Eagles Flight was a gondola lift skyride that operated at Six Flags Magic Mountain from 1971 to 1994.
History[]
The sign to the station.
Eagles Flight was fabricated by Intamin and opened with the Magic Mountain theme park on May 29, 1971. The central Shangri-La station was located atop Samurai Summit, near the Sky Tower. From that point riders could take a westerly route to the El Dorado station at the back of the park, or a northerly route to the Galaxie station that was closer to the front of the park. Some visitors had a habit of trying to swing the gondola cars, and rules were posted to prohibit this activity.[1][2]
1978 accident[]
- Main article: Incidents at Six Flags parks
On February 5, 1978, an Eagles Flight gondola car was traveling the El Dorado route when it fell about 40 feet to the ground. A pair of newlyweds had been violently rocking the car back and forth, causing it to detach from the cable. The 23-year-old husband was killed, and his new bride suffered serious injuries.[1][3][4]
Redesign and closure[]
The ride underwent redesign and the ill-fated El Dorado route was removed in 1981.[1] The Galaxie route last operated on Sunday, January 16, 1994. The ride was permanently closed after the 1994 Northridge earthquake occurred early the next morning.[5] The remaining structures were cleared to make way for Superman: Escape from Krypton, which opened in 1997.[2] Of the three original stations, only the Shangri-La station remains atop Samurai Summit, next to the Hero Haven shop. The restrooms and smoking patio are the only parts of the building that are open to the public. The rest of it has been used seasonally to stage haunted house mazes during the annual Fright Fest event, including The Willoughby's Garden of Darkness, Dead End, and Sewer of Souls.
Gallery[]
(note the additional bars to prevent leaning out)
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Worden, Leon (2012). Eagles Flight, 1971. Santa Clarita Valley History Archives.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Magic Mountain August 1973 - Part 3. Vintage Disneyland Tickets (2008-09-23).
- ↑ U.S. Amusement Ride Fatalities (1972-1997). Archived from the original on June 6, 2004.
- ↑ Wharton, David (1996-06-01). Roller Coaster Worker Broke Rule, Officials Say. Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on February 3, 2020.
- ↑ Gone but not forgotten...... by Kevin, Tripod. Accessed 2023-04-15.
See also[]
- Sky Buckets, a similar skyride that had operated at Six Flags Over Georgia.
- Sky Ride, a ski gondola-style ride in operation at The Great Escape.
External links[]
- Eagles Flight by Leon Worden at Santa Clarita Valley History Archives (2012)
