S&S Worldwide is an American amusement ride manufacturer founded in 1994 by Stan and Sandy Checketts in Logan, Utah. The company built its early reputation on air-powered drop tower rides like the Space Shot and Turbo Drop, technology the Checketts adapted from their earlier work in bungee jumping and trampoline equipment through their company Sports Tower, Inc.
In 2002, S&S expanded into roller coasters by acquiring the assets of the bankrupt Arrow Dynamics, initially operating the coaster business as S&S Arrow before adopting the S&S Worldwide name. The company went on to develop launch coasters powered by compressed air and pioneered 4th dimension coasters, in which riders’ seats rotate independently along the ride’s pitch axis. In November 2012, Japan’s Sansei Yusoki (now Sansei Technologies) acquired a majority stake in S&S, becoming full owner by 2014, and the manufacturer has since built more than 40 roller coasters worldwide.
Stats at a Glance
- Founded: 1994
- Founders: Stan and Sandy Checketts
- Headquarters: Logan, Utah, USA
- Key Products: Drop towers, compressed-air launch coasters, 4th dimension coasters
- Roller Coasters Built: More than 40 worldwide (as of 2023)
- Parent Company: Sansei Technologies (Osaka, Japan), sole owner since 2014
From Drop Towers to Coaster Manufacturing
S&S made its name with air-powered drop towers such as the Space Shot (1995) and Turbo Drop (1996), rides that used compressed-air launch systems derived from the founders’ bungee and trampoline equipment background. These towers became fixtures at parks worldwide and established S&S as an innovator in pneumatic ride technology.
The company’s move into roller coasters came in October 2002, when S&S acquired the assets of the bankrupt Arrow Dynamics, a manufacturer known for early looping and hypercoaster designs. Operating first as S&S Arrow, the company rebranded as S&S Worldwide and applied its compressed-air expertise to launch coasters, most notably the Thrust Air 2000 system.
Notable S&S Rides and Innovations
S&S built Hypersonic XLC at Kings Dominion (2001), one of the first coasters to use compressed-air launch propulsion, and Do-Dodonpa at Fuji-Q Highland (2001), which used similar launch technology to achieve extreme acceleration. The company also introduced 4th dimension coaster technology and its more compact 4D Free Spin variant in 2015, used on multiple Batman: The Ride installations at Six Flags parks.
More recently, S&S built Steel Curtain at Kennywood (2019), known for its record-setting number of inversions among steel coasters in North America. Since Sansei Technologies took full ownership in 2014, the combined company has continued manufacturing drop towers, launch coasters, and specialty ride systems for parks around the world.
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Notable S&S Worldwide Coasters on ThrillZing
- Batman: The Ride — Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
- Batman: The Ride — Six Flags Fiesta Texas
- The Joker — Six Flags New England
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S&S Worldwide FAQs
When was S&S Worldwide founded?
S&S was founded in 1994 by Stan and Sandy Checketts in Logan, Utah, initially to build air-powered drop tower rides.
What kinds of rides is S&S Worldwide known for?
S&S is best known for drop towers like the Space Shot and Turbo Drop, compressed-air launch coasters, and 4th dimension coasters with rotating seats.
Who owns S&S Worldwide today?
Sansei Technologies of Osaka, Japan acquired a majority stake in 2012 and became sole owner of S&S by 2014.
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Photo: Erechtheus / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.