The Bat (Kings Island; opened 1981)

the defunct roller coaster, The Bat
Defunct roller coaster at Kings Island

The Bat was a suspended roller coaster located at Kings Island amusement park in Mason, Ohio. Designed by Arrow Development, it was billed as the "first of its kind" in the world when it opened to the public on April 26, 1981. The suspended coaster concept was a radical departure from traditional roller coaster design, where guests ride below the track instead of above. Previous attempts to build coasters that hang from the track were unsuccessful and date as far back as the early 20th century. Arrow solved issues by utilizing modern technology in the design, including its tubular steel track developed in 1959 for Disneyland's Matterhorn Bobsleds. Arrow constructed a working prototype in 1978 capturing Kings Island's interest, and their engineering department assisted with the development, construction, and maintenance of the ride. The Bat required 18 months of design and two years of manufacturing and assembly. The anticipation leading up to the reveal and opening was intense, as park officials disclosed very little while construction was taking place in view of park guests. Despite a successful launch and reception, the suspended coaster was plagued with mechanical problems and frequent closures over the course of its short lifespan. After a sporadic three seasons, the ride was permanently closed in 1983 and removed from the park. Arrow implemented improved banking and braking design in future installations that were more successful, such as Big Bad Wolf at Busch Gardens Williamsburg, which opened in 1984.

In the mid 1970s, Arrow Development began work on a new roller coaster design, where riders are seated below the track and able to swing from side to side around sharp turns. The tubular design proved dependable and led to unique track designs that wooden coasters were incapable of. Construction of The Bat was completed in November 1980 following 24 months of manufacturing, shipping, and assembly. Although positive statements were released to the press, engineers behind the scenes were facing significant issues. The Bat officially opened to the public four days later. Shortly before The Bat's debut, Huss Maschinenfabrik purchased Arrow Development and the company became known as Arrow Huss. The Bat experienced significant maintenance issues early on. Engineers discovered substantial, premature wear on each car's shock absorbers, and they had to be replaced daily. The safety mechanism would "lock up" periodically, shutting down the ride and requiring a complete survey of the track by engineers before it could reopen. The Bat reopened a year after its closure on May 21, 1983. Additional modifications included the shortening of each train to six cars, an increase of horsepower on the lift hills, and further strengthening of the support structure. The number of shock absorbers on each car was also increased to six to help extend the life of each one. The coaster continued normal operation with occasional downtime but without major issues through July 1983, when it was closed briefly for repair. After operating again for a short time, it closed abruptly in early August 1983 and never reopened. In the meantime, the park focused on opening a new ride called King Cobra, which was the first roller coaster designed from inception as a stand up model. Following months of review, Kings Island concluded that further modifications to The Bat would be too expensive and announced on November 6, 1984, that the ride would be removed. Demolition cost the park $70,000, and over 500 tons of steel were scrapped. The Bat had given approximately 1.8 million rides total during its tenure over three seasons, fewer than what other coasters such as The Beast could accomplish in a single season. Both roller coasters successfully operated for more than two decades. Arrow separated from Huss in 1985, but the reemerged Arrow Dynamics designed and built several other suspended models over the years, some of which remain in operation. In November 1992, Kings Island announced that they would be receiving a new Arrow suspended coaster. It would be named Top Gun and officially open on April 9, 1993. Following Cedar Fair's purchase of the park in 2006, the ride was renamed Flight Deck in 2008 in an effort to remove the Paramount Parks branding. In 2014, it was renamed again to The Bat in honor of the original, receiving a new color scheme and updated logo.

When the ride vehicles exited the station, they made a right turn and climbed the first 100 feet (30 m) lift hill. At the top, they went through the first left handed spiral drop. This was followed by a right turn. After going through an s curve, the ride vehicles traveled through the first helix. The ride vehicles made a left turn shortly before climbing the second 100 feet (30 m) lift hill. They turned right and then entered the second left handed spiral drop. After dropping, the ride vehicles turned right and entered a series of curves. An upward incline and a right turn led into the second helix. Following this helix, the ride vehicles entered a tight section of track. They made a left turn as they began to slow down. The ride vehicles made a right turn, hitting the brakes and returning to the station.

An Arrow Dynamics looping coaster named Vortex, the first roller coaster to feature six inversions, was built in The Bat's former location. It reutilized the same station and operated through 2019. Several remnants of The Bat were still visible while Vortex was in operation, including concrete footings, station, and queue line. The Bat was originally designed to feature two corkscrew inversions that were 60 feet (18 m) long and had proper leads in and out to allow for optimal g forces. The corkscrews were later replaced with helices. A blueprint of The Bat's original layout can be found in the queue line of Orion.