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By Crystal Carry
Tatsu, Six Flag’s newest rollercoaster, flies around several other park attractions, including the sky tower. (Christopher Dietrich)
By Crystal Carry
As the gates open and you start to walk on the track, your heart starts to beat a little harder. As you sit, pull the harness down and make sure it is locked in place, your heart starts to beat a little faster. And as the seat tilts backwards and you are hanging facing the ground, your heart is racing and there is no turning back.
This is the experience of Six Flags Magic Mountain’s newest roller coaster, TATSU. “TATSU is the world’s tallest, fastest, longest flying coaster,” said Six Flags Public Relations Manager Sue Carpenter.
The flight starts off with a 170-foot tall lift where the rider is staring at the ground below. Once you get to the top, the ride plummets down followed by more gut wrenching plunges, sky facing spirals, loops and one crazy dive.
Viewpoints attended a college press day event on May 12 to premiere the new ride.
“(My favorite part was) when it went upside down on the loops because I was being pushed out of my seat,” Viewpoints photographer Christopher Dietrich said. “It was almost as if I was going to fall out.”
TATSU is a two-minute ride reaching speeds of 62 miles per hour and a 263-foot change in elevation from its highest peak to its lowest.
“Besides strapping yourself into a jet fighter, no where else can you experience this unique acrobatic flying experience,” said Paul Ruben, North American editor of Park World magazine.
TATSU brings the total number of roller coasters at Magic Mountain to 17 others include X, Déjà Vu, Superman The Escape, Viper and Revolution.
Check out TATSU and “ride at the speed of fear.”
View more photos of this ride here
To press the play button on the lower right hand side of the screen to start the slideshow.