PowerPark's second Gerstlauer Infinity Coaster...
PowerPark's second Gerstlauer Infinity Coaster...
| Theme Park | PowerPark |
|---|---|
| Type | Rollercoaster |
| Audience | Thrillseekers |
| Opened | 24 June 2020 |
| Manufacturer | Gerstlauer |
| Model | Infinity Coaster |
| Height | 2274 ft |
| Length | 143 ft |
| Inversions | 0 |
| Max Speed | 62 mph |
Off the lift hill and into the first element
Named after a 1940s biplane used for aerobatic stunts, Pitts Special is a rollercoaster at Finland's PowerPark.
The ride is an unusual beast, not least because it is the second Gerstlauer Infinity Coaster to be added to the park, five years after Junker was opened. Both rollercoasters sit in the same area of the park, and Pitts Special's track intersects with Junker at several points. The two are even painted in the same green and grey colour scheme and have train designs which were first seen on Karacho at Tripsdrill.
Pitts Special is quite different from Junker though, and begins with a 43 metre tall vertical lift hill rather than an LSM launch. After diving down the other side, the train enters the ride's first element which sends riders spiralling around a giant twist of track that looks a bit like an ampersand. A large airtime filled hill takes the train across PowerPark's main entrance road and into a set of banked turns and hills over the park's outdoor karting track. A second hill brings riders back across the entrance road, with the track running alongside the river and over one final airtime hill which acts as the ride's conclusion.
While at first it seems bizarre that PowerPark would install two of the same rollercoaster, it does actually make a lot of sense. They were obviously impressed with Junker's performance, and since Gerstlauer have managed to add huge variety to their Infinity Coasters, having two of the model in the park still meant they could create two very different ride experiences. Being able to share spare parts between the rides greatly reduces maintenance costs. As for painting the tracks the same colour, it creates an impressive sight from a distance as they look like one gigantic rollercoaster when viewed from the park's entrance.
Given the lack of LSM launch and no inversions, it might at first sound like Pitts Special should be the inferior of the two PowerPark Infinities, but that is actually not the case. Its layout is more refined than Junker's, and the pacing is more even with consistent speed and airtime filled moments throughout the whole ride. Flying over PowerPark's entrance road makes for a spectacular view for both riders and onlookers. It's just missing the amazing hangtime of Junker ... but that is only a few metres away, meaning in Junker and Pitts Special PowerPark's guests have two amazing fun-filled rollercoasters to experience.
Pitts Special seen from the park's entrance bridge
Ride station
Vertical lift hill
High up in the first element
Ampersand
Drop down
Airtime hill over the entrance road
Track section above the karting track
Twisting
Back over the entrance road
Eight seater train
The spiralling first element
