US Navy Uses Roller Coaster Tech on New Aircraft Carrier
Who would have thought technology that was born in the amusement world would find it’s way to the battlefield.
Introducing, the Navy’s most modern carrier launching system – LSM. Yup – that same frictionless launch we’ve come to know and love on launching coasters will soon be launching fighter jets and the like – protecting our freedom to go out and have fun.
The most common launch on carriers is a pressurized steam system that hasn’t really changed in nearly 60 years. Boy, are they in for a shock when they get their first LSM launch…
This test / demonstration was done off the U.S.S. Gerald R. Ford, CVN 78 using the durable and popular GoPro HERO cameras. Admit it – you would have taken a ride if they let you…
Lost Parks featured in the Huffington Post!
Add another media outlet to the list of organizations that have discovered the charm of the “Lost Parks” project – today, we’re featured in The Huffington Post!
Read the article, here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/16/lost-parks-of-northern-california_n_4456181.html
2013 has been an amazing year for coverage – I cannot wait to see what 2014 has in store for us!
“How Will You GoPro?”
It’s official – we’re in the “How Will You GoPro?” contest – vying for the opportunity to win our dream adventure, and have GoPro produce a video starring the Great American Thrills team.
Help us on our journey to capturing America’s obsession with the thrill – like and share our entry with the #iwillgopro hashtag on social media!
You can view our entry by copying and pasting the link below, or by clicking here:
http://www.gopro.com/iwillgopro/5031
But, we can’t get this coaster train a movin’ without your help and support –
We need you to like, share, and retweet the concept with your friends, family and fellow park fans, using the #iwillgopro hashtag on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Google+
But, we’ve got to make a big push – the contest ends December 4th at midnight – only together, can we truly GoPro!
“Lost Parks” Goes Vertical!
With every video we’ve produced so far in the “Lost Parks” series, we’ve aimed to add one piece of equipment to make them better than the previous episode. For instance, in the first three episodes, did you notice:
Pacific City – DLSR camera slider:
The “nostalgic” intro shots, all done via the slider.
Luna Park – GoPro Hero 2:
Even though we measured, this trolley came way too close to crushing this camera!
Manteca Waterslides – Camera crane / jib:
We won this in a Facebook contest – seriously!
And now, for our Santa’s Village episode, may we debut our latest addition…FLYING CAMERA DRONES!
Andy’s “Little Bird” flying camera drone. Photo by ACE NorCal, used with permission.
Aptly named “Big Bird” who did most of the heavy lifting for the shoot. Photo by ACE NorCal, used with permission.
Well, two to be precise, “Little Bird” and “Big Bird.” They’re proudly owned by Andrew Hansis, an ACE NorCal member, who couldn’t resist seeing what they could do for the Lost Parks series.
Turns out, it was a TON! Look for their shots in our latest episode – debuting December 9th, 2013!
For more info on the “Lost Parks” series – click here!
The New Bay Bridge
Sometimes, the thrills in life aren’t just about amusement parks – sometimes, it’s about being a part of history.
So when they announced the new, $6.4 billion eastern span of the Bay Bridge was to open ahead of schedule, late last night – I charged up the GoPro and jumped into the Escape:
Star Tower POV (Point of View) Video
Need a break at work today? Then come along for quite possibly the SLOWEST point of view (POV) video that you will ever see of any amusement park ride on Earth – here’s the complete ride cycle for the 200 foot tall Star Tower at California’s Great America. That being said, you’ll see all of the major attractions of the park in action – a rare feat to capture in just one ride!
The Good, the Bad and the Illegal Coaster POV
No, that THAT type of POV pervs…I’m talking about roller coaster POV! (Sorry to disappoint you – but you DID read the blog subject, right?!?)
Have you ever watched roller coaster point of view video or POV online before? Lord knows I certainly have. Ever wondered why the videos are sometimes jolty or always start AFTER the ride has started? Today, I want to show you how to identify good coaster POV, bad POV and illegal ride POV.
You can watch the video here: http://youtu.be/UJ2GjHIOJvM
POV has been around since the dawn of the motion picture – but it really gained notoriety after it was featured in the 1950’s film “This is Cinerama.” It saw its greatest surge in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s, when Discovery Channel began featuring it regularly on Memorial Day. When Robb Alvey started producing on-ride videos from parks he visited, POV saw an even bigger surge. The internet is now awash with RIDE footage from thousands of users – thanks to cameras becoming smaller and more powerful. It’s become incredibly easy for anyone to film, well, anything. But does that make it right? Let’s find out…
Many parks have had to enact policies that discourage loose articles, especially cameras. The Santa Cruz Boardwalk will stop the Giant Dipper on its lift hill if operators see someone with a camera or cell phone trying to recording video. Expect a greeting and escort from security if you whip it out after the lift, by the way.
So, how do you stop this dangerous practice and keep your fellow guests safe? Simple – stop supporting it. If you see any of the tell-tale signs of illegal coaster POV, don’t keep watching it – unsubscribe from that user’s YouTube channel. You’ll keep admission process down and keep the line moving!
Great American Thrills® 