SheiKra
SheiKra's entrance
Location	Busch Gardens Africa
Park Section	Stanleyville
Type	Steel - Diving Machine
Opened	May 21, 2005
Manufacturer	Bolliger & Mabillard
Model	Diving Machine
Lift/launch system	Chain lift hill
Height	200 feet (61 m)
Length	3,188 feet (971.7 m)
Max speed	70 miles per hour (112.7 km/h)
Inversions	1
Duration	3:00
Max Vertical Angle	90 degrees
Height Restriction	54 inches (137.2 cm)
SheiKra at RCDB
Pictures of SheiKra at RCDB

SheiKra (pronounced shee-krah) is a vertical drop roller coaster in Tampa, Florida. It is situated in the Stanleyville section of Busch Gardens Africa. SheiKra is the first and only Bolliger & Mabillard Diving Machine roller coaster in North America. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2204x1668, 288 KB) Summary SheiKra sign by the ride entrance Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1. ... Busch Gardens Africa (formerly known as Busch Gardens Tampa Bay) is a 335-acre 19th century African-themed park located in Tampa, Florida. ... Busch Gardens Africa (formerly known as Busch Gardens Tampa Bay) is a 335-acre 19th century African-themed park located in Tampa, Florida. ... The Dueling Dragons, the worlds only Dueling Steel-Inverted roller coaster located at Islands of Adventure in Universal Orlando Resort, Orlando, Florida. ... May 21 is the 141st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (142nd in leap years). ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Bolliger and Mabillard (B&M) is a roller coaster manufacturer based in Monthey, Switzerland. ... A lift hill, or chain hill, is often the initial upward section of track on a typical roller coaster that initially transports the roller coaster train to an elevated point. ... A foot (plural: feet or foot;[1] symbol or abbreviation: ft or, sometimes, ′ – a prime) is a unit of length, in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... The metre, or meter (U.S.), is a measure of length. ... Miles per hour is a unit of speed, expressing the number of international miles covered per hour. ... Kilometres per hour (American spelling: kilometers per hour) is a unit of both speed (scalar) and velocity (vector). ... An inch (plural: inches; symbol or abbreviation: in or, sometimes, ″ - a double prime) is the name of a unit of length in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... A centimetre (American spelling centimeter, symbol cm) is a unit of length that is equal to one hundredth of a metre, the current SI base unit of length. ... A typical roller coaster The roller coaster is a popular amusement ride developed for amusement parks and modern theme parks. ... Nickname: Cigar City, The Big Guava, T-Town, Jook City Location in Hillsborough County and the state of Florida. ... Busch Gardens Africa (formerly known as Busch Gardens Tampa Bay) is a 335-acre 19th century African-themed park located in Tampa, Florida. ... Bolliger and Mabillard (B&M) is a roller coaster manufacturer based in Monthey, Switzerland. ...

The water splash element on SheiKra. The water is launched with the use of scoops located at the rear of the train

Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1280x788, 126 KB) The splashdown element on SheiKra I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1280x788, 126 KB) The splashdown element on SheiKra I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1. ...

Ride Layout

After passengers have been secured, the trains make their way out of the station and begin the 47° lift hill to the ride's peak height of 200 feet. Trains make a right-hand U-turn 200ft above the streets of Tampa and stop on a specially-designed holding brake (found on all Bolliger & Mabillard dive machines), which is poised at the apex of the 90° drop. This brake holds the trains for about 3-5 seconds. Riders are then taken down the 200-foot vertical drop and are quickly taken into a 145ft-Immelmann inversion. A left-hand carousel turn brings riders to a block brake before riders take a second, 81°-138ft-drop into a mist-filled tunnel. The tunnel comes back out as quickly as it went in and emerges in daylight for the trains to maneuver a wide over banked right turn over the park's smoke house before coming to the finale, when the train travels across the surface of a pool, soaking onlookers. After a helix, the trains come into the service brake and are slowed by magnetic brakes before returning to the station. Tampas skyline For alternate meanings, see Tampa (disambiguation) Tampa is a city located in Hillsborough County on the west coast of Florida. ... Bolliger and Mabillard (B&M) is a roller coaster manufacturer based in Monthey, Switzerland. ... // Immelmann An Immelmann loop is a popular inversion found on many roller coasters. ... David OHara tells you about brakes and how effective they are: A brake run on Scorpion A brake run on a roller coaster is any section of track meant to slow or stop a roller coaster train. ... A helix (pl: helices), from the Greek word έλικας/έλιξ, is a twisted shape like a spring, screw or a spiral staircase. ...

