Super Shot (ride)

Super Shot (also known as Freefall or Cannonball) is a drop ride made by A.R.M. Inc. and Larson International. There are 12 seats per car. The ride ascends the tower by cable with passengers facing outwards from the ride. As soon as it gets to the top, it drops.

Ride cycle

On the Super Shot, the rider never knows when they have reached the top of the ride at around 140feet. Metal sheets are constructed above the seats at a curved angle to prevent viewing upwards. Riders should understand that this ride ascends extremely slowly. The ride will automatically drop you once you reach the top, and stop the gondola through magnetic or air powered brakes. There is a carriage that lifts the gondola to the top of the tower. This carriage stays at the top during the drop, and it comes back down when the ride has finished.

Another version has giant, really strong magnets on the gondola and the ride so that the whole ride is within a magnetic force. The ride is lifted to the top mechanically, but then the ride dropped and then when it nears the bottom, slows because the gondola passes over giant sheets of pure aluminum, which magnets can't stick to. While a magnet is not attracted to aluminum, when there is relative motion between the two, the magnet generates eddy currents in the aluminum which causes a retarding force that slows down the falling gondola. This is an extremely fail safe system that does not depend on any external force or power.

Carnivals that have the Super Shot

While this ride can be found at some carnivals (companies listed below), many carnival companies have opted for more traditional rides as the Super Shot does not tend to draw multiple rides from a single person.

Some carnivals that do have them are:

• Crabtree Amusements
• NAME (Formerly Astro Amusements)
• Fantasy Amusements
• Windy City Amusements
• West Coast Amusements
• World's Finest Shows
• Thomas Carnival Company
• Beauce Carnaval
• Inner's Shows