Air, a truly fabulous ride that is a great experience. The queue line and station atmospere is great. If you want a more intense ride go to the back row, but for the experience, front is amazing. My tip - always put your arms out in front of you instead of holding the restraint, it feels great.

When you are being tipped forward in the station it does feel pretty weird, but you get used to it. Going up the lift hill you can see people looking up at you from under the lift hill, and of corse, where the lift hill finishs and it drops. The drop is amazing and it is a great feeling of plummeting down. The fly to lie when you are on your back is brill and the barrel roll is amazing. Swooping around is a great feeling, looking down on people and if you are lucky I think on the lift hill you can see Nemesis' track with Nemesis going by. :D

Ok, the ratings from me...

Thrill - 7/10
Fun Factor - 10/10
Comfort - 9/10

Overall Rating - 9/10

Prepare for air, assume the postition, now fly.

Air and Nemesis are the reasons why Forbidden Valley is so popular. One provides all the intensity you'll need, the other gives you an all new experience.

The first thing you'll notice when you enter the Valley is the clash in theming. Nemesis has the demonic alien with the terrifying soundtrack. Air has... little of note with the tranquil music. Why the differences? In my opinion, Air isn't supposed to fit with the overall theme of the Valley. It's essentially Yin and Yang; Nemesis is the evil, and Air is the good. The lack of any actual theming for Air also enhances the ride experience instead of detracting from it, as it puts more emphasis on the unique flying experience (although a certain part of the ride is in desperate need of theming. You know what I mean).

Onto the ride itself. The first time the train assumes the position is a very strange experience. Being a heavily-built person I regularly question the reliability of the restraints, despite the fact that I know they won't open under the 18 stone weight that is me. Hearing people scream during this process is normal. Once dispatched, the train glides through an underground car-park, until it reaches the lift-hill. It's always fun looking at the people below. And it's interesting to see Nemesis from above too. When the train begins its descent on its 'back' and you're not enjoying yourself, you either don't like rollercoasters or there's something wrong with you.

There's really not much I can say about the ride experience except it's absolutely magnificent. Air is a simply brilliant ride, and a fine addition to Alton Towers.

Comfort: 10/10
Thrill: 9/10
Theming: N/A (unless they fix the tunnel)
Overall: 10/10
One of my all-time favourite rides, as seen by my music video...

AIR


Prepare for air... Assume the position ... Now fly , fly , flyyy ...


Everyone wants the ability to fly. To swoop high in the clouds and feel a sensation that is reviving but still thrilling. The ability to ride air.

Air , to me , i think is one of the most relaxing coasters i have ever been on in my entire life.
Who said you need terror to thrill you ?
With air , you can still have a great time on a rollercoaster. But instead of scring yourself stupid , you can relax on air. which by the way , is a great ride in Alton , if you want to calm down on..

Once seeing air , it looks quite big. And you don't know really what it will be like. However the unique ability to ride a rollercoaster , in a flying position , fascinates you. And your eager to ride!

Once queing , it isnt fairly long... And as you pass through , you get seperrated into different ques. Single rider que can also be accsesed. If you que t the left you end up starting on the left station , and finishing on the right station. If you proceed to the right , you start up on the right , and finish on the left!

So once you are in the que , near the station you get to choose wether you want any seat , or just the front seat. I always go for front , as it feels like your less crammed in. As your train awaits , you climb aboard. The restraints are extremely awesome , and just look weird and wondeful. So by sitting down , you place your legs into the foot lock. you pull down the harness ( which can be awkward ) and your ready! As the staff check the restraints are locked , teal lights glow on . It goes dark , and the trains then tip. Into the lieing down position.

At first , it can feel strange , and quite unsafe. But once you get moving , you find it feels much more nicer. As you proceed to the lift , you go through the tunnel , and cant help but notice the oil spillages , and litter in there. But hey , were here for the ride feeling !

So up we climb! Suddenly the steps , underneath you , in the tunnel drop out , and you are hangin , in the air , above watching by-standers. You start to climb higher , and higher. And at this point you start to think : if anything went wrong, or the bars came undone , you could actually fall out!

Ignoring this , you start to tip forwards , and begin your flight. The first drop , picks up some speed , and you find yourself sropping down into some lush , green grass below. Quickly you rise , and tip onto your back. You find your self looking up at the sky , flying , and dropping down , all at the dame time! It truly is a nice expierience. And to be honest , it isn't at all scary! And on a sunny day , it's truly lovely , and relaxing. You quickly turn back to your front , and dive underground , you then quickly rise back up again and mearly mimss the trees at the side!

As you turn around , you look ahead and see the barrel roll infront. You quickly turn over and roll , which produces a nice , weightless feeling. As you swoop over the station , you do some nice manouvers , and drop then lift then drop again , onto the nice green grass banks. You then turn round a quite forceful overbank curve , looking out toward the car park. As you turn again , and enter the brakes , only just missing the rocks sticking out in the ground , you slow to a stop.

I just flew!

