Reverse bungee

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A reverse bungee launch with the passenger car nearing the top of the launch.

Passenger car immediately after launch.

The reverse bungee (sometimes referred to as a slingshot, catapult bungee, or Ejector Seat) is a modern type of fairground ride introduced by S & D Leisure in 1999 as a slightly more controlled, inverted version of the bungee jump.

The ride consists of two telescopic gantry towers mounted on a platform, feeding two elastic ropes down to a two person passenger car constructed from an open sphere of tubular steel. The passenger car is secured to the platform with an electro-magnetic latch as the elastic ropes are stretched. When the electromagnet is turned off, the passenger car is catapulted vertically with a g-force of 3-5, reaching an altitude of between 50 and 80 metres (180-260 ft).

The passenger sphere is free to rotate between the two ropes, giving the riders a chaotic and disorienting ride. After several bounces, the ropes are relaxed and the passengers are lowered back to the launch position.

[edit] Accidents

There have been a number of accidents involving the reverse bungee, including instances of the bungee cords malfunctioning and separating from the sphere.^[1]