SATELLITE JETS
Photo contributed by Adam SandyVideo capture by Jay DucharmeVideo capture by Jay DucharmePhoto Contributed by Bob CornellierVideo capture by Jay DucharmePhoto Contributed by Bob Cornellier
Do you have any pictures of the 'Satelite Jets' at Whalom Park?  Would you like to share them with the world?  If so, please email them to:   interactmap@gmail.com
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Our Memories of the Satellite Jets
The Satellite Jets came from Mountain Park in Holyoke, MA, after that park closed in 1987.  The ride was originally built by the German company Klaus using discarded parts from WWII tanks.  It was installed at Mountain Park in 1963 and had three manual controls: one for rotation speed, one for the jet arms and one for the center air tank.  When the ride was transferred to Whalom, it was installed with a single button for operation. That caused havoc with the machinery and the ride was frequently breaking down.  Management at Whalom called in Roger Fortin, Mt. Park's former supervisor, for help.  Roger told them what was wrong: basically the arms were raising before the ride got enough spin to it, putting strain on the machinery.  And when the ride ended, it was supposed to coast to a stop, but Whalom had the brake set to come on full force while the ride was still spinning at top speed.  It really needed to go back to manual control, but Whalom wanted the one-button operation.  It took Whalom a few years to get it adjusted properly so that it ran reliably.
Jay Ducharme ~ July 10, 2010