It feels great afterwards and really feels like you have just been on a flight!
As the train reaches the station you return back to the normal position , and try to lift yourself out of the comfy restraints.

Looking out onto air , you can't help but feel revived , and ready to go on some bigger rides now! A truly awesome feeling , and the most relaxing coaster ride. EVER :mrgreen:

Air is such a brilliant roller coaster. The first one of its kind that I have been on. The theming clashes a bit with the Nemesis, Ripsaw theme.

When I went
When I went, it was about February and I was just 11. As I queued up I wasn't really nervous but as I moved closer I got more and more nervous as I saw the final turn on the ride. I moved towards the station and my heart was pounding.
I got on and they turned me on my stomach and it felt so weird. Then we went up the lift hill and then we dropped. I've got to say, I've never felt anything like it before. The adrenaline and exhilaration rushed through me. It was unbelievable.
Then when you get on your back you definitely feel like a bird.
When I got off, I felt so good and thrilled I had done it.

Scare Factor: 8/10
Thrill Factor: 9/10
Adrenaline: 9/10
Overall: 9/10

Brilliant ride
A must at Alton Towers :)

Personally i only ride it again and again due to how smooth it is, after nemmie it kinds of cures your back and neck pain. Air is not scary and quite thrilling but NOT SCARY! It's a must do for first timers and kind of stands out among the other coasters because of how much it has been advertised.

Overall, i like that but it's not as good as rita. Totally my opinion only.

Air is a fantastic ride and by far my favourite the only ride that comes close to air is nemesis. From when your in the station and the calm blue light turns on and your flipped into position to when your flying through the air this is by far the best ride in the uk.

Ratings:
Fear:78
Thrill:90
Experience:100
Speed:85
Fun:91
Overall:93

Air. a really enjoyable ride, not hard or lighting quick. A great introductory coaster ride for kids.

the ride
The station theming is minimalist / futuristic airport. The seating & restraints on the crafts (trains) are comfortable. with a lighting colour change from white to light blue and a whisper of "Prepare for Air, Assume the Position.Now Fly, Fly, Fly." the seating moves 180 degrees and lock into the ride position.

You exit the station though a plain concrete tunnel, that I think could do with a coat of light blue paint. you head up the lift hill, Nemesis to the left people walking under you. you feel the comfortable ride position as you swoop down and feel the track gently guiding you around the ride. until you return to the brake run.

Positive Points

- Very comfortable
- Very smooth
- Great family/ first 'thrill' ride for youngsters.
- makes you feel in free flight
- Can be quite exhilarating in parts.

Negative Points

- Plain Concrete Tunnel to lift hill, that could do with theme colour paint

Comfort: 10/10
Scenery: 8/10
Thrill: 9/10
Overall: 10/10

Air = Great Ride!
+ points
Compfy Seats
Fun ride
Well paced
Fun for most of the family
Partially well themed
Great in the dark

- points
Feels strange the first time
The tunnel
Breaks down ALOT
When seatbelts open, they don't open fully, so you may hit your head

So, out of 10
Thrill: 5.5
Fun: 8
Environment: 8
Overall: 8

I went on this a few years ago and thought it was disappointing, but went on it this week and really enjoyed it. It was pouring with rain so we got very wet but that was part of the fun. This ride always seems to have huge queues. Only complaint is that they don't have it open for the people who get to enter the parks an hour early.

Air is definitely one of the best rides in Alton Towers and one of them in the UK. It's smooth, clean and sharp turns and enjoyable flight position make this almost definitely a must-ride. It offers a great entrance to thrill rides if your a beginner and I would definitely recommend this to anyone who is nervous. The environment is brilliant and the atmosphere is like none-other in the park.

Good Points

• "World first" flying-like experience
• Most comfortable ride at Alton Towers
• Good for beginners/those who are nervous
• Great environment/scenery

Bad Points

• Queue's tend to be long and boring for some reason
• Items like shoes and jewelry are known to be lost
• Always breaks down
• Seatbelts dont always open properly

Air is an amazing experience. As you enter Forbidden Valley from the Skyride station, you hear the screams of terror from Nemesis. The area, themed around this horrible creature seems bleak until you see the safe haven that is AIR!

Unlike Nemesis, guests scream with delight instead of terror on Air. As you approach, the Air crafts float above you. You can see the joy on people's faces as they fly past. Time to enter the queue line...

Being in the queue line just builds the excitement as you see more crafts flying around the track. If your lucky (very!), the queue line won't be too long and you are soon approaching the ride station. As you walk down the ramp into the loading bays, you see crafts leaving the station. I really love the theming within the Air station. Its simple but effective. The colour scheme and modern feel draw you in before the ride.

As your craft enters the station, you see what is about to happen. When the air gates open, you rush to your seat and pull down on the restraint which makes you feel very secure and comfortable. When all of the checks have been completed , you are ready to 'Assume the position'. Without warning, the station lights turn blue and the seats are tilted back so you are now facing the station floor. Even in this position, the restraints feel very safe and secure. It's time to fly...

