Air Displays To Face Restrictions

[mikey4444]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-34044383

Not before time as far as I am concerned. Most of those killed at the weekend weren't even attending the Airshow....just driving on a busy main road. This is hardly the first time this has happened, is it ?

[Sammy48]

Apparent The Red Arrows refused to take part because of safety concerns.

[andy-hughes]

I guess that has to be significant - given what the Red Arrows can do with their planes!

[vulcan42]

Sammy48, do we know what those safety concerns were?

[bazwillrun]

@vulcan

from what i read yesterday, theyre asked each year but refuse unless its accepted that they will only do a straight fly past rather than any fancy schmancy stuff because they thought it was too near "people"

[TTG]

^ If any of the aerobatics go wrong, there is a chance people on the ground will be in danger.

[TTG]

In reply to vulcan42.

[Barmaid]

The report about the Red Arrows refusing to display came (ostensibly) from a former air show organiser who refused to be named and said that the response was that "there is nowhere to put a plane down without killing someone".

I am not convinced you can compare what the Red Arrows do with a single jet. The sheer space they need is entirely different to one jet looping the loop.

[Baldric]

///Even so, I would wish to suggest that the sort of manoeuvres that so enthral airshow guests may be beyond the ability of even this type of aircraft?///

F G S, it's a Jet Fighter (think Dog-fights)

[retrocop]

Balders
Its been hard work today hasn't it ?

[stuey]

I wonder how many aircraft have been lost in actual "dog-fights" not because of being shot down by the enemy, but because of pilot and/or mechanical malfunction? A rhetorical question I suppose: we'll never know.

[Milvus]

Adding to the " fgs its a jet fighter". The H Hunter was used in the Black Arrows RAF Aerobatic team (pre Red Arrows)> That team still holds the record for the most planes in a loop (22 Hunters) and the first 16 plane barrel roll. So the plane seems capable

[vulcan42]

Thank you for your replies regarding the Red arrows. I must admit I don't understand their reasoning. Just a couple of weeks ago they flew at Eastbourne with an equally large crowd and nowhere to land safely if anything went wrong. A few years ago they demonstrated over New York city and with all the problems that entailed they had the additional problem of giving the display below the civilian aircraft using the busy air lanes above. The only restriction I know of is low cloud but even then they fly a modified display to allow for that.

[EDDIE51]

Vulcan,at Eastbourn or any other 'seaside' display they would ditch into the sea in emergency.

[vulcan42]

Eddie,Shoreham is beside the sea.

[Ann]

This is a hasty decision in my opinion, they don't even know the cause yet. Anything near or on a road can cause an accident - what about huge oil tankers or containers carrying inflammble substances travelling along a motorway in a line of traffic - they can have an accident and cause a massive fireball too.

Awful displays will be restricted to flypasts - glad I've seen and photographed a lot of lovely displays in the past to remember.
But I feel very sad for those families who have lost loved ones.

[237SJ]

I think it`s the right thing to do until they investigate further.

[EDDIE51]

Yes it is by the sea, but this is not a 'beach' display as Southend air show and others are. In those all flying is over the sea and the spectators watch from the beach or cliff tops.

[Just-Jude]

There should be an outright ban until they can prove a safety case. There are too many involved in these activities who think they're above any regulation and think they know best.

The same thinking seems to have been involved here. This incident happened in May when every safety procedure in the book was totally ignored by the idiots running this train. Instead of stopping, they decided to carry on and were heading into the path of an HST travelling at more than 100 mph. Had this happened, it would have been the biggest loss of life in the UK. It was mainly hushed up and only reported in the railway press because it involved "steam enthusiasts" on a day out.

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-32622534

[retrocop]

Anne @ 1826
I very much agree with your sentiments regarding this incident. Typical immediate knee jerk reaction by some here who,by their own admission,know nothing about aviation or aeronautics but still feel free to spout total tosh. I do at least know which aircraft were classified as "fully aerobatic" by the RAF and flew in two at least which came from that category.
The De Haviland Tiger Moth and Chipmunk. I earned my Glider wings on a Kirby Cadet Glider which was also rated as fully aerobatic and that didn't have an engine !!!

[237SJ]

In my experience, the CAA aren`t into knee jerk reactions.