Flashback (Six Flags Magic Mountain)

Flashback
Previously known as Z-Force (1985-1991)
An artist's renderation of Flashback when it was known as Z-Force.
Six Flags Magic Mountain
Park section	Six Flags Plaza
Coordinates	34°25′29″N 118°35′44″W / 34.424597°N 118.595542°W / 34.424597; -118.595542
Status	Removed
Opening date	April 25, 1992 (1992-04-25)
Closing date	2003 (2003)
Cost	$4,000,000[2]
Six Flags Over Georgia
Coordinates	33°46′05″N 84°33′04″W / 33.768°N 84.551°W / 33.768; -84.551
Status	Removed
Opening date	April 1988 (1988-04)
Closing date	1991 (1991)
Replaced by	Blue Hawk
Six Flags Great America
Coordinates	42°21′58″N 87°55′52″W / 42.366099°N 87.931116°W / 42.366099; -87.931116
Status	Removed
Opening date	July 10, 1985 (1985-07-10)[1]
Closing date	1987 (1987)
Replaced by	Iron Wolf
General statistics
Type	Steel
Manufacturer	Intamin
Designer	Werner Stengel
Model	Space Diver
Lift/launch system	Chain lift hill
Height	86 ft (26 m)
Drop	34 ft (10 m)
Length	1,900 ft (580 m)
Speed	35 mph (56 km/h)
Inversions	0
Duration	1:30
Max vertical angle	89°
Capacity	1,100 riders per hour
G-force	3
Height restriction	48 in (122 cm)
Trains	3 trains with 5 cars. Riders are arranged 4 across in a single row for a total of 20 riders per train.
Flashback at RCDB

Flashback was a steel roller coaster made by Intamin of Switzerland. The coaster was located in the Six Flags Plaza area of Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California. The model of the ride, a Space Diver coaster, was intended to be mass-produced, however, Flashback was the only installation.

Flashback first opened in 1985 at Six Flags Great America (at Gurnee, Illinois) as Z-Force. It was a prototype Space Diver that was purchased from the Intamin testing facility.^[3] In 1987, the ride was closed.^[4] The site was later used for a Bolliger & Mabillard stand-up roller coaster named Iron Wolf.

Following the ride's closure at Six Flags Great America, it was relocated to Six Flags Over Georgia, west of Atlanta.^[5] On July 18, 1989, an 11-year-old boy from Talladega, Alabama, became unconscious while riding Z-Force. Park staff performed CPR, but the victim was pronounced dead after being taken to HCA Parkway Medical Center.^[6] An autopsy failed to pinpoint the cause of death.^[7] The ride opened in 1988 before closing three seasons later in 1991.^[5]

The ride's final relocation was to Six Flags Magic Mountain in California.^[8] As part of the relocation, the ride was renamed from Z-Force to Flashback.^[8] It opened at the park in 1992.^[2]

Flashback gained a reputation as a painful ride experience. Riders would hit their heads on the uncomfortable restraints during each hairpin dive. In June 1995, Six Flags Magic Mountain opened a water park named Hurricane Harbor right next to the ride.^[9] Flashback was so noisy that the lifeguards were distracted, as well as the guests at Hurricane Harbor. Following these complaints, the ride would remain closed from May to September beginning in 1996.^[3]

The ride was left standing but not operating from 2003 until 2007.^[8] On January 23, 2007, the park announced that Flashback would be removed along with Psyclone.^[10] Originally, the park stated that Flashback may be re-built within the park for 2008, however it was dismantled and scrapped in December 2007.^[8]

Flashback was the world's only hairpin-drop roller coaster, with 6 head-over-heels dives and a 540-degree upward spiral. It was also the only Space Dive coaster ever to be built.^[4] It was all packed into a relatively small area with 1,900 feet (580 m) of track stacked above each other. The drops were severe, producing a free-fall experience on the plunges; fast steel switchbacks connected the turns just before trains flew into the gravity-defying upward spiral. Trains reached a max of 35 miles per hour (56 km/h), with a 3-g force on the one and a half minute ride.

Throughout its life, Flashback's track was painted blue with white supports.^[4][5][8] The style of track used on this coaster became the signature track style of coasters built by Bolliger & Mabillard.^{[citation needed]}

The ride featured three trains, each with five cars. Each car featured riders arranged 4 across for a total of 20 riders per train. The trains were manufactured by Giovanola.^[4][5][8] When Flashback was known as Z-Force, the trains were painted all blue with a navy blue stripe running down on the sides of the train. The restraints were also blue.^[4][5] After its relocation to Six Flags Magic Mountain, Flashback's trains were repainted red with a white chassis and a white stripe on the sides of each car. The restraints were also repainted orange.^[8]

• Flashback at the Roller Coaster DataBase
• Flashback photos on Ultimate Rollercoaster
• Flashback Removal Photos