by Donald Wood
Last updated: 9:35 AM ET, Mon January 4, 2021
Officials representing the Six Flags Qiddiya theme park project in Saudi Arabia have announced new details about what is scheduled to become the fastest, longest and tallest roller coaster in the world.
According to ArabNews.com, the Qiddiya Investment Co. and Intamin Amusement Rides revealed the Falcon's Flight will be the theme park's signature attraction and is scheduled to debut in 2023 when the facility opens to the public.
The record-breaking roller coaster would be four kilometers long, feature a vertical cliff dive of 160 meters and reach top speeds of 250 kilometers an hour. For American theme park enthusiast, that's an estimated 2.5 miles long, a 525-foot dive and speeds reaching 155 miles per hour.
The ride will last three minutes, transport up to 20 passengers at a time, boast electromagnetic propulsion launch systems, feature panoramic views of the park and more.
"I will never forget the moment when I was standing at the edge of the 200-meter-high cliff on the Tuwaiq Mountain in Qiddiya, looking into the valley and imagining the creation of a future record-setting roller coaster," Intamin Vice President Daniel Schoppen told Theme Park Insider.
"I knew that exactly at this spot, The Falcon Flight will dive down along the cliff, ending in a unique exhilarating 250+ km/h proximity flight close to the ground," Schoppen said. "The worldwide unique setting and heights such as the natural cliff will enable us to design an architectural masterpiece in steel."
When Six Flags Qiddiya opens in 2023 southwest of Riyadh, it is expected to cover 79 acres and offer 28 rides and attractions across six themed lands.
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