Flying Turns at Knoebels Amusement Resort in Elysburg, Pennsylvania is the only wooden bobsled roller coaster operating anywhere in the world today. Unlike a conventional coaster, its cars run without a fixed rail through smooth, banked wooden troughs, relying purely on gravity and momentum to carve through the turns much like a bobsled run.
The ride revives a coaster style dating back to designs by John Norman Bartlett and John A. Miller in the late 1920s, when several “flying turns” style rides toured amusement parks before eventually disappearing. Knoebels’ version, designed by John Fetterman, took years of trial and error to perfect before finally opening to the public in October 2013.
Stats at a Glance
- Park: Knoebels Amusement Resort
- Manufacturer: Built in-house (designed by John Fetterman)
- Opened: October 5, 2013
- Height: 50 feet
- Top speed: 24 mph
- Length: 1,300 feet
- Inversions: 0
The Ride Experience
Riders board one of four Larson International trains, each made up of three cars seating six riders total, before climbing the lift hill and dropping into the open wooden trough. Because the cars aren’t attached to a rail, each train swings and slides through the banked curves at slightly different angles every ride, giving Flying Turns a genuinely unpredictable, free-flowing feel that modern steel coasters can’t replicate.
Spectators can watch trains roll track-free through the exposed wooden channels from viewing areas around the ride, making it as much a show for onlookers as it is a thrill for riders.
A Coaster Nearly Lost to History
Getting Flying Turns open was no small feat. Construction began in January 2006 with an initial budget of roughly $3 million, but the project hit repeated delays as engineers struggled to get the trackless cars to run safely at consistent speeds, requiring years of retracking, retesting, and redesigned trains before the ride finally welcomed its first guests in 2013.
That persistence paid off: Flying Turns preserved a nearly extinct coaster style for a new generation, and it remains a signature attraction at Knoebels, one of the last major traditional amusement parks in the United States.
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Flying Turns FAQs
Is Flying Turns the only wooden bobsled coaster in the world?
Yes, Flying Turns at Knoebels is currently the only operating wooden bobsled roller coaster in the world.
How fast does Flying Turns go?
Flying Turns reaches a top speed of about 24 mph as its trackless cars carve through the banked wooden troughs.
Why did Flying Turns take so long to open?
Construction began in 2006, but engineers spent years solving safety issues with the trackless cars running too fast, delaying the public opening until October 2013.
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Photo: Joshua Wilmot / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.