Looks cool thanks for sharing. Is this more a a simulator ride rather then a ride on a track?
I have not ridden it yet (won't for a few months), but this is what I understand about Flights of Passage from what I have read.
Some spoilers - so don't read further if you don't want to know.....
It is a simulator. The preshow explains that because the banshees do not tolerate humans and the Na'vi are much larger than humans, they developed a mechanism that allows you to 'link' with a Na'vi avatar (figure representing you) and get the experience of 'riding' a banshee.
The seats I've shared pictures of are the 'linking mechanism' and guests get on like climbing onto a bicycle. The linking mechanism contains some components that allow guests to 'feel' things like the 'breathing' and some of the other movements of the banshee.
There are reportedly 3 restraints; the picture only shows 2 - a back restraint that comes up behind the rider and a leg restraint. People have also mentioned a chest restraint; I don't know if they just mean that you are leaning against a chest plate on the front of the vehicle or if it is something different. My guess is that they just mean leaning against the chest piece as a restraint and the back restraint pushes you up against it.
The seats are in 2 sections of 8 seats. Reports say:
- the seats stay in place, in a row of 8 seats on a platform
- the platform is in a room and never leaves the room (there is a wall behind the seats where you stow your belongings and people have said they stating in that same 'room' the whole time)
- the platform apparently makes motions (fairly gentle), but the individual seats don't move independently; they all move together
- the wall in front of the seats opens and that is where you will see the experience
- the wall is right in front of you, so when it opens, there is nothing in front of you
- people have said it's nothing like other attractions, but
- has some elements of Soarin' - if your seat in Soarin' didn't move up and into the screen area
- and some elements of Star Tours - the whole platform moves, but without as much quick motion as the Star Tours vehicle and with the screen right in front of you, not looking out a 'window'
- multiple people have said the ride includes the sensation of wind blowing at your face as if you are flying towards a wind
- one person reported a bright light at the start
It has been described as gentle moving and some gentle swoops, but no abrupt drops. Some people who have had motion sickness on othe attractions have said they didn't on this; they felt it was because the motions of the 'banshee' matched the experience very well.