[evaninmatthews]

Aren't there height restrictions because of the airport?

[Foghorn-Leghorn]

I think there may be more red tape to get through... but height restrictions?? I dunno how much of that rumor is actually true

[Jonathan]

The Skytower is 340 feet tall.

[evaninmatthews]

I thought the skytower was "grandfathered" in?

[Jonathan]

That wouldn't make much sense since the airport was built 40 years before the tower, and planes have only improved in their takeoff and landing radius since then.

[chargercrazy]

So what you are saying is that we can have a hyper as tall as the Skytower

[Foghorn-Leghorn]

not to mention the fact that the airport is miles away from Carowinds..... what's another hundred feet when the planes are a couple thousand feet above the park?

[Thriller]

If it were truely about safety (height of rides vs. planes), than the city or state would have never "granfathered" in the skytower. Point blank, I feel that Carowinds has a max of atleast 340' just b/c of the skytower. WOW...imagine a 340' hyper gracing the Carowinds skyline! Ok now, I am back to 120' reality. lol!

[army of 1]

Trust me, there is a LOT more red tape when dealing with the FAA.... Especially with a ride that tall... Height, colors, location, etc etc etc.... I aint sayin I know something, cuz I dont, I know of a group of people who couldnt build a building near a small community airport b/c of the color of the brick.... petty I know...

Personally, when that majical announcement day does come,(if it ever does) I wouldn't look for a ride much over 200'.... This whole thing is hearsay anyhow.... but it is fun to speculate..

Wouldn't a 300' hyper rock!!!!

[Davidtmp]

I agree with Army, when you are dealing with a gov't agency, they will go overboard. You never know what kind of BS the FAA will come up with, and you can't fight the deep pocketed gov't.
Carowinds is in the flight path of planes taking off and landing. The airport is 10 miles away, just a guess looking at the overhead maps. I have never seen a plane flying overhead really low and thought "That plane is just over the skytower". Looking at Hard Rock Park, they are maybe a mile from the landing strip. I have seen planes flying low and said "Wow, that plane is just over Led Zep". Those planes don't have the time to get down like they do at Carowinds. By the time you get to Carowinds you are probably at 5000 ft and climbing, if not more. But the runways at both airports point straight to the parks.
I really don't see any reason Carowinds wouldn't be allowed to build large rides, at least as high as the Skytower. But again, you never know what a gov't agency will try to do to block it.

[coasterbruh]

No such thing as a 300ft hyper...its a 300ft Giga! heh heh

[bgwfreak]

I may be stupid, but why would they need height restrictions for a ride 200 ft tall anyway?

If a plane is flying at 200 ft, it's either landing, or about to crash!

[army of 1]

hyper/giga who cares.........its only a foot...sheesh...

[Davidtmp]

I may be stupid, but why would they need height restrictions for a ride 200 ft tall anyway?

If a plane is flying at 200 ft, it's either landing, or about to crash!

HRP has a 200ft limit on any ride. Since Carowinds is near CDI, there has been speculation if there is a limit on rides at Carowinds, even though we do have the Skytower. But HRP is only a mile or so from the airport at Myrtle Beach, Carowinds is actually about 10 miles or so.

[charlotteguy02]

Back when Mr. Helms worked at the park, I remember asking this very question and from what I recall he said there is (was) no height ristriction over the park. However, any structure built over X amount of feet would require approval from the FAA during the permitting process. This is not just for height, but for paint color, lighting, etc., etc.