Thrust-air coaster
Thrust-Air 2000 coasters are a type of launched roller coaster. They're different than most other launched coasters in that they don't use hydraulic launching systems, linear induction motors, or linear synchronous motors to launch the cars. They also don't have the polyurethane wheels that all other steel coasters have. They're launched with a compressed air launcher and have pneumatic wheels.
Layout
The prototype Thrust Air coaster had a very simple layout. Of course, you start in the loading station, and get launched down a short, straight section of track. Then things get a little bit funky. It actually starts with the acceleation. Just think. 0-80 in 1.8 sec. Freaky fast. Of course, now, some other coasters can do that, such as Stealth at Thorpe Park in England and Xcelerator in Knott's Berry Farm in southern California, but that's still freaky fast. Then, you go over a bunny hop/top hat element, going straight up, and then straight down 165 ft. After that funky piece of trackwork, things start getting more normal. You go over an elevated turn at the midpoint, then the track is just straight and true on the way back to the station. The first production version added a bunny hop after the elevated turn.
Production Versions
The first production version is not very well known, and it has a bunny hop after the elevated turn. The second one, Dodonpa is way more famous. It is located at Fuji-Q Highland in Japan, which is also the proud home of the once record breaking Steel Dragon 2000. Dodonpa has the fastest acceleration of any coaster in the world, with an acceleration speed of 0-106.9mph in only 1.8 seconds. It has the same basic layout as the other production coaster, with a 170 foot first bunny hop/top hat.