Nighthawk (roller coaster) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Nighthawk |
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| Previously known as Stealth (2000–2003), Borg Assimilator (2004–2007) | |
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| Carowinds | |
| Park section | Thunder Road |
| Coordinates | 35°06′10″N 80°56′30″W / 35.10278°N 80.94167°W |
| Status | Closed |
| Opening date | March 20, 2004 |
| Closing date | December 18, 2024 |
| Replaced | Carolina Sternwheeler Riverboat |
| California's Great America | |
| Coordinates | 37°23′46″N 121°58′14″W / 37.396166°N 121.970476°W |
| Status | Relocated to Carowinds |
| Opening date | April 1, 2000 |
| Closing date | September 2, 2003 |
| Cost | US$17,000,000 |
| Replaced | Yankee Clipper |
| Replaced by | South Bay Shores |
| General statistics | |
| Type | Steel – Flying |
| Manufacturer | Vekoma |
| Model | Flying Dutchman |
| Lift/launch system | Chain lift hill |
| Height | 115 ft (35 m) |
| Drop | 103 ft (31 m) |
| Length | 2,766 ft (843 m) |
| Speed | 51 mph (82 km/h) |
| Inversions | 5 |
| Duration | 1:50 |
| Max vertical angle | 53° |
| Capacity | 1000 (Currently 312) riders per hour |
| G-force | 4.3 |
| Height restriction | 54–81 in (137–206 cm) |
| Trains | 2 trains with 6 cars. Riders are arranged 4 across in a single row for a total of 24 riders per train. |
 Fast Lane was available |
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| Nighthawk at RCDB | |
Nighthawk was a cool flying roller coaster that used to be at Carowinds amusement park. It was made by a company called Vekoma. This ride was special because it made you feel like you were flying!
Nighthawk actually had a few different names. It first opened as Stealth at California's Great America on April 1, 2000. Later, it was moved to Carowinds and became Borg Assimilator on March 20, 2004. This was the first roller coaster in the world to be themed after Star Trek! After 2006, when Cedar Fair bought Carowinds, the Star Trek theme was removed. The ride was then renamed Nighthawk. It was one of only two "Flying Dutchman" roller coasters left from Vekoma.
Sadly, Carowinds announced on December 18, 2024, that Nighthawk would be closing for good and taken down.
Contents
History of Nighthawk
From Stealth to Nighthawk
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On June 22, 1999, California's Great America announced a new ride called Stealth. They said it would be "the world's first true flying coaster." To build Stealth, some other rides had to be changed or removed. The ride officially opened on April 1, 2000.
Stealth had some challenges while it was in California. One big issue was with a special electrical box on each train. This box helped control the seats and restraints. It caused some stress on the ride's parts.
On August 21, 2003, the park said Stealth would close on September 1. This was to make space for a new water park called Boomerang Bay. Today, the old ride station is still there. It is now used as the line for some water slides.
Nighthawk's Home at Carowinds
Before Nighthawk arrived, Carowinds had a children's play area called Smurf Island. This island was surrounded by a river where a paddle boat ride, the Carolina Sternwheeler Riverboat, traveled. In the 1990s, Smurf Island closed and was taken down. This made room for new attractions.
On August 21, 2003, Carowinds announced that a new flying roller coaster was coming. It would be moved from California's Great America. They did not say the ride's name at first. On January 15, 2004, it was announced the ride would be called Borg Assimilator. It was the first roller coaster ever to be themed after Star Trek!
The Borg Assimilator replaced the Carolina Sternwheeler Riverboat. Before it opened, park engineers fixed the earlier problems with the ride. The electrical box was redesigned. The ride officially opened to the public on March 20, 2004.
In 2006, Cedar Fair Entertainment Company bought Carowinds. They decided to change the names of all rides that were based on movies or TV shows. So, in 2008, Borg Assimilator was renamed Nighthawk. All the Star Trek decorations were removed. This included a big black sphere that was in the pond under the ride. In 2009, Nighthawk got a new paint job. Its supports became dark blue, and the track turned yellow.
On December 18, 2024, Carowinds announced that Nighthawk would close permanently. Two other rides, the Drop Tower and Scream Weaver, also closed at the same time.
Riding Nighthawk
The Track and Its Twists
Nighthawk's steel track was about 2,766 feet long. The highest point of the ride, the lift hill, was about 115 feet tall. When the ride was Stealth, its track was red and white with gray supports. When it moved to Carowinds, it was painted black and green. The supports stayed gray. After it became Nighthawk, it was painted again with yellow track and blue supports.
Nighthawk had five inversions, which means it turned riders upside down five times! It had:
- One vertical loop (a big circle).
- A double corkscrew (two twists in a row).
- Two "Lie to Fly" elements.
- Two "Fly to Lie" elements.
A "Lie to Fly" element is when you are lying on your back, looking at the sky. Then you flip over to face the ground, like you are flying. A "Fly to Lie" element is the opposite. You are flying, facing the ground, and then you flip to lie on your back. Each of these "Lie to Fly" and "Fly to Lie" elements counts as half an inversion.
How the Ride Works
When you got on Nighthawk, you sat down and were secured. The train then tilted backward into a "lay-down" position. It moved backward out of the station and went up a 115-foot tall lift hill.
At the top of the lift hill, the train dipped down. It then did a twist called a "Lie-to-Fly." This turned the trains upside down into a flying position, where you faced the ground. After this twist, the train dropped down, reaching speeds of 51 miles per hour.
Next, riders went through a big, tilted turn called an Horseshoe Curve. After this, the train entered a "Fly-to-Lie" element. This turned riders back to a lay-down position. Then, the ride went into a 66-foot tall vertical loop. Here, riders felt 4.3 G's, which is a strong push from gravity!
The train then did another "Lie-to-Fly" element. After the loop, riders went through another turn. Then came the final "Fly-to-Lie" element. After that, you went through two corkscrews in a row. Finally, the train made a right turn onto the brake run, where it slowed down and stopped.
The Ride's Theme
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When the ride was in California, it did not have a special theme. But when it moved to Carowinds in 2004, it became the first Star Trek themed roller coaster! It was renamed Borg Assimilator. The story was that the Borg (aliens from Star Trek) had crashed in Carowinds. Their ship, a giant gray and black sphere, landed near the new flying roller coaster. There was a real gray and black sphere in the pond under the ride. You could also hear Borg voices around the ride.
After Cedar Fair bought the park, all the Star Trek theming was removed. The ride's name changed for the 2008 season.
The Trains
Nighthawk had two trains. Each train had six cars. Each car had one row with four seats. So, 24 riders could go on the ride at once. Riders were held in place by an over-the-shoulder restraint and a lap bar. Riders could pull down the shoulder restraint themselves. But only a ride operator could push down the lap bar. While in the station, the trains would recline into the laying down position, ready for the ride.
Incidents on Nighthawk
On March 17, 2007, seven employees had minor injuries during a test run of the roller coaster. An inspection found that the ride operator accidentally pushed a button. This button controlled the seat positions while the ride was moving. That button was later changed so it would only work when the ride was completely stopped.
See also
- Batwing (roller coaster), another Vekoma Flying Dutchman at Six Flags America
- Firehawk (roller coaster), a similar Vekoma Flying Dutchman that used to be at Kings Island
