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The Chair-O-Planes, sometimes called a swing carousel or wave swinger, is a fairground ride that is a variation on the carousel in which the chairs are suspended on chains from the rotating top of the carousel. As the rotation speed of the Chair-O-Planes increases, the chairs are thrown outwards by centrifugal force. On some versions, particularly on the Wave Swingers the rotating top of the carousel also tilts for additional variations of motion.
This type of swings ride was present at even the earliest amusement parks. At Idora Park in Oakland, California, in 1908, the ride was called Flying Swing, but appears to be the same principle.
In the U.K.
Loudoun Castle Theme Park in Scotland claims that its moon shaped ride, "The Plough", is the largest Chair-O-Plane in the world. The Plough was originally called Apollo 14 and was owned by the Bembom family, operating in their Ponypark Slagharen in Holland during the late seventies. It had gondolas travelling around the outside of the ride. When moved to Dreamland in England (then called "Bembom Brothers"), it was reconstructed into a Chair-O-Plane and named Heatwave. Later on, Henk Bembom moved Heatwave to his new park, Loudoun Castle, where it was renamed "The Plough" and painted green.
There is also a Chair-O-Plane ride at Alton Towers in Staffordshire. Set in a prehistoric themed area of the park called Ug Land, it is called the Ug Swinger.
Chessington World of Adventures is home to "Billy's Whizzer" in its Beanoland area, which fires water jets upwards at riders.
In North America
Most of the swing carousel rides in North America are located at amusement parks. They are usually made by Zierer (which calls the ride Wave swinger), although some are made by Bertazzon (which calls the ride Swing Carousel) or Zamperla (which calls the ride Flying Carousel).
Some of these include:
- Backyardigans Swing-Along -- Nickelodeon Universe
- Da Vinci's Dream -- Canobie Lake Park
- Gotham City Crime Wave--Six Flags Over Georgia (Zierer).
- HalloSwings--Holiday World (Zamperla).
- Lasso-Darien Lake Theme Park Resort (Zierer).
- Orange Stinger-Disney's California Adventure (Zierer).
- Seaswings -- Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk (Bertazzon)
- Swing Carousel -- Dollywood (Bertazzon)
- Swing Carousel -- Silver Dollar City (Bertazzon)
- Turn of the Century--Elitch Gardens (Zierer).
- Wave Swinger--Cedar Point (Zierer).
- Wave Swinger--Strates Shows (Zierer).
- Wave Swinger--Knott's Berry Farm (Zierer)
- Wave Swinger--Playland
- Whirligig--Six Flags Great America (Zierer).
- Wave Swinger--Lake Compounce
- Wave Swinger--Kennywood
- Zephyr--Kings Island
Strates Shows are one of the only touring companies that has a carnival (transportable) Wave Swinger. Depending on the crew, it can take up to 7 hours set the ride up after transit.