Orlando Eye

When planning the Orlando Eye Ferris wheel, for whose realisation Werner Sobek was responsible for the feasibility study and structural engineering, extreme wind loads had to be taken into account – Orlando is located in a hurricane zone. The approach to wind loads therefore includes a 700-year storm with wind speeds of more than 230 km/h.

Largest Observation Wheel on the US East Coast

The complete production of the Orlando Eye (consisting of a total of 120,000 parts) took place in Europe. This required a container-friendly design and precise adherence to a very tight schedule. After transport to America, the Ferris wheel was assembled on site, whereby the construction was carried out vertically for reasons of space. For this, the planners had to work out a special assembly concept that took numerous special load cases into account.

With a height of 120 metres, the Orlando Eye is the largest observation wheel on the US East Coast. Up to 1,300 visitors per hour can be transported in air-conditioned, spacious glass capsules. A round trip takes about 22 minutes, whereby the Ferris wheel rotates at a speed of 1.6 kilometres per hour so slowly that it is not necessary to stop when getting on or off.