Large capacity swing type amusement ride

An amusement ride, with a first horizontal axis (X axis), a second horizontal axis (Y axis) perpendicular to the X axis, and a vertical axis (Z axis), comprising:

• a flight support tower complex comprising at least two support towers and a support structure mounted thereon at height, with the support towers spaced apart from one another along the X axis,
• a rider gondola suspended from the support structure via at least one first flight cable and at least one second flight cable, the first and second flight cables extend from the support structure to form a V shape in attaching to the gondola, wherein the gondola comprises a chassis with a plurality of rider seats mounted thereon, and a lifting arm attached to a central hub of the gondola,
• a lift tower spaced apart from the flight support tower complex at a distance along the Y axis, with a lift cable retractably supported on the lift tower at height, wherein one end of the lift cable is attached to a winch and another end of the lift cable is attached to a release mechanism,
• the release mechanism configurable between an open position and a closed position for releasably attaching the lifting arm of the gondola such that, when the release mechanism is attached to the gondola and the winch retracts the lift cable, the gondola is raised upward from the flight support tower complex toward the lift tower into a launch position, and, when the release mechanism releases the gondola at the launch position, the gondola swings from the support structure on the flight cables in a flight path between the support towers along the Y axis,
• wherein the support structure comprises:
• a bridge structure extending between the support towers, the bridge having a track with two parallel rails aligned with the flight path of the gondola along the Y axis,
• a sled movably mounted on the track via wheels, with ends of the sled extending beyond the track on either side along the X axis, and
• a rack-and-pinion system acting between the bridge structure and the sled as part of a swing damper system, which is provided to arrest a swinging motion of the gondola and bring the gondola to a controlled stop,
• wherein the swinging motion of the gondola pulls the sled back and forth along the track due to tension in the flight cables, such that the sled provides a passive braking force against the swinging motion of the gondola, and the rack-and-pinion system comprises a plurality of motors with motor pinions mounted to a rack which resist movement of the sled along the track.