Warbird Information Exchange

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My two cents: While I would like to see the Reno Races continue tomorrow, a fourth fatal accident this week might well kill the Races permanently. Is it worth the risk?

Kevin

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Kevin McCartney

No.

I hate to say it, but I hope that the rest of the races are canceled. I know what was said about pilot's having the same problems focusing after all of this whether they're flying home, or flying a race, but I beg to differ. It's a whole lot different flying an aircraft home, with a lot of straight and level and time to think, than to be turning pylons at low level with all of the obvious dangers. I suspect that emotions are really higher in the races than they need to be for safe flying - whether the pilots admit it or not, they have to be there, and in those circumstances, a split-second is all it takes to mess up.
Also, my personal opinion is that we don't need any more negative press for the rest of the year... We all know the risks, and accept them to a degree, but non-aviation folks see this in a different light, and right now it's not a good thing.
That said, I don't think canceling all airshows is necessary.

Argh!
Ryan

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Aerial Photographer with Red Wing Aerial Photography currently based at KRBD and tailwheel CFI.
Websites: Texas Tailwheel Flight Training, DoolittleRaid.com and Lbirds.com.

The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD. - Prov. 21:31 - Train, Practice, Trust.

While the idea is a good one, this usually doesn't happen. in Auto Racing the weekend didn't end when Roland Ratzenberger was killed. The next day, the race wasn't stopped when Senna was killed (nor Greg Moore in the Cart race). New Hampshire's Winston Cup weekend continued on when Kenny Irwin died in practice on the Friday. Same for Reno, there's been accidents before. I'm glad I skipped this year now, the week isn't even over yet.

John

17 deaths in 44 years. 3 of them in oe year?
that's almost 20% of the dead in 2% of the races. That's bad enough to cancell them for the year, IMHO. There's something wrong there, is seems. Better for pilot (and audience safety) to cancel it, thus ensuring they don't get a reputation and get closed permanently by outside forces.
But what do I know, right?

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"I knew the jig was up when I saw the P-51D-20-NA Mustang blue-nosed bastards from Bodney, and by the way the blue was more of a royal blue than an indigo and the inner landing gear interiors were NOT green, over Berlin."

delted due to bickering

no, they're scared one of thos pilots who can't control his bird ata race will do the same at the helm of a 747. Or that it will tumble into the crowd and kill a couple of hundred people.


if anything they'll sell more tickets next year hoping for a repeat.

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"I knew the jig was up when I saw the P-51D-20-NA Mustang blue-nosed bastards from Bodney, and by the way the blue was more of a royal blue than an indigo and the inner landing gear interiors were NOT green, over Berlin."

Exactly how many crashs and fatalites have there been this year. This is horrible. Pray if races continue no more fatalities.

[There's something wrong there, is seems. ]

Each accident had a different cause. 1) engine failure at a very bad time 2) possible wake turbulence 3) unknown cause of a mid air

The first and third one can happen any day to anybody.

I feel so bad for the families and friends, I don't know what to think. One would think the deceased would want the show to go on. I'm glad its not me making the decision.

Steve G

Not with you, no.

The deaths at Reno are terrible, but there are perfectly good regulatory bodies and no one is forced to race at Reno (nor are there passengers). No spectators were hurt either. Many of the existing safeguards are therefore working, to some degree.

Of course there are concerns, as there should be. There are proper processes to follow, where concern exists, and there are times when discussion online has a place, but that needs to be structured and led by qualified people and be constructive and informed.

I've talked to people responsible for airshow safety in the UK, US, France, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Generally good work is done in those countries, but it's a sad universal that each nationality is quick to criticise failures of the other country's safety systems, while having little problem excusing their own. This despite there being a lot to learn from each other. Given (as an aviation journalist) I wouldn't place too much weight on the opinion of a foreign expert, I'm not going to give any weight to an unqualified foreign observer's internet opinion, such as yours. The apparent right to an opinion does not imply it being worth anything. That comes from a degree of thought and analysis, and qualification or experience.

Regards,

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James K

"Switch on the underwater landing lights"
Emilio Largo, Thunderball.

www.VintageAeroWriter.com

Your calculations are not statistically significant. There is no pattern to these incidents. The only common theme is that the planes were all flying. Similar accidents to these have happened in the past at Reno, but not so many in one year. The pilots all know the risks and there are pylon clinics and safety briefings for the racers. Don't know any of the pilots lost, but I suspect all are far more accomplished than I. I will let the experts deconstruct the accidents so we can learn from them. It is far too early and we are all insufficently trained to draw conclusions from the limited information available.

I wasn't a witness, but from all I've read the audience was never at risk in any of these accidents. Please don't go there unless you have some definitive proof.

"Anything beyond straight and level flight is rather dangerous."

depends on how close to the ground you are. seriously.

i don't go to airshows anymore.

Two years ago the township for which I am a firefighter earned the unfortunate number one posistion of having the most fatalities of any township in the State Of Ohio. Over a period of fourteen months, we averaged one traffic fatality per every twenty days. It was horrible, but it happened and eventually it quieted down.
It happens and you either learn to accept it or you give up.

Nathan, it is pretty much a of a myth that flying is safer then driving a car. Wish it was true. Airline flights have a lower acdident rate then driving, but not general aviation. AOPA has the Nall report and Av Consumer has good statistics on this. If you take air racing and warbirds the statistics are even less favorable. In a car if you wear a seat belt shoulder harness and don't speed or drive drunk, you can really improve the odds. One catch is how use measure, whether it is by miles covered which favors the airlines or time in the air which is better for general aviation.

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Bill Greenwood
Spitfire N308WK

I don't agree with you. Subject not worth any additional response.

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Eric

"I spent most of my money on alcohol, women and skyraiders....and the rest of it I just wasted."