Batwing Review, Six Flags America Vekoma Flying Dutchman | Plus a History of the Flying Coaster 

Last fall they were using both stations and both trains. But it’s very rare. Batwing is definitely a maintenance nightmare so I think it only has about 5 years left

It’s a shame we never got a modern version of the Flying Dutchman

Yeah that was the sensation I was talking about on these were it feels like being pushed through the best to the ground, it feels so weird but also rly insane

I was at Six Flags America today and a miracle happened- Batwing was open the entire day! It opened up an hour after the park (as scheduled) but at 11:59 the ride ops took the gate away and Batwing ran the rest of the day with no breakdowns. I got five rides in. Couldn't believe it.

This was my first flying coaster, and I enjoyed it a lot.

I just rode Batwing today on a Sunday and they were running 2 trains using both loading stations and the operations were quite good with trains frequently being dispatched while the other train was coming into the other side of the station. Glad to see that they've improved the ops in 2022. The ride was fairly smooth all things considered and shockingly focusful. A pretty good ride honestly!

Hmmm when I rode X flight in 2001, it was superb, way underrated.. Maybe in typical Vekoma fashion they haven't aged perfectly, but when it was brand new, what a beautiful and intense coaster. It's quite a memory for me (geauga lake). I'd definitely go as far as an 8.5 - the vertical loop was just as intense as B&M's pretzels, and it was super smooth.

Nighthawk has an amazing moment swooping over the water, and SUF's airtime pop is good, but everything else about these things is torture, unless maybe you have someone with you to laugh at even harder than they're laughing at you. So if they'd make a flying coaster that's all airtime and bits over water it would actually be decent.

I rode this for the first time on Sunday and really enjoyed it! Excellent video

I love these rides! Really miss Fire Hawk, defiantly my favorite in the park, I preferred it over Diamondback and Mystic Timbers. Still wish they would have scraped Night Hawk, kept Fire Hawk, and moved Orion somewhere else in KI. Sucks there's only 2 left now. :( Such underrated gems in my opinion.

This is pretty much the only reason I'm visiting this Six Flags America in June during my 2 week coaster trip. Hoping to get this and Nighthawk crossed off my list before they bite the dust since I missed out on Firehawk.

I've never ridden this, but I loved Firehawk. I really wish it was still at King's Island.

I also like the Flying Dutchman more than B&Ms Superman fliers, but certainly not as much as Tatsu or Manta. I had no clue what the ride did when I walked up to the station for Firehawk, so that ride was quite the surprise. I loved how different it was. My 2 rides on Nighthawk on that same trip weren't bad. Batwing was closed all day for my visit in early summer 2019, when it was down for several weeks. I hope to get back to the park this summer.

Batwing is one of my favorite rides!!!

So glad I got on my 2nd Flying Dutchman last week, and snagged a great POV of it. I LOVED Batwing. 🥃🦇

Canobie Coaster would say: These coasters would improve the issues discovered on Stealth, but Paramount was so dissatisfied with Stealth's uptime that they had no intentions to add additional flying dutchmen coasters. So Six Flags scopped in, purchased them, and installed both for the 2001 season. X-Flight went to Six Flags Worlds of Adventure in Ohio and Batwing went to Six Flags America in Maryland. These two coasters would have the same height and start, but the finale would be different. The two corkscrews on Stealth, which were easily... A) the smoothest part of the ride B) the roughest part of the ride were replaced by inline twists.

I love flying coasters so I wouldn’t be surprised if l would love Batwing!

Great review and hopefully I can get to six flags America soon! That and I want to ride iron wolf I mean Firebird again!

First rode X flight in 2000 at Six Flags Ohio. I believe I rode it a couple more times in the Worlds of Adventure years years but I do remember long lines and reliability issues. Didn't ride it again until '08 as Firehawk at KI. Really enjoyed it there, but once again, long lines and reliability issues limited the amount of times. Rode Nighthawk in 2017 with a painfully long hot queue. I liked the setting with the midway along one side and the water beneath, but preferred Firehawk. With things seemingly opening up a bit more for 2021 it's looking more and more likely I get a SF pass and make the trip to ride Batwing and complete the trio!

I’m glad I’m not the only one who prefers this layout to the B&M Superman clones. The best element on either of them is the pretzel loop, but Batwing is more consistently good throughout the ride.

I did get the fortunate opportunity to ride Firehawk before it’s closer! I rode it I believe 8 times since I went to Kings Island every summer for awhile! Of course the COVID lockdown changed that tradition! But I know you will be so triggered when I say this, but, Firehawk was my all time favorite! I just loved the flying aspect, and the intensity, and those twists and vertical loop was freaking awesome! But for whatever reason, I liked it more than Outlaw Run and Diamondback!

Batwing is intense, dare I say, more intense than I prefer, but I hear nothing but positive things about these. If only they were more reliable, I think Vekoma could’ve sold way more.

Batwing is my favorite flying roller coaster

Haven’t been on Batwing, but I rode Nighthawk in 2019. It was good ride, but the ops with that single station were a problem. I was there with my husband, and he was dealing with a horrible stomach ache that morning, to the point we were getting worried it was appendicitis (turns out it was just the antibiotics he was on at the time). Turns out, laying on a holding brake at a 10 degree decline while you wait for the other train to dispatch is not very pleasant when your stomach’s upset. I don’t think either of us have been so keenly aware of a ride’s slow ops before or since.

