Absimilliard Posted June 21, 2009 Share Posted June 21, 2009 Hey everybody! This thread is simple! Rather than having a million little threads about everything that goes on at Walibi Rhone Alpes, this thread is designed to consolidate it all into one user-friendly thread. Feel free to use it to post updates, trip reports, questions, comments, and of course, general discussion. For pictures and videos of the park as well as past updates, see TPR's Park Index Walibi Rhone Alpes. Walibi Rhone Alpes Official Website Below are some links to past updates from the park, you may be interested in. Enjoy! --Robb _____________________________________________________ 2009 Helicopter Ride commemorating park's 30th anniversary turns tragic (see below) 2014 April 16th, 2014 - new non-OTSR restraints on Boomerang 2016 July 23rd, 2015 - Park announces Timber, a Gravity Group coaster to open in 2016 2017 December 8th, 2017 - Gerstlauer Infinity coaster to be built for the 2019 season 2021 March 16th, 2021 - EqWalizer to become Generator with new color and theme _____________________________________________________ Original Post: There was an horrible accident at Walibi Rhones-Alpes in France. The park offered (or they purchased the tour) their employees helicopter tours of the park and area around. Around 7pm on saturday june 20th, a few minutes after taking off, the helicopter crashed and killed all 7 occupants... The pilot and 6 park employees... Horrible, since I knew one of the park employee and the park was closed today while they offered help to the families and employees. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airtime&Gravity Posted June 21, 2009 Share Posted June 21, 2009 Translated story: LYON (AFP) - Seven occupants of a private helicopter were killed early Saturday evening in the crash of their aircraft on Mount cord on Common Brégnier-Cordon, in Ain, it was learned from firefighters, the gendarmerie and the prefecture. The accident occurred around 19:00 when the helicopter airline Azur Helicopter, which was on a first flight from the park Walibi en Isère, crashed for unknown reasons in an area steep and uninhabited, said the same sources. The victims were the pilot of the helicopter and six employees of the park on leave, which had used the day to make this flight, it was shown in the direction of Walibi. Five of the victims were decapitated in the accident, according to firefighters. "A witness gave the alarm. He saw the blue and white helicopter flying at low altitude before you lose sight, and then heard a bang and felt a strong smell of kerosene", told AFP the master Frédéric Bertin, an officer in the Departmental Operations Center Fire and Rescue (CODIS) of the Ain. "The weather at the time of the accident was a priori good. The aircraft crashed without causing a fire," said the AFP Didier Doré, the sub-prefect of Belley in Ain, which visited the site. "The prosecutor's office in Bourg-en-Bresse is seized of the case and the investigation is ongoing to determine the exact circumstances of the tragedy, he added. Fifty firefighters from the Ain, Isère and Savoie, aboard a dozen trucks were immediately visited the scene of the accident. They were supported by as many men whose gendarmes de la brigade de gendarmerie airline, said to AFP gendarmerie. Attached to the phone by AFP, the company Azur Helicopter, which has a hangar at the airport Lyon-Bron, did not wish to communicate. The common Brégnier-cord is located 20 km south of Belley (Ain). Link Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msep003 Posted June 23, 2009 Share Posted June 23, 2009 RIP Stéphane JAQUOT ! Stéphane used to be Parc Asterix's Operations Manager and helped the ECC and TPR when they made their trips to Parc Asterix . Stephane moved to Walibi and became Park's Manager and sadly died in the Helicopter Accident near the Park with 6 Other park's employees . The Helicopter tour was made for the Park's 30th anniversary . Aurevoir Stéphane and thank for what you did in Parc Asterix and Walibi Rhone Alpes . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRapidsNerd Posted June 23, 2009 Share Posted June 23, 2009 My deepest sympathies. Those poor people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Théo the little french Posted June 23, 2009 Share Posted June 23, 2009 I live at 5km of Belley and I asked for a job in WRA.... Yesterday a friend of mine, has been told that one of his friend died in the accident... It was really disturbing... It was really crazy to hear that at the news last week end! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamesdillaman Posted June 23, 2009 Share Posted June 23, 2009 5 decapitated? OMG what a horrible accident. My prayers go to the families and friends of the victims. -James Dillaman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingScooter Posted June 23, 2009 Share Posted June 23, 2009 My sympathies to all those involved. Very tragic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingRCT3 Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 (edited) Walibi Rhône Alpes (France) is currently making a few changes to their iconic Vekoma Boomerang that opened in 1988. Here it is, plain ol' Boomerang: But for 2014, Walibi proudly (I hope not) presents EqWalizer! Wow looks flashy! WOW it IS flashy! Seriously?! I think I like what WH did with Speed of Sound better. At least it's shiny! The good news is that they're getting a new train, from SAT Rides. Who rode the Boomerang at the Wiener Prater, or Teststrecke? Are they comfortable? The lap-bar looks intimidating... Yay for the audio system! Hopefully it will be as loud as on Speed of Sound, the sound was pretty good (at least in station and during the lifts). Moar pink!! (Source) By the way, have you ever noticed that the SAT Rides train uses the same seat design as the Zierer's ESC coasters? Edited April 16, 2014 by KingRCT3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJeXeL Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 Lord that is tacky looking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nrthwnd Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 Um... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Generational Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 Would've looked nice with orange track and blue rail. Or least, by looked nice, I mean marginally less tacky. Why don't they just have confetti fly out when you come back to the station while the attendant apathetically spins a noise maker, just to go the full nine yards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XYZ Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 While I really like new trains on the Boomerang, that paint scheme makes my eyes bleed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustyinpeace Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 The paint scheme is really reminding me of the original X. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rollercoaster Rider Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 The paint scheme is really reminding me of the original X. Dang it. You beat me to that joke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Generational Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 I completely overlooked the new audio system. Hopefully it'll just play the chorus to "Right Round Baby" by Dead or Alive at ridiculously distorted levels, with undertones of the Nazi regime speeches, to compliment the new paint scheme! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon8899 Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 The same train like on the Vienna Prater Boomerang and on the Schwarzkopf Double-Loop Teststrecke - former Laser. IMO an improvement in replacing the older Vekoma OTSR trains but still prefer the new Vekoma trains with vest-style OTSRs as they comfortable and give the upper body support inside the Cobra Roll - specially on the return trip were the Cobra Roll is taken quite slow you have to keep yourself upright inside the seat of the SAT trains. I cannot compare between the SAT trains and Gerstlauer train for Schwarzkopf loopers - but will do next year... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BDG Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 http://www.facebook.com/walibirhonealpes Looks great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dapalm Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 The new colors are horrible, but the new trains are nice, they look much better than the old ones, and I have only heard good things about them. It's nice to see parks trying to improve their old coasters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterbill Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 If I had to be perfectly honest the Boomerang actually does have a pretty cool, forceful layout. I'd love to ride one with these types of trains as the ride would probably be very enjoyable with no head banging and less restrictive restraints. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diamondbacker27 Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 I like it, I think i'm the only one though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oriolat Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 If Speed of Sound is anything to go by, this overhaul will be amazing. The soundtrack on SOS was so catchy and well synched. Do we know if there will any tunnels added to both spikes? Is this going to feature the same soundtrack as SOS (the song was called "Hello World!")? Although the new paint job might look a bit tacky, it gives a bog standard Boomerang some fresh air. The new trains will hopefully avoid the inevitable headbanging on the cobra roll. Great job, Walibi! Now build brand new rides across the chain! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jedimaster1227 Posted May 18, 2014 Share Posted May 18, 2014 Those trains kind of remind me of the ones from Cliffhanger at Ghost Town in the Sky. I'd be curious to hear what people think of them once the ride reopens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingRCT3 Posted May 18, 2014 Share Posted May 18, 2014 The ride is reopened, here is the official (ew...) pictures: Source And some better pictures from Mehdi.B on Ameworld.net. Mehdi rode the ride 7 times, and tell us what he thought: Yes, the speakers are around the head. It's apparently the same song that on Speed of Sound at Walibi Holland. The ride is very pleasant. Pros: - New train with lap-bar. - The modulable queue line that can hold up to a wait of 1h45. - Station gates - The on-ride picture that is took at the end of the vertical loop and that can be send by e-mail after your purchase. - New colors. Cons: - There's no baskets to put your belongings. (will be added in the future, though) - Depending on the affluence, you can't sometimes choose your seat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
booink Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 I like that another boomerang gets Lap-Bars. The colors are awful, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoinItForTheFame Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 I LOVE the new trains.. But those colors though? ... No... Just no. They are awful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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