Ride Elements

• 200 foot 47° lift hill
• 200 foot 90° drop
• 145 foot tall Immelmann
• 138 foot 81° drop

Seating

SheiKra's three rows of 8 seats.

Immelmann and second vertical drop.

The trains consist of three rows with eight seats across. The eight-across seating arrangement is unique to the dive machine coasters. This arrangement, in addition to a dual-loading station, greatly increase the rides hourly capacity, it also means that the riders position (for instance towards the back of the ride) does not subtract from the overall experience. It also uses tiered seating, meaning that each row of seats is slightly higher than the one in front of it. This means that wherever a rider may sit, they will always have a clear view ahead. This is very effective on the holding brake, as it means every rider will see the huge drop beneath. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1212x1229, 315 KB) A picture I took of the SheiKra in Busch Gardens Africa which shows a decent view of the seating configuration during the first drop. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1212x1229, 315 KB) A picture I took of the SheiKra in Busch Gardens Africa which shows a decent view of the seating configuration during the first drop. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1024x768, 138 KB) SheiKras initial drop (right), immelmann (left), and second vertical drop (center). ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1024x768, 138 KB) SheiKras initial drop (right), immelmann (left), and second vertical drop (center). ...

SheiKra will become a floorless roller coaster in the Spring or Summer of 2007, most likely after Griffon opens in Williamsburg.

Trivia

• The name SheiKra is derived from a shikra, an African hawk that is known to dive down for its prey.
• Busch Gardens opted to have another Bolliger & Mabillard coaster after the continued success of Kumba and Montu.
• SheiKra is the first vertical-drop (dive machine) roller coaster in the United States, and the first roller coaster of its kind to include an inversion (in this case, an Immelman Loop) and a true 90 degree vertical drop. The other two coasters of its type are Oblivion at Alton Towers theme park in the United Kingdom and G5/Flying Submarine at Janfusun Fancyworld amusement park in Taiwan.
• SheiKra was featured in the Winter 2006 issue of RollerCoaster! magazine, the quarterly publication of American Coaster Enthusiasts. The cover picture of this issue depicts one of SheiKra's trains going down each vertical drop and the third in the water spray area.
• Riders are able to buy "on ride DVDs", created from video cameras mounted around the ride.

Binomial name Accipiter badius Gmelin, 1788 The Shikra (Accipiter badius) is a small bird of prey in the family Accipitridae which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as eagles, buzzards and harriers. ... Hawks redirects here. ... Kumba entrance. ... Montu entrance Montu is an Inverted roller coaster at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay in Tampa, Florida. ... An immelman loop is a coaster inversion, consisting of a Half-loop to An extended corkscrew/zero-G-roll style turnover. ... It has been suggested that Oblivion RollerCoaster be merged into this article or section. ... Alton Towers is one of Britains most famous theme parks. ... 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... American Coaster Enthusiasts is a social organization dedicated to the enjoyment and preservation of roller coasters and other amusement rides. ...

Counterpart

At Busch Gardens Africa's sister park, Busch Gardens Europe (located in Williamsburg, Virginia), a new beast is in the works. The "Griffon" will feature a 205-foot vertical drop, higher than any other dive coaster in the world, two separate immelmann inversions, a second near-vertical 130 ft drop, and a watersplash. It marks the first time that a 10-seater car is used, and also a floorless car. On the park's website, three videos that introduce the details of the ride are available. Busch Gardens Europe is a theme park located in James City County, Virginia, about 3 miles (5 km) southeast of Williamsburg. ... Nickname: The Burg Location in the Commonwealth of Virginia. ... Griffon is a roller coaster, announced on August 23, 2006, under construction at Busch Gardens Europe. ... Max Immelmann Max Immelmann (September 21, 1890 - June 18, 1916) was a German World War I Flying ace. ...

External links

• SheiKra On-Ride Video (Full POV; Quicktime, 36 Megs)
• SheiKra On-Ride/Off-Ride Music Video
• SheiKra Construction Photos
• Official Site