To think we shouldn't have small plane 'airshows'

[JeffsanArsehole]

It seems every year in a small plane at an airshow there's some terrible and tragic accident. 7 people dead so far today.

It's not the same as large commercial craft where out of the thousands of planes every year one or two crashes.

I don't remember a year where one hasn't crashed.

[StephanieBeacham]

I don't get the impression that they are more frequent than in the past. Not at all.

But the fact it is normally only crew who are killed or injured, if anyone, should be borne in mind.

[NoArmaniNoPunani]

I live close to this too, it's just awful. I hope this puts a stop to the Shoreham air show

[alibubbles]

My Dh is still waiting to get out of the car park. a very sad day. It is really quite awful as it is the second pilot in a few weeks from the same flying club.

[NoArmaniNoPunani]

Apparently the pilot isn't one of the 7 dead. I wonder if the Daimler was carrying a wedding, I went down that road to my wedding, it's so upsetting.

[rallytog1]

I don't think the problem is airshows per se. It's allowing planes to perform manoeuvres in close proximity to major roads and settlements.

[Nyborg]

Some air shows (Biggin Hill, for one) are essentially a bit of a frill on top of a massive arms fair.

[TalkinPeace]

YABU

I was at Shoreham in 2007 and saw the Hurricane crash
I am surprised that they were still allowed to fly over the A27
but this is the first time anybody other than a pilot has died at an air show since the Farnborough crash in 1968

The pilots accept that they have a massive risk
Today's pilot did not eject, presumably because he was trying to save other lives up to the last second

Shoreham's flight route should change
Bournemouth tomorrow and Dunsfold next week should both go ahead

[Doyouthinktheysaurus]

I live close by too, what has happened today is truly horrific. My thoughts are with the victims and their families. I travel that road all the time and we would have driven down that road today if we hadn't been later than expected returning from our couple of nights away. You can't help but think, what if......

The air show has gone on for years, I've loved watching the planes from my garden, the beach and by the Adur. This is so shocking though, it's made me realise the extent of the danger that is there, for no purpose apart from so we can all enjoy the spectacle.


I would be very surprised if the airshow survived this.

[BetaTest]

Planes at air shows are often flying close to the edge of their aerodynamic envelope and often close to the ground. Any slight error, or gust of wind ill inevitably albeit very rarely cause a tragic accident.

[samsam123]

Tragic but of course there are risks as there are driving down the road

[NoArmaniNoPunani]

Bring killed by a plane isn't one of the risks you expect while driving. Those poor people, just driving along, not anything to do with the air show and now they are dead.

[IKnowIAmButWhatAreYou]

The A27 is dangerous in it's own right -

This Article states that more than 80 people died and 5000 were injured on the A27 between 2002 & 2012

It may be a more "sensible" option to ban driving down that road (or indeed any others)...

[TalkinPeace]

I used to drive that stretch of road every few months and there were regularly yellow "accident" notices at the traffic lights by the Sussex Pad.

Utterly heartbreaking, but after 2007, why on earth were they still allowed to fly low over that road

[passmethewineplease]

Should be moved away from populated areas IMO but not banned.

Totally devastating.

[scarlets]

**Should be moved away from populated areas IMO but not banned.



I agree with this

[PrincessFiorimonde]

I agree with you, OP.

And I know air show displays can be great, but I wonder if now is the time to say that WW2 planes are just too old to perform acrobatics.

[StephanieBeacham]

The Hunter was developed in the 50s - first flight 1951.

Many planes of this era are still used by current military around the world.

There is a question over how much practise time pilots achieve in planes like the Hunter which are expensive to maintain and operate.

While a Typhoon pilot is very much on top of his game due to it being a current machine as it were, and will therefore be more practised.

The Vulcan is on its final season, it's very costly to run - and that seems Ok to me, to retire it now.

The thing is with enormously powerful fighter jets, they use a lot of fuel and are also very fast. You have a smaller margin for error at that sort of speed. Biplanes, hurricanes, other random old fashioned planes are a lot safer from that POV and use far less fuel therefore are probably likely to fly for many years to come without much of a problem.

[StephanieBeacham]

To clarify the 68 accident involved a member of ground crew, not a member of the public though still of course a person on the ground.

The crash in 52 killed several spectators. Sorry, should have been more specific.

I think it's pretty good going tbh. Of course many air crew do sadly lose their lives during displays but as has been said the nature of the beast involves pushing an AC to the edge of its performance envelope. If those flying are alright with that then really as long as those on the ground are kept safe, it seems fair to me.

[SoupDragon]

Just seeing the planes on the ground would be enough.

No, it would be rather dull. Like going to look at stuffed animals in a museum rather than living, moving animals.

[Spartans]

Commercial air travel is very safe, per mile traveled. I am willing to bet air shows with small planes aren't. Also, I need to fly for work, to see family and, yes, for vacations.

Air shows are not about travelling so the fact that commercial flying is safer per mile makes no sense.

You use planes for work and seeing family. Many people get lots of enjoyment and or/paid work out of air shows. The local places are usually happy because of the people visiting and spending money. So again it's no different. People use air shows to make money and have fun. The same as they use commercial flying.

Commercial flying is very safe. That's wasn't my point. My point was that anything can be viewed as too dangerous and should be banned. If you were to compare the nber of people killed flying commercially to the number killed at air shows, then it would follow commercial flying should be banned to. Regardless of whether people use it for fun and business.

[Spartans]

Also seeing a plane on the ground is not the same as watching it being flown. Especially at an airshow.

[StephanieBeacham]

It's not all about profit, Shoreham is a big fund raiser for the RAFA.

[VivaLeBeaver]

The Vulcan is actually being retired as the airframe is reaching its max number of flying hours. So age of planes is taken into consideration and when a plane is too old it will be retired.

I'm really sad to see it grounded. I grew up a few miles from the Vulcans main base when they were operational and used to love seeing them shriek overhead. I was out cycling recently and the last Vulcan was flying over the fields and doing its own little acrobatic display just for the hell of it. I stood there for 20 mins watching it do barrel rolls, etc and it was mind blowing! Just me in a field in the middle of nowhere having my own private display!

[BishopBrennansArse]

YABU. I'm in a train this morning on my way to Bournemouth and will be at Wings and Wheels in Dunsfold next weekend. It was a horrific thing to happen yes, but it's incredibly rare for the public to get involved in air show accidents. Incidentally I've always hated the Sussex Pad lights, seeing the light aircraft go over used to worry me and I also worried that I'd stop at the lights and get rear ended as it's such a fast road.

[DustyCropHopper]

YABU. As others have said such accidents are rare. We have our 2 day air show coming up. It has been on for years, brings a vast number of people into our small town. The difference with ours though is most of the flying takes place over the sea and no one is allowed in the sea during performances.