Take a flight into space with Galactica Tours through the magic of virtual reality, soaring amongst the stars, through worm holes and visiting distant planets.
| Theme Park | Alton Towers |
|---|---|
| Park Area | Forbidden Valley |
| Type | Rollercoaster |
| Audience | Thrillseekers |
| Opened | 16 March 2002 (as Air) 24 March 2016 (Galactica retheme) |
| Manufacturer | Bolliger & Mabillard |
| Model | Flying Coaster |
| Height | 66 ft |
| Length | 2756 ft |
| Inversions | 2 |
| Max Speed | 47 mph |
| Designer | John Wardley (Air) |
| Virtual Reality | Figment Productions |
| Codename | Secret Weapon 5 (SW5) |
| Duration | 1¾ minutes |
| Extras | Fastrack Pre-Ride Photos |
Flying on Galactica
Galactica takes riders on a journey into outer space, using virtual reality headsets to give the impression they are flying through the galaxy onboard a spaceship from Galactica Tours,a futuristic space tourism company.
The ride originally opened as Air, the world's first flying rollercoaster from Bolliger & Mabillard in 2002. By positioning riders lying face down underneath the track, it attemptsto give the feeling of flight.
The original ride theme was a fairly abstract floaty new-age well-being flying-through-clouds type thing, which provided a marked contrast from the dark destructionaround Nemesis further up the Forbidden Valley area.
For 2016, Air was rethemed as Galactica. The main change was adding virtual reality headsets to each seat, but there was also new theming added to the ride station together with the additionof a massive space 'portal' element which trains fly through at the bottom of the first drop. To celebrate the retheme, Alton Towers' 2016 Fireworks Event took on a Galactica-based storyline.
Air was a prototype and, as the first of its kind, lacks some of the elements and general excitement of other B&M Flyers that have come since, but it does give a nice gentle swooping ride. Adding VR doesn't actually add much to the ride experience, but luckily Alton Towers have devised a much better system for riders to put on the VR headsets than on other retro-fitted VR coasters such asthose that have invaded Six Flags parks, meaning dispatch times aren't slowed down too much. Riders also have the option of experiencing the rollercoaster without VR ... something I would recommend.
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Photo Gallery
Galactica entrance sign
Flying through the space portal
The Galactica station is themed as a spaceport
Guests wait to board on the right hand side platform
A train enters the left side station
Staff help guests put on their VR headsets
Climbing the lift hill
Flying on their backs
Corkscrewing through the air
A Galactica train passes overhead
Galactica's entrance plaza
Main entrance
The queueline splits, with visitors being sent to either the left or right stations
Entrance to the right hand side station
Bridge taking visitors over the track to the left hand station
Right hand station
Left hand station
Guests wearing VR headsets
Tunnel from the station at the beginning of the ride
Galactica's space portal element
The track interacts with the queueline
Galactica overhead
Turning upside down in the air
Returning to the station
Galactica advertising
Lift hill at night
The portal lit up
Galactica's portal at night
Air (2002-2015)
Photographs of the Flying Coaster's first incarnation as Air from when it was built in 2002 until it was converted to Galactica after the 2015 season.
Air's "normal queue" entrance
Flying coaster
Flying upside down
Flight over the crowds
Air's track is visible from all over the queueline
Watching Air from the queue
Left hand station queueline
One of Air's two station sides
Waiting for a ride on Air
Air Gate 1
Air Gate 2
Guests wait in separate pens for each row before boarding
Up to four guests wait at each "Air Gate"
Each Air Gate corresponds to a row of four on the train
Station lighting effects change as the train departs
Climbing up the lift hill
Bottom of the first drop
Accelerating upwards
Car park turnaround
Assume the position
Now fly
Prepare for Air
Flying on their backs
Crossing the concourse
Turn
Flying position
Passing beside the station building
Rolling
Diving downwards
Air's track interacts with the queueline at various points
Coming into the brakes
Hanging on the brake run
The infamous brickwork beneath the brake run is covered in stuff you'd rather not think about
The track splits at the end of the brake run to allow trains to enter either of the two sides of the station
Brake run close up
Air's main entrance
Lift hill
Climb towards the sky
Air flies over a busy queueline
The Air end of Forbidden Valley
Air Shop
Inside the Air Shop
Guests used to be able to collect free(!) Fastrack tickets for Air from machines in Forbidden Valley
Lying on your back on a sunny day
Air's entrance area at night
Dark rides on Air
Air at night
Air's station lighting was really effective after dark
Videos
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Other Alton Towers Attractions
Nemesis
Nemesis Sub-Terra
Rollercoaster Restaurant
Hydration Station (Forbidden Valley)
Nemices Donuts
The Blade
Coffee Lounge
Hot Dogs and Loaded Fries
Funk'n'Fly
Hex: The Legend of the Towers
The Curse at Alton Manor
More Alton Towers Attractions
