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Since I'm not really a true member of the Warbird community, and, for that matter, not even a pilot, perhaps my opinion is meaningless. That being said, I'll toss it into the pot. Many good points have been stated in others' postings prior to mine. There is clearly an opposing viewpoint, as we all knew there would be. So, for what it's worth, here's mine:
Like it or not, the news media will blast stories with photos and/or videos of an aviation tragedy, whether it's fatal or not, all over the internet, television, radio, magazines, newspapers, and so forth, usually as soon as they possibly can. They will often put their own "spin" on the incident. The media, by and large, knows little about aviation and those who engage in it, so their reports will often be inaccurate, sometimes to a ridiculous degree (think back a few weeks ago to the T-28 beach landing incident where the TV reporter referred to the pitot tube as a machine gun!). For those of us who want and need to be able to read accurate, factual reports, it is a blessing to be able to read them here on this board, where they are written by people we know and trust. All too often, when a warbird goes down, those aboard are our friends, and we want the real story, not some half-baked, hyped-up, inaccurate media frenzy. I don't think many WIX'ers would argue that point. When it comes to posting photos and video clips, as others have stated, there is no doubt that they will be all over the internet within hours of the tragedy's occurrance. Some will be posted by members of the warbird community, with the appropriate level of detail and respect for the dead and injured. Others will come from the public, and probably won't be all that respectful. Most will be put out by the media, and sadly, many will not be tasteful, but instead will be intended to provoke public outrage. Some of those will undoubtedly show "blood 'n guts". Perhaps some will provide meaningful information that we could learn from. So, the big question remains: do we post photos here on WIX or not? I think the best solution is going to be that we post links to tasteful, meaningful, respectful photos and video clips, and then let our fellow WIX'ers decide whether it is in their own best interests to follow the links or not. No one will ever be offended by NOT seeing a potentially disturbing picture or video clip. Let's leave the choice up to each individual. If I lost a personal friend in an aviation tragedy, or for any other reason, I don't think I'd want to see photos of it, at least not right away. On the other hand, I'm not a big fan of censorship. Let's leave it up to each individual to decide what's right for them.
I hate hearing about and reading about the death of anyone in the aviation community. But, as someone else mentioned, this sport is inherently dangerous, and everyone who flies any kind of aircraft is aware of the risks and is willing to take them, knowing fully well that crashes can and do happen, even to the very best pilots. Although I never met Gerry Beck, I have read about him and seen his warbird exploits detailed in print and pictures. The sport has lost yet another great man. My heartfelt best wishes go out to his family, friends, and all who have been affected by his passing. If there is a bright side to his death, it is this: he died doing something that he truly loved, which is a privilege that will not be afforded to most of us.
Fly safely, my friends!
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Dean Hemphill, K5DH
Port Charlotte, Florida
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), and forthright. If people outside of WIX want to find out what is going on with warbirds, this is the place. How many first-time visitors have come here this weekend to find that information? That said, maybe WIX can also be a leader in "how you respond to a tragedy like this." Posting tributes and remembrances to honor their memories and contributions is a great way to do just that.
