Singapore Flyer moving again but remains closed to public

Thursday, January 1, 2009

Channel NewsAsia - 47 SINGAPORE: The Singapore Flyer is moving again on Thursday, but it is still unknown when it will be open to the public.
The Flyer has been restored to its original condition, and the next step is to run tests on two back--up mechanisms.
The Flyer management has promised that people will never be lowered from the device using ropes again. This is because with a back--up system in place, when a failure occurs, the system will kick in, allowing the wheel to continue moving and for people to alight.
It is not known how long it is going to take to test the back--up systems. The Singapore Flyer management said it would have updates by the end of next week.
Florian Bollen, chairman, Singapore Flyer, said: "I will not go and ask for a renewal of licence unless I am 100 per cent confident that it will never ever come to such a situation again.
"We have to have back--up systems that are so stable, that it is in absolutely extreme miniscule likelihood that the wheel will ever stop again. This is my personal commitment."
The Flyer management said it is training its staff and working with a team from London to improve rescue operations. The management also clarified that it is not possible to move a wheel of such scale manually.
It said previous newspaper reports of the London Eye having such a capability are inaccurate.
-- CNA/so