I was living in The DMV area when this ride opened I remembered waiting oh God 2 hrs or so to ride I haven’t ridden it since 2006 but I believe I enjoyed it

Wish there were more of these

The only flying coaster I have ridden was Superman at SFGAM. These Flying Dutchman don't look amazing as they are Vekomas but they look solid, the vertical loop looks forkful, the overbanks look fun, and a cool ending wit ha double inline twist. Cant wait to see the review!

The first time I went, it felt like I was going to fall, like the restraints weren't put on correctly. But now I know that's normal and hope to go this year

I don’t get the hate toward these, sure they’re not as good as B&M Flying Coasters, and they may not have the best capacity but they look really underrated and very fun to ride.

I still need to get on one

In case you were wondering, they are still able to use the second train and duel station, because I have seen them running it on 2 of my 10 visits. Usually it's just one side though

The B&M flying coaster train was in flying position during the entire ride, that's because the Vekoma flying dutchman trains...

Please do a review of Joker's Funhouse Coaster at SFOG or an Arrow Mine Train. Love your reviews.

I just checked RCDB and I can't believe Cedar Fair didn't even bother to move Firehawk to another park or even try sell it! And they chose the protoype for Carowinds over that? X Flight, as it was when I rode it, was super smooth.. what did they do, just demolish it? How sad. It would have been a great fit for many parks.

1. The ride always opens a half hour later than the rest of the park 2. I've heard maintenance dreads working on it 3. I'm not a fan of laying down 4. Dispatch is slow as frick at times 5. Yet it does get decent lines 5a. I haven't seen the second train at all the times I've been this year so far. Perhaps it's just a parts donor at this point? 6. When Batwing goes away, what replaces it?

I saw them build this coaster from the ground up many years ago plus these coasters where super expensive at the time. You’re absolutely correct with the maintenance issues it’s been plagued with that for year’s. They use to run 3 trains but this hasn’t been done in years. I think bat wing is not to far from this world because vekoma doesn’t even support the parts for is particular model anymore witch would make this coaster expensive to maintain.

terrible operations but its a pretty unique ride , I wish it was open more when I do go to SF America, i cant believe it has 3 trains that's very interesting, also my first flying coaster

Just out of curiosity, what do you recommend going to first at SFA? I'm torn between the front of the park and Superman. On one hand, I know that Batwing probably won't be open when I get to the park. However, the front of the park will be crowded.

I really hope I get a chance to ride one of these before they're all gone. Is this the last one?

Hey, Canobie Coaster! More Vekoma Flying Dutchmans could have been built in 2002 and 2003!

I really want ride this before it gets taken out. Does anyone know when it might bite the dust so I can get on it before it goes?

What do you think about Batwing at Six Flags America and Superman Ultimate Flight at Six Flags Great Adventure?

Personally I think Batwing obliterates Superman Ultimate flight and looks to be better than Galactica, but worse than tatsu, manta, starry, and flying dino

Imo batwing is the 2nd best in the park but it is a fun ride imo that I need to get on this sol before they potentially scrap it in the next upcoming years

best one.

I thought batwing actually made me feel I was pulling less G's when it would have been more in a seating position coaster. It might have been better if the track/area was more interesting.

I’m going to Carowinds in 2 weeks. Gonna ride Nighthawk. Few questions. What do u think of nighthawk? Is it rough? How similar is it to Firehawk and batwing? For some reason I’m not seeing the handlebars on the nighthawk train? Do u just have absolutely nothing to hold onto on nighthawk?

I'm originally from Annapolis and worked at six flags america as a electrician fir a couple of years I live in north carolina now and have been to carowinds I think by far batwing at six flags america is a far better ride then the same at carowinds

Why did B&M introduce the flying coaster if there were three Vekoma flying dutchmans built?

I hope I can ride it soon before it goes I have done Firehawk and Nighthawk and so far my favorite is Firehawk I hate Nighthawk I have ridden pretty much every coaster at Six Flags America besides this it wasn’t open when I went on my birthday in 2018

Why did you say "which were easily the roughest part of the ride"? Because the two corkscrews on the prototype flying dutchman...

What I don't like about these are the way you face the sun while on the lift and brakes. Also, the RCT version's POV is screwed up :(

I hate riding this ride in the summer the sun really gets in your eyes.

Is the batwing still at six flags ?

I agree Firehawk was the smoothest of the three Flying Dutchmen, so it's a shame that's the one that got scrapped. At least Batwing is reasonably smooth except a few shaky moments

If it weren't for Venom's Flying Dutchman, there would be no B&M fliers.

Gotta be honest, Batwing is a one-and-done headache machine. At least for me. Rode it twice over a ten year period and it was just as bad ten years after i rode it in it’s opening year. Old vekomas in general are just awfully janky and have little redeeming qualities. It makes me weary of getting hyped for the “New Vekomas” because while their “new” track is smoother for now, that 100% does NOT guarantee it will be in 10 years...

Unpopular Opinion: Batwing is better than any of the Superman b&m flyers. After their pretzel loops, the ride is boring.

Skytrak puts all Boomerangs named Boomerang to shame.

This might be very unpopular but I find these vertical loops more intense then the pretzel loops

I think you know what I'm about to say, but they "should've gotten a B&M..."

I *”LOVE”* the vibration when laying down on the Batwing I am autistic and LOVE vibrations! (Around 12:44 in this video) I ride it when I was high before and i grayed out in the vertical loop!!!!!!!!

Is it just me or do I keep on forgetting that "Fly-de-ly" is just "Fly to lie"

6/10 for me. It's alright

You can't hate a coaster just because its down alot

First

Batwing is a good ride but not as good as a B&M Flyer

I hope this won't be defunct soon