X-Flight was a Vekoma Flying Dutchman roller coaster that opened at Six Flags Worlds of Adventure (Geauga Lake) in Aurora, Ohio, on May 26, 2001. Billed as the Midwest’s first and only flying roller coaster, it stood out with neon green track and dark blue supports, and it flipped riders from a lying-down boarding position into a face-down “flying” orientation as the train crested the lift hill.
Over its 3,340-foot circuit, X-Flight sent riders through five inversions, including a Vertical Loop, a Horseshoe, and two In-line Twists, reaching speeds of 50 mph and heights of 115 feet. After Cedar Fair acquired the park in 2004 and began scaling back its coaster lineup, X-Flight was dismantled following the 2006 season and relocated to Kings Island, where it reopened as Firehawk in 2007.
Stats at a Glance
- Park: Geauga Lake (Six Flags Worlds of Adventure)
- Manufacturer: Vekoma (Flying Dutchman model)
- Opened: May 26, 2001
- Closed: 2006 season
- Height: 115 feet
- Top speed: 50 mph
- Length: 3,340 feet
- Inversions: 5
The Ride Experience
Riders boarded X-Flight lying face-up in reclined seats, a departure from any other coaster in the region at the time. As the train climbed the lift hill, the seats rotated forward so riders crested the top in a face-down, arms-out flying position, a sensation the Flying Dutchman model was specifically engineered to deliver.
From there, the layout carried riders through a 66-foot vertical loop, a horseshoe element, and two inline twists before the train rotated riders back to a seated position for the brake run. The ride was rated for a capacity of about 1,430 riders per hour.
Closure and Relocation to Kings Island
Cedar Fair’s 2004 purchase of Geauga Lake led to a steady thinning of the park’s ride collection over the following years as the company consolidated operations. X-Flight was among the coasters removed, closing for good after the 2006 season.
The ride’s steel structure and trains were shipped to Kings Island in Mason, Ohio, where it was reassembled with a new red-and-gray color scheme and reopened as Firehawk on May 26, 2007. Firehawk operated there until it was demolished following the 2018 season.
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X-Flight FAQs
Was X-Flight the first flying coaster in the Midwest?
Yes. When it opened at Geauga Lake in 2001, X-Flight was marketed as the first and only flying roller coaster in the Midwest region.
What happened to X-Flight after Geauga Lake closed?
X-Flight was removed after the 2006 season and relocated to Kings Island, where it reopened in 2007 as Firehawk before being demolished after the 2018 season.
What manufacturer built X-Flight?
Dutch manufacturer Vekoma built X-Flight as one of its Flying Dutchman model coasters.
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Photo: Uriel 1998 / CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.