Four injured when planes collide at Flying Circus airfield

[mazdaP5]

Looks like a Stearman and an N3N

https://www.fauquiernow.com/news/four-i ... dba9c.html

[kalamazookid]

Video (not mine):

https://www.reddit.com/r/aviation/comme ... _air_show/

[Hooligan2]

Two Stearmans apparently. Sounds like no serious injuries hopefully.

Is this place where Charlie Kulp used to perform? Mate of mine from here in UK visited it with a VA-based cousin years ago and went for a ride in a Stearman - he emailed me a pic of himself with the pilot and was staggered when I replied "isn't that Charlie Kulp?"

Edit: mate says it is the same place...

[JohnB]

It speaks well of the strength of the Stearmans that apparently no one was seriously injured.

[Dave Hadfield]

The reddit video is very clear. The Stearman on takeoff started the roll right from under the trees, so there was no way to view traffic on approach. And the traffic on approach was unable to see the rolling traffic because there is no field-of-view downwards-and-ahead in a radial-engined biplane.

Sad result.

Radio comms would have solved this, but radios in LOUD vintage aircraft are bizzare-ly and notoriously difficult...

Both of the pilots are kicking themselves right now I imagine -- we're always our own worst critics. But I can sure see how this one happened.

My best wishes to both of them.

[lucky52]

Two more donor planes for parts to get other planes in the air.

[DH82EH]

WOW
So lucky no one was seriously hurt!!
Thank goodness.

[Randy Haskin]

And the traffic on approach was unable to see the rolling traffic because there is no field-of-view downwards-and-ahead in a radial-engined biplane.

Looks to me like a normal overhead pattern would have provided the landing aircraft with the visibility needed to see the about-to-depart aircraft taxiing into position or even holding in position.

[JohnB]

Regarding the radio communications...
If it's uncontrolled, They still should have a unicom.
As far as warbirds being noisy...that's why you have headsets.

I did my training at an uncontrolled field in a helicopter without doors and the engine three feet in back of me.
Friends fly Stearmans (220 and 450) all the time and can hear the local tower without problems.

[Randy Haskin]

Regarding the radio communications...
If it's uncontrolled, They still should have a unicom.
As far as warbirds being noisy...that's why you have headsets.

I did my training at an uncontrolled field in a helicopter without doors and the engine three feet in back of me.
Friends fly Stearmans (220 and 450) all the time and can hear the local tower without problems.

There are lots of airplanes out there with no electrical system that are NORDO full time, and they somehow manage to avoid midairs (sarcasm noted).

Radio comm builds SA, but is no substitute for visual lookout and clearing your flightpath, which is an aviator's #1 responsibility.