a theme park in Buena Park, California, now owned by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company, and a line of jams, jellies, preserves, and other specialty food, now part of The J. M. Smucker Company based in Placentia, California....
(1976–1989)
Major Incidents
- October 17, 1983 – An eighteen year old man was killed and several bystanders were injured at the Texas State Fair when a gondola fell off the ride.
- September 22, 2001 – two teenagers sustained minor injuries when one support on a gondola broke on Zodiac, the enterprise at Thorpe ParkThorpe ParkThorpe Park is a theme park located in Chertsey, Surrey, England, UK. It was built in 1979 on the site of a gravel pit which was partially flooded, the intention of creating a water based theme for the park. The park's first large roller coaster, Colossus, was added in 2002...
, UK. The gondola repeatedly hit the decking at the bottom of the ride whilst the operator attempted to stop the ride. The incident was taken to court, where the judge criticised the length of time it took to shut down the ride after an abnormal noise had been noticed. The park was fined £65,000 and made to pay an extra £35,000 in costs. - May 18, 2007 – An EstoniaEstoniaEstonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
n Enterprise owned by Tivoli Tuur and operating at a carnival in RakvereRakvereRakvere is a town in northern Estonia and the county seat of Lääne-Viru County, 20 km south of the Gulf of Finland.-History:The earliest signs of human settlement dating back to the 3rd-5th centuries AD have been found on the present theatre hill. Probably to protect that settlement, a wooden...
caught fire. The ride was in motion, with riders aboard, when the fire suddenly ignited at approximately 11:00p.m. The ride was stopped and evacuated, but not before injuries were sustained by the riders. 31 patients were hospitalized with first- and second-degree burns, with an additional 10 admitted and checked for possible smoke inhalation. Six burn victims required further treatment, with all six released from hospital by May 23. The fire damaged the ride's electrical systems and five of the twenty gondolas. The ride owner suggested arson was to blame, although preliminary investigations found no evidence supporting this.