Air Tunnel

[Islander]

I don't get the problem with the floor -is it any different from Nemesis' (or Inferno's for that matter)? Do either of those rides have downtime from the floor not working? Obviously I don't know, but I've not heard of any downtime due to the floors on these rides... I'm sure certain members on here will be able to elaborate :P. Seems a strange (and costly) thing to replace. I'll certainly miss it...

[James6]

I've heard that if the floor/tilting of seats etc, if that sequence is even slightly out of sync it can shut the whole system down and that is actually, surprisingly one of the biggest causes of breakdowns on Air.

Don't know how true that is but sounds feasible, especially considering B&M no longer use the dropping floor on there flyers.

[Dormiens-Dave]

I think its just that with Air the floor has to drop at a specific time within a sequence of other actions the ride has to do before dispatch, unlike nemesis its just floor drops and go, air is floor drop start tilt, assess seats lock seats assess again and then dispatch, if the floor delays i think it see's this as a fault and stops.

An ex Air ops who frequents TTF said something about this "floor pattern error" i assume its something to do with that.

[JoshM]

We should all post letters on the same day giving our opinion on the air tunnel and how it can be better.

[Lilypad]

You could have an alternitive and just have lights alongside the metal floor.

[Jollylee11]

Air is the original Flying coaster and should stay like that
BUT!
Lights And Trees And Sound would be great
And make it longer
And maybe more upside down cause that is the best bit but i didnt feel nothing cause it was to short i got more feel of the pov i watch later than when i went on it
But over all AIR IS THE BEST :P :P

NOW FLY!

[Oblivion_]

Hate to burst the bubble, but it is cost consuming to change Airs layout :/

[Blaze]

Reading 'Make 'x' longer really does get annoying. Maybe the ride is as long as it is because they decided they want it that long #-o

[Furius Baco]

I feel the tunnel should at least for halloween, be fited with smoke machines which go off as you exit the station, so you cant see anything untill you start going up the chain in a blue light/mist.

[SIMR]

I think that all the tunnel needs is the walls covered in the same rock as the entrance, the floor covered in (light blue) mist and the wall painted as the sky. It's fairly simple and I think it would look good. As for the rest of the ride I am happy with it. I think that adding too much theming to Air would destroy it a little as it's very plain and simple and adding loads of jagged rocks would destroy the lovely atmosphere that is already there.

[dominoes]

i think it should look like the tunnel in the adverts. black with strip lights on the sides

[cookiee_munster]

i think as a lot of people have mentioned, the rock inside the tunnel would look fantastic. air has this kind of theme where nature and technology are fused together. ex;
see how there's a fusion of rock with the metal fin?

the designers dont have to go mad down there, after all it is just a tunnel. but by creating part of the faux rock on parts of the wall would help develop its theme further. and make it look less boring...

[Khalichanan]

It's the time...of the season...to bump this topic

[deadwing]

Y'know, with just some mist and blue lights would have been great. The last time I rode Nemesis Inferno the tunnel at the beginning was just a dark concrete tunnel. No red lights, no mist. But that was the first time I'd seen the effects off and realised that it was just a bog standard concrete tunnel, similar to Air's.

Now obviously, the tunnel is shorter and more natural light comes in from the end you come out of. However, if they did incorporate some of the fancy rock work, little bit of the same lighting they use when you "assume the position", little bit of mist, maybe a little music, I think everyone would be happy.

And while they're at it I think they should put some of the rock work around the under-the-bridge section. Theres another ugly bit of concrete with a nasty looking puddle to boot. Seriously, that puddle has been there since the day the ride opened! There was a some expectation during construction that there would be some sort of water element involved in the ride. That puddle was not what I was expecting.

[CoasterCrazyChris]

Honestly, the ride is more of a dissapointment than I ever thought.

After looking at a POV on YouTube, the ride scenery is ugly and drab.

Where are the lakes and geysers? Its not just the tunnel which is in a state TBH.

[John]

It would be so easy to improve it. Attach blue sheets to the walls, put in a false (removable mesh) floor just above the actual floor (covering the Yourday sensors) and install low profile lighting underneath. It doesn't have to be anything spectacular, just something to hide the mess that's there now.

[Big Dave]

Oh its not the air tunnel topic that crops up every year. We have been asking for it to be sorted for years and its never happened. I think its time to lay it to rest and just accept its highly unlikely. I think the most they will do is leave the blue light in there, but I doubt that as it was strapped to a service ladder making it hard to d servicing on the first turntable.

[Dormiens-Dave]

It was mentioned at the last customer forum meeting that they where looking at the air tunnell and had been costing up some ideas.

They cant paint the walls due to moisture.

I still doubt anything will happen though, its in the corporate view revenue neutral investment which they do not like

[PeteB]

You would think after nearly 8 years of TFF harping on about that bloody tunnel that would have done something about it. I agree to lay it to rest.

Air tunnel tops my list of about 101 things that make the park look shabby, which indeed it does. The company's view of no return from such investments really says alot about them.

Decoration is impotant to everything. Sorting out the Air tunnel and painting Oblivion are just as important as repaimting the buildings in towers street, buying new carpets for the hotels, or pruning plants in the gardens - all of which cost alot of money but do not generate any return.

[Big Dave]

See thats where both yourself and Alton Towers are wrong. It does generate a return. Just like us, the general public notice small things and they are much more likely to return if they had a great day and thought they had great value for money.

Lets give you some examples:

Blackpool pleasure beach or Alton Towers? Most will say Alton Towers
Alton Towers or Europa park? I think if Europa park wasnt so far away, most would say Europa.

When a park such as Europa, which isnt much bigger size wise than Alton Towers, go into detail making sure everything is themed right (I admit its not perfect, but dam near close), then customers will notice and leave much happier and more likely to return. This in return gives the park more guests and therefore more money!

Im not saying line air's tunnel with gold, but at least make it look half good instead of leaving it looking like a dumping ground, but like I said, I cannot see them doing much with it and that damp excuse is a load of rubbish. I think the real reason is because the concrete walls flake and they would have to keep repainting it. Simple solution would be to put something infront of the concrete walls, but obviously ensure it doesnt go into the safety envelope of the ride.