| Eurofighter | |
| Location: | Zoosafari Fasanolandia |
| Status: | Operating |
| Year: | 2011 |
| Cost: | €2,187,000 |
| Type: | Steel |
| Type2: | Euro-Fighter |
| Manufacturer: | Gerstlauer |
| Height M: | 23 |
| Length M: | 395 |
| Speed Km/H: | 70 |
| Inversions: | 2 |
| Angle: | 97 |
| Carspertrain: | 1 |
| Rowspercar: | 2 |
| Ridersperrow: | 4 |
| Rcdb Number: | 10059 |
Eurofighter is a steel roller coaster at Zoosafari Fasanolandia in Fasano, Italy. Eurofighter is the only Gerstlauer Euro-Fighter model roller coaster that bears the name of the coaster model.[1] At 97 degrees, the coaster is also the steepest roller coaster in Italy.[2]
Built by Gerstlauer, the installation of Eurofighter was delayed several years because of conflict between Zoosafari Fasanolandia and the city of Fasano. The coaster was purchased in 2007 for a total of €2,187,000, but when construction was about to begin, the local police intervened and blocked construction on 5 March 2007, claiming that there were issues with the building permits. Permits were eventually granted on 28 September 2009, and construction began on 15 December 2010.[3] [4] The coaster finally opened on 6 August 2011.[5]
The delay in the construction led the park owners to seek compensation for the revenue that they claimed was lost as a result of the delay in coaster installation. The park owners demanded €3,000,000 from the city of Fasano, and threatened to remove the entire park and move its operations to Ravenna if its demands were not met.[6] In addition, the park terminated more favorable admission rates for residents of Fasano.[7]
The sign at the entrance of the attraction is misspelled, being written as 'Eurofigther' rather than the correct 'Eurofighter' from the Gerstlauer model the attraction derives its name from. [5]
Eurofighter has a similar layout to Rage, another Gerstlauer Euro-Fighter roller coaster at Adventure Island in Southend-On-Sea, Essex, UK, and has the steeper-than-vertical 97-degree drop characteristic of all Gerstlauer Euro-Fighters.[8] The coaster is reported in some sources as having 2 inversions[5] [8] and in other sources as having 3 inversions.[9] [10] All sources describe the coaster as having a vertical loop and a roll (alternatively described as the often misidentified heartline roll[10] or an inline twist[5]), but some sources report that an overbanked curve in the coaster qualifies as an "inline loop".[10]