Safety of popular air shows, races under scrutiny

AP via MSNBC ^ | January 8, 2012 | Joan Lowy

[EveningStar]

Despite suffering severe injuries in the worst air race accident in the U.S. in more than a half a century, some victims have told their lawyer they would like to attend future races.

[freedumb2003]

>>Is that from Death Race?<< Most excellent ID! :) A great cult flik (the original with Qián Guānchāng)

[freedumb2003]

>>OTOH, if you want to get over your fear, just go skydiving. It works.<<

The best definition of skydiving I have seen (courtesy of some FReeper Ranger types IIRC) is jumping out of a perfectly good airplane for no good reason.

;)

(I would probably faint dead away — I almost did when I visited the WTC observation deck circa 1989).

[hattend]

You’re more likely to find a rich adrenaline-junkie hobbyist performing at an air race, and a cool young military pilot performing at an air show.

Most Unlimited Class Air Race pilots are current/former airline pilots, ex-military pilots, ex-test pilots. There are a couple rich hobby type flyers. A majority of the Gold Race pilots are hired sticks...the owners aren't flying the plane. These guys have thousands of hours of flight time. The civilian air show pilots are high time pilots as well, most over the age of 40.

If Reno reopens, I’m sure it will be with substantial limitations on the proximity of the flight path to the spectators.

I'm going to be optimistic and say the course will not change much at all. If whatever happened to cause Galloping Ghost to go out of control had happened seconds earlier or later, we would have had the pilot dead and some sagebrush on fire. The safety record for spectators at Reno is evidence in itself.

Blue Skies, Jimmy Leeward!

[Joe Boucher]

Use to go to a little 1/4 mile dirt track in Okeechobee to watch bad car racing. Would expect a few fender benders. That’s part of the fun.
Same with air shows and races, you go knowing there is a little risk involved. For the preformers, as well as an out of control plane and minimally the crowd.

[Seaplaner]

A few years back, I attended a talk from a pilot who had flown P-51s in several Reno Air Races. His opinion was that the race start was THE most hazardous part of the race, because the racers were wingtip-to-wingtip and accelerating, going for position, and trying to see-and-avoid all while barreling toward the first turn.

In their wisdom, the race planners have the crowd generally away from this part.

I'm hoping for very few changes to the race, Reno (actually Stead Airport) is such great way to spend a day.

.

[PAR35]

Now I am in Dallas so I am looking for airshows in the area

One up at Alliance in October - probably the only close one
http://www.allianceairshow.com/

Looks like the Snowbirds and the Thunderbirds this year

"Welcome to the Fort Worth Alliance Air Show to be held Saturday, October 6 and Sunday, October 7, 2012. The Fort Worth Alliance Air Show is the premier air show in North Texas, featuring TWO jet teams in 2012. See the jaw-dropping aerial performances of the US Air Force Thunderbirds and the Canadian Snowbirds. "

[CodeToad]

I love aviation, but as a pilot the one thing that MUST always be present is safety. If it isn’t safe and people get hurt then it is no fun. That said, I hope they make rules to help prevent accidents and injuries without compromising the ability to have airshows or to let them be fun.