Texas Chute Out
Texas Chute Out was a Intamin "parachute drop" ride that operated at Six Flags Over Texas. It closed on September 3, 2012.
History
When Texas Chute Out opened on April 10, 1976, the ride was a major engineering innovation at the park dominating the entrance to the parking lot. The ride was derived from the famed Parachute Jump ride at the legendary Coney Island in New York. Ride engineers from Intamin developed the ride, and then Six Flags purchased three Parachute Drop rides with two built at Six Flags Over Georgia and Six Flags [St. Louis|Six Flags Over Mid-America].Texas Chute Out was the world's first and known as a "modern" parachute drop ride when it opened in 1976.
During Holiday in the Park, Texas Chute Out was decorated as a giant Christmas tree.
The ride began to operate with stand-up buckets in 1977. However, these were removed in 1994 due to safety concerns, and replaced with sit-down basket seats.
On August 2, 2012, Six Flags Over Texas announced the last chance to ride Texas Chute Out would be on September 3, 2012, before it closed along with the neighboring ride Flashback. Texas Chute Out was replaced by Texas SkyScreamer, a Funtime StarFlyer. On October 10, 2012, the Texas Chute Out was demolished with explosives by Dallas-based demolition firm Dallas Demolition to make room for construction of the Texas SkyScreamer. Dallas Demolition strategically cut the base of the ride, and added 14 pounds of C-4 explosives to the base to make it fall over in a specific direction.
Ride
Texas Chute Out was located in Goodtimes Square, where riders of one to three, strap themselves onto to the bench where it then lifted riders to the top. Once up top, the ride pauses to give riders a Bird's-eye view of the park and the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. After a couple of seconds the parachute then releases from the top and floats back down toward the ground.Each seat held two riders, and was equipped with a seat belt and restraint bar. Stationary cables kept each chute stabilized and in the correct position. Another cable actually moved the seat vertically. Inside the tower was one counterweight for each chute. During the years, the ride allowed riders to stand during the ride, but this later stopped.
Primary sources
- Park Times, full of information of Texas Chute Out
Category:Six Flags attractions
Category:Six Flags Over Texas
Category:Amusement rides introduced in 1976
Category:Amusement rides [closed in 2012]
Category:Towers in Texas
Category:Towers completed in 1976
Category:Buildings and structures demolished in 2012
Category:Parachute towers