Hypersonic XLC was a roller coaster located at Kings Dominion in Doswell, Virginia. Hypersonic was built by S&S Worldwide (now S&S – Sansei Technologies), a company specializing in air-powered rides, and was the first compressed air launch coaster in the world. Hypersonic was S&S Worldwide's actual prototype for an air-launched coaster, called Thrust Air 2000.
The ride was originally fabricated by Intermountain Lift, Inc.[1] It was reconstructed at Kings Dominion after being moved from its original location in Utah. S&S Worldwide also greatly modified the section following the 90° drop to accommodate Kings Dominion's landscape and to properly bank the turn.[2]
In 2007, Hypersonic XLC was closed and later dismantled.
History
In 1999, S&S Worldwide built a prototype roller coaster at their testing facility in Logan, Utah. It was called the Thrust Air 2000 and featured a unique one-of-a-kind launch system known as a compressed air launch. The prototype featured an oval layout with a 170 ft top hat. The trains featured over-the-shoulder restraints and rubber tires instead of polyurethane wheels. The polyurethane wheels would cause a lot of noise during the launch.