Starship America is one of Hersheypark’s oldest rides. It was originally called Aero Jets and purchased used from Pontchartrain Beach amusement park, which was located north of New Orleans, Louisiana.
Pontchartrain Beach Roto Jet
At Pontchartrain Beach, Starship America was known as Roto Jet. It was purchased from the ride manufacturing company Kaspar Klaus of Memmingen, Germany, in 1956. This was just two years after the Roto Jet style ride was introduced in the United States.
Hersheypark
Hersheypark purchased the Roto Jet in 1962, to replace the Aerial Joy Ride that was located near by The Pretzel dark ride (later Golden Nugget – aka Gold Nugget). This is where Fender Bender is located in the park, today. In the 1980s, Hersheypark rethemed the ride as Starship America, changing out the cars into custom in-house built cars in the shape of space planes.
Starship America is registered with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Amusement Ride Safety Division as PA Ride ID Number 8024 under the name Roto-Jet.
