Condor (ride)

Condor
The "Bounty Tower" at Holiday Park, Germany
StatusIn production
ManufacturerHUSS Park Attractions
VariationsCondor 2GH

The Condor is the trade name of an amusement ride sold by HUSS of Bremen, Germany. It was debuted at the 1984 New Orleans World's Fair, under the name "Cyclo Tower".

The Condor has 28 steel-framed gondolas, each with a fiberglass shell, frequently painted to resemble a bird. The seats hold one to two people, one sitting behind the other if they decide to ride double. It can accommodate approximately 1,700 riders per hour. The automatic doors on the ride are operated by pneumatic air pressure and are manually opened and closed. The ride uses a cable and counterweight system within the tower to assist with the raising and lowering of the rotating assembly.

An AC induction motor located at the end of each arm rotates the gondolas; three more on the middle lifting structure rotate the entire assembly and move the tower. To start the ride, most Condors require three buttons be hit at the same time to start the cycle. (The operator in the booth uses their thumbs on the two buttons located on the panel, while an attendant in a location around the perimeter must be holding that one as well.)

Operators of the ride have options to operate the ride at different speeds and rotation configurations (forward and reverse), with the potential for unique computerized programs on each ride. These unique motions can also be controlled manually. Most Condor installations are park models. An exception is one of the few traveling models left in the world, Blume & Wollenschlaeger's "Ikarus-Der-Mythos". Ikarus was one of the fastest Condors still in operation, and featured different and unique manually operated ride cycles, usually with reverse rotation. Ikarus was taken off the funfair circuit and put into storage in 2007.

In 2007, Huss discontinued manufacturing new installations of the ride. In 2013, Huss re-introduced the Condor as Condor 2-G (2nd Generation).

In 2016, the first Condor 2GH (second generation hybrid) opened in Tivoli Gardens, Denmark. Called "Fatamorgana", it features both standard Condor gondolas and a "thrill version." In this variation, riders are seated in a ring, facing away from the center, and are spun around at high speed.[1]

Installations

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There are several Huss Condor locations throughout the world, including

Name Park Location Model Opened Status
Condor Pleasure Island Family Theme Park United Kingdom United Kingdom Condor Unknown Removed
Hökfärden Liseberg Sweden Sweden Condor 1985 Removed
Condor Bobbejaanland Belgium Belgium Condor 1986 Removed
Condor Phantasialand Germany Germany Condor 1986 Removed
Taifun Tykkimäki Finland Finland Condor 1986 Removed
Condor Morey's Piers United States United States Condor 1988 Removed
Condor Six Flags Magic Mountain United States United States Condor 1988 Removed
Condor Six Flags St. Louis United States United States Condor 1988 Removed
Ikarus Gardaland Italy Italy Condor 1989 Removed
Rotor Parque de Atracciones de Madrid Spain Spain Condor 1989 Operating
Sky Hawk Marineland Canada Canada Condor 1989 Operating
The Condor Six Flags Great Escape and Hurricane Harbor United States United States Condor 1989 Operating
Condor La Ronde Canada Canada Condor 1990 Operating
Condor Six Flags AstroWorld United States United States Condor 1991 Removed
Condor Six Flags Great America
Six Flags Great Adventure
United States United States Condor 1991
1988 to 1990
Operating
Bounty Tower Holiday Park Germany Germany Condor 1994 Removed
Ikarus Freizeit-Land Geiselwind Germany Germany Condor 1994 Operating
Condor Dream Park Egypt Egypt Condor 1995 Operating
Senga Serengeti Park Germany Germany Condor 1995 Removed
The Eagle Attractiepark Slagharen Netherlands Netherlands Condor 1998 Operating
Ikarus Vidámpark Hungary Hungary Condor 1999 Removed
Drachenflug Abenteuer Park Oberhausen Germany Germany Condor 2000 Removed
Lossepladsen BonBon-Land Denmark Denmark Condor 2000 Removed
Drachenflug Belantis Germany Germany Condor 2004 Operating
Le Condor Luna Park Fréjus France France Condor 2007 Removed
Condor Europark Idroscola Italy Italy Condor 2009 Operating
Sky Twister
Formerly Condor
Skyline Park
Heide Park
Germany Germany Condor 2009
1990-2008
Operating
Ikarus Fantasilandia Chile Chile Condor 2011 Removed
Condor Miragica Italy Italy Condor 2012 Operating
Condor Happy Valley Beijing China China Condor 2G 2014 Operating
Atlantis Wunderland Kalkar Germany Germany Condor 2015 Operating
Giant Condor M&D's Scotland's Theme Park United Kingdom United Kingdom Condor 2015 Operating
Fatamorgana Tivoli Gardens Denmark Denmark Condor 2GH 2016 Operating
Falcon's Flight
Formerly Ikarus
Worlds of Fun
Vidámpark
United States United States Condor 2017
1999-2013
Removed
Condor Sun Tzu Cultural Park China China Condor 2G 2018 Operating
The Eagle Ocean Park Hong Kong Hong Kong Condor 1994 Removed
Unknown
Formerly Flying Falcon
Niagara Amusement Park and Splash World
Hersheypark
United States United States Condor Unknown
1990-2016
In Storage
Unknown
Formerly Cóndor
Indiana Beach
La Feria de Chapultepec
United States United States Condor Unknown
2002-2019
In Storage

References

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  1. ^ "Condor 2G/2GH Huss Park Attractions".

External video

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