As you wind your way through the tunnel, the excitement builds. You then climb the lift hill and swiftly approach the top. You then catch a glimpse at the first drop. It feels steeper than it looks and you wonder if the restraints will hold you in. Swooping through the trees, you suddenly relax and enjoy the experience. You then fly up into the sky and roll over onto your back so you are facing the sky. This is such a great feeling. Before you know it, you are flipped back round and are flying through a tunnel and over the guests below. It is at this point you really feel like you are flying. As you fly over the queue line, the craft spins through a barrel roll which is a fantastic sensation. You the fly through the rest of the track and hit the brakes.

As you leave the station and head upstairs into the shop, you are buzzing with excitement and want to ride again.

For me, Air is one of, if not my favourite ride in the park. A must ride for all guests. 10/10.

Air was one of my favourite rides in the park but up to now I'm 17 and I think that the ride is only good at the start but it kind of drags on a bit after a while, I was thinking of maybe adding a bit of interactive indoor queuing areas because we all know England can have some really unpleasant weather many times and if it's too hot it can also cool down guests and the interactive part can speed up the queuing time for the guests, imagine queuing for 1 and a half hours in the rain or in the hot sun! I can imagine stepping into an indoor blue and cloudy corridor with the theme tune playing and interactive games, buttons and quizes based on flying, it would make queuing a fun part of the ride!

Air is the most comfortable ride at Alton Towers! ..I would love to ride it more but the que gets so long, even though it fits quite a lot of people each time. Like people have said before, it does break down quite a lot. But overall, it is a really good ride

Air is simply the best ride at the park for new comers and for enthusiasts (Apart from the small matter of Nemesis) and you do feel like your flying, I haven't seen it break down yet and can't wait to go on it again (hopefully everything i said made sense)

Aerial Inversion Ride simply the best rollercoaster experience out there. Such an awesome and relaxing and feeling with the world underneath you, it really feels like you're flying. The scenery of Air is minimal but works; the exotic plants, greenery and rocks support the Oasis theme. Its not a complete white knuckle ride but its still fairly thrilling.

This has to be one of my personal favourite rides at Alton Towers.

It's a big contrast from the blood and guts of Nemisis to the calm music of Air.

Air normally has a large queue (average wait time is 1 hour) but it's all worth it. If you're scared to ride Air, the relaxing music you hear in the queue soon calms you down.

About halfway down the queue, you are split into two separate queues as there are two loading areas and three vehicles to help the queue time go down. There is also single rider and front row options but those will increase your waiting time.

Loading people onto the rides takes quite a lot of time as you have to put your belongings in the cages, strap yourself in, which is sometimes quite hard, have the staff check everyone to see if they are secure, be turned into the 'flying' position and be checked again but that won't stop you going on again.

As the carriage sets off, you can hear screams and cheers and everyone is looking up at you. The rides speeds up and you go through loads of twists and turns and travel forwards and backwards. You feel like you're flying with nothing holding you. It's one of the greatest experiences you will ever be a part of and you'll never forget it.

Overall, I rate air 10/10 as I think this is the best ride at Alton Towers. 

Air is a great ride. Unlike most rollercoasters, it doesn't aim to scare you,  which is what I find so refreshing about it. It's so different to how most other rollercoasters I have ridden are themed. The queue isn't too bad, as, for one thing, it isn't a cattlepen and another, you can clearly see the trains swooping around above you, which is pretty interesting for a while. I have to say, one of my favourite parts of the whole ride experience is as you sit in your seat with the restraints down, the floor lowers and you are propelled into a horizontal position, your head facing forward. The whole ride is incredible. As you advance the lift hill, you also get a really nice view. It isn't an exaggeration when you say that it feels like you are really flying! The inversions are not at all intense, just a gentle twist or turn, but that's what makes it so unique. This is perfect for people who aren't so keen on big, scary rides. My nine year old brother decided to go on this, although until this year he refused to go on Vampire at CWOA. We ended up riding this twice, because we enjoyed it so much. I couldn't say it would be my favourite ride, but even then, I can't fault it. Definitely, as Matt stated, a breath of fresh air!

In 2007 Air was amazing! The ride experience is nothing like anything before. However when I went back this summer and rode the Smiler I realised how boring Air is in comparison. So to try to spice things up I decided to ride Air with my eyes closed. What a difference this made, I legit felt like I was flying, like I was free. I recommend having your eyes closed and spreading your arms out, it feels amazing if you feel it is a tad boring now.

Air is a unique and different ride, and is nice and relaxing unlike other coasters. The queues are always long, but that's what you've got to expect with a great ride. The good thing about the queue is that you can get fairly close to the ride itself.

Once you've boarded your train in one of the two stations, you head off through the tunnel (which now has lighting), and up the lift hill. When you've reached the top of the hill, off you go, flying about everywhere, it's a great experience!

The only thing I would hope they improve, probably wont happen since Air opened twelve years ago now, is an extra inversion somewhere in the ride. It would add to the 'flying experience'. But still, it's a great, relaxing ride!