Typhoon at Bobbejaanland in Lichtaart, Belgium, holds a special place in coaster history: it was only the second Gerstlauer Euro-Fighter ever built, opening on 10 April 2004 — less than a year after the model’s Danish prototype debuted. Two decades on, its 97-degree first drop is still the steepest coaster drop in Belgium.
With four inversions, a 5 g peak and one of the longest layouts of any early Euro-Fighter at 2,200 feet, Typhoon is also one of the most complete expressions of the genre: a vertical lift, a beyond-vertical dive, and a tangle of loops and heartline rolls stacked over a compact plot.
Key Stats
| Height | 84 ft (25.7 m) |
| Drop angle | 97° (beyond vertical) |
| Speed | 50 mph (80 km/h) |
| Length | 2,200 ft (670 m) |
| Inversions | 4 |
| Max g-force | 5 |
| Duration | 1:30 |
| Capacity | 1,400 riders per hour |
| Manufacturer / model | Gerstlauer / Euro-Fighter |
| Opened | 10 April 2004 |
| Park | Bobbejaanland, Lichtaart, Belgium |
Belgium’s Steepest Drop
Typhoon’s signature moment comes right at the start. The car climbs a vertical chain lift to 84 feet, crests, and pitches down a 97-degree drop — three degrees past straight down. No other roller coaster in Belgium drops steeper. It’s a small taste of the arms race chronicled on our list of the steepest roller coaster drops in the world, which Gerstlauer’s Euro-Fighter models helped kick off in the 2000s.
From the drop, Typhoon threads a vertical loop, a double heartline roll and another heartline roll — four inversions in all — while pulling up to 5 g. That force figure puts it in serious company; compare it with the highest g-force roller coasters ever built.
An Early Euro-Fighter That Still Delivers
Gerstlauer’s Euro-Fighter line went on to become one of the most-copied thrill ride concepts of the 21st century, with installations across Europe and North America. Typhoon was the model’s second-ever installation, following Vild-Svinet at Denmark’s BonBon-Land in 2003, and it expanded the concept considerably — nearly half again as tall, with four inversions to the prototype’s one and a 90-second ride time.
Bobbejaanland, founded by Belgian singer and entertainer Bobbejaan Schoepen, has built a reputation for packing serious coaster hardware into a mid-size family park, and Typhoon remains one of its defining silhouettes: the pale-blue tower and knot of inversions are visible from across the park.
FAQ
How steep is Typhoon at Bobbejaanland?
Typhoon’s first drop is angled at 97 degrees — beyond vertical — making it the steepest roller coaster drop in Belgium.
How fast does Typhoon go?
Typhoon reaches 50 mph (80 km/h) and pulls up to 5 g across its 2,200-foot layout, with four inversions along the way.
When did Typhoon open?
Typhoon opened on 10 April 2004 at Bobbejaanland in Lichtaart, Belgium. It was the second Gerstlauer Euro-Fighter ever built.
Photo: Rémih via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)