Sky Voyager Discussion

[pushbutton]

Holy Moly! Read the news occasionally! 

[Gold Coast Amusement Force]

Better shots during the night

 

[pushbutton]

Looks like it would have been a very nice attraction!

[themeparkaddict]

Can someone get me past the paywall

[Park Addict 93]

 

Quote

 

New Dreamworld ride Sky Voyager sitting dormant for almost nine months as it can’t pass registration

It’s been billed as a game changing new visitor drawcard for struggling theme park Dreamworld — yet its brand new attraction has sat unused for more than eight months. Here’s why.

MORE than eight months after Dreamworld applied to register its newest attraction, Sky Voyager, the company has yet to convince the State Government it is safe enough to let the public ride it.

Despite being all but completed in November, the flying gondola has since sat unseen and unridden by the public in its striking new glass building.

Workplace Health and Safety Queensland last week received more information from Dreamworld about the ride, which it said it was reviewing.

“WHSQ this week received, and is currently reviewing, more of the information required to make a decision on the design registration application for Dreamworld’s Sky Voyager,” the department said.

“We will continue to liaise with Dreamworld as we review the application and determine whether or not the ride design is safe.

“The ride cannot be registered until this process is completed and at this stage we cannot advise on what date this will occur.”

A statement from Dreamworld did not answer questions about the specific aspects of the ride which have delayed its registration, or say when it expected it might open to the public.

“We are getting closer to opening Sky Voyager and the ride is currently going through the final approval processes necessary to begin operating.”

In its last financial report, for the half-year to December, parent company Ardent Leisure expected the “world class flying theatre ride” to open by the end of last financial year, a deadline that came and went a month ago.

Opening Sky Voyager was the first tactic named as it targeted a Dreamworld “break even” in the April-June quarter.

The park revealed in May that staff had taken their first rides on the Sky Voyager, which was initially promoted in full-size bus advertisements for a Christmas 2018 launch.

Three sets of school holidays have passed since, without a hint of the ride opening.

CEO John Osborne said in May the Decmber 2018, set by previous management, had been “ambitious”.

Ardent Leisure logged a $21.8 million loss for the first six months of last financial year as costs from the tragedy continued.

It is due to report its full-year results for FY19 by the end of October and has not released a guidance.

 

 

[Whombex]

With the preview rides staff have been given, maybe SV's going to need to 'close' for scheduled maintenance (without ever opening)? 😋

Edited July 29, 2019 by Whombex

[MickeyD]

Interesting if WHSQ are holding this back given this same type of ride has operated safely, for years, all over the world in countries where Insurance premiums are a hell of a lot higher than here. If this is the main reason why, really they are being ridiculous.

The TRR accident happened because of years of neglect, ignorance and arrogant decisions made on DW's part to do things DW's way. 

Comparing that situation to the SV delay is ridiculous and WHSQ need to sign it off and get the fucking thing open already.

[Brad2912]

Or... DW have built it on the cheap and cut corners to save $$$ resulting in a structurally or operationally inferior product to the other models around the world. They thought they’d get away with it, but have been called out on it and are struggling to fix it. 

If rumours about the issue being with the physical building as opposed to the actual ride mechanic itself - potentially ride clearance issues, emergency exits, fire safety etc, these may be things that can’t simply be resolved, or may not be able to be without removal of the ride system or redesign of the space... 

[New display name]

What ever happened to DW's comprehensive three-tier park-wide engineering and safety reviews?  Surely this is ongoing and this was conducted on SV before it was submitted to Workplace Health and Safety Queensland.  I would hate to think less of DW and conclude the comprehensive three-tier park-wide engineering and safety reviews was just for show.

[Brad2912]

Three Tier Engineering & Safety Review

[pushbutton]

Tier 1: Look.

Tier 2: Think.

Tier 3: Review. 

[webslave]

If DW had left you out to dry after you'd been giving them a sweet ride for years would you be in a hurry to play ball with them on their next ride?

[themeparkaddict]

Interestingly, all references to Sky Voyager have been removed from the Experience OZ website. I wonder whether they will continue to sponsor the attraction? I remember they previously had deals in place for customers such as early entry to Dreamworld for the ride etc. 

[MickeyD]

^ There is no point in spending money on promoting SV with any Advertising or Sponsorship until they can get an all-clear to open it.

[Edward_marker]

I'm starting to think Dreamworld aren't even bothered to make the changes that are suggested by Work Place Health and Safety as I highly doubt it would take 8 months to make modifications to the ride or building. 

[themagician]

The changes might not take that long, but hearing back from the government certainly can. But it does all depend on how major the changes were 

[Brad2912]

Doesn’t appear to be the government slow turn time in responses, it appears DW can’t provide the relevant paperwork and info 

[auspicious]

On 30/07/2019 at 9:08 AM, MickeyD said:

The TRR accident happened because of years of neglect, ignorance and arrogant decisions made on DW's part to do things DW's way. 

"ignorance" like not making sure the wiring of Sky voyager is compliant with Australian electrical standards?

[Brad2912]

23 minutes ago, auspicious said:

"ignorance" like not making sure the wiring of Sky voyager is compliant with Australian electrical standards?

I’d assume DW engaged licensed electrical contractors to complete wiring for SV, and given we are in Australia, I wouldn’t expect it prudent for DW to say “please ensure your work meets Australian standards”. That would simply be an implied expectation. 

Unless you are saying the electrical work on SV was an in-house job? 

[auspicious]

I am talking about the ride itself, which consists of many pre-wired parts.

If you decided to import a washing machine from taiwan you would make sure it's compliant with Australian standards so that it can be certified for use in Australia. You'd make sure of this by making it a term of the contract and you'd put into place inspection measures to make sure it never leaves the factory without being up to standard and with the accompanying documentation.

A ride is no different.

[iwerks]

https://www.ausleisure.com.au/news/registration-issues-delay-opening-of-dreamworlds-new-sky-voyager-ride/

[Pyro]

Actually, what you will find is that parts that are certified overseas are not compliant to AU/NZ standards. Now this dosn't mean its unsafe or dosnt work, it means that the part hasnt been tested and approved by an Australian regulator. It happens in the gas industry where parts haven't been tested to the AGA standard and cant be used. Someone like Bunnings and there supply chain get the overseas parts tested to conform to the AGA standard because they will sell 1000's of the unit at a time. However a ride like this may have a part that has never been used in Australia and will never be used again for any other purpose, 

So when a part that is EU Certified arrives in Australia that is not wildly use, it need to have an Australian approved part to replace it. This often cant happen because there is no AU/NZ part that can do the job or the certifier cant do the test for months. Now apply that across the board to an overseas ride that arrives in Australia with 10,000 moving parts, valves, hose, hydraulics. Each part has to meet the Australian Standard and also be certified. Its the certification issue that takes so long because our backwards regulators dose not have a prior certification recognition system in place that will allow tested and often superior parts from overseas.

This is not just happening to Dreamworld but across the whole amusement industry, its harder to get things certified with much longer lead times and the introductions of the new rules.

Also it would not just be WHS involved, it will have several government agency who will require different requirements and from experience they will change the goal post with out notice. 

 

[rappa]

Should have sent this guy over when they handed in the paperwork 

 

[Ash]

Handled it with ease

[MickeyD]

Check out this article on blooloop about the rise of the Flying Theatre.

Interesting facts and figures about this game changing Theme Park attraction and how much it is growing in popularity around the World. DW even gets a mention!

https://blooloop.com/flying-theaters-theme-parks/