F.L.Y. is a steel flying roller coaster at Phantasialand in Brühl, Germany. Manufactured by Vekoma and opened on September 17, 2020, it stretches 1,236 meters (4,055 feet) of track — enough to claim the title of the world’s longest flying coaster, surpassing Flying Dinosaur at Universal Studios Japan.
The coaster sits within Rookburgh, a richly themed steampunk-inspired district of the park. F.L.Y. also became the world’s first flying launch coaster, using two separate LSM (linear synchronous motor) launches to propel riders — lying face-down in a prone position — through two inversions at speeds up to 48.5 mph (78 km/h), all within a remarkably compact 100 × 75 meter footprint.
Stats at a Glance
- Park: Phantasialand
- Location: Brühl, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
- Manufacturer: Vekoma
- Opened: September 17, 2020
- Height: 64 ft (20 m)
- Top Speed: 48.5 mph (78 km/h)
- Length: 4,055 ft (1,236 m)
- Inversions: 2
- Launch System: Dual LSM
The Ride Experience
Riders board F.L.Y. in a standard seated position before the restraints tilt them into the signature prone flying stance, parallel to the track. Two LSM launches accelerate the train through the course, sending guests sweeping through a pair of inversions while suspended face-down above the elaborate Rookburgh scenery below.
Four trains operate simultaneously, each made up of 10 cars seating two riders per row for a total of 20 per train. This configuration supports a throughput of around 1,400 riders per hour — a strong figure for a coaster with this level of mechanical complexity. A height requirement of 130–205 cm (4 ft 3 in – 6 ft 9 in) applies.
Records and Legacy
When F.L.Y. debuted in 2020, it claimed two world records at once: longest flying roller coaster (1,236 meters) and first flying launch coaster. These firsts placed it at the forefront of Vekoma’s next-generation flying coaster lineup, which featured entirely custom hardware developed specifically for the attraction.
The ride’s integration into the Rookburgh themed land elevated it beyond a standalone thrill machine. Phantasialand spent years developing the steampunk environment around F.L.Y., and the coaster’s compact layout allowed the track to weave directly through detailed facades and structures, making the theming as much a part of the experience as the inversions themselves.
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F.L.Y. FAQs
When did F.L.Y. open at Phantasialand?
F.L.Y. opened on September 17, 2020, as the centerpiece of Phantasialand’s Rookburgh themed area in Brühl, Germany.
Is F.L.Y. really the world’s longest flying coaster?
Yes. F.L.Y.’s 1,236 meters (4,055 feet) of track made it the world’s longest flying coaster upon opening, surpassing Flying Dinosaur at Universal Studios Japan, which measures 1,124 meters.
How does a flying coaster like F.L.Y. differ from a standard roller coaster?
On a flying coaster, riders are rotated from a seated position into a prone (face-down) position before departing the station, remaining parallel to the track throughout the ride. F.L.Y. adds two LSM launches to this format, making it the first flying coaster in the world to feature a launch system.
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Photo: Stefan Senger / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.