Reply With QuoteDepends on what kind of airshows. I'm betting you're talking about the Reno air races.
Seems every time I hear about an air show on the news, somebody gets killed in it. Two dead yesterday.
IMAO, airplanes are not supposed to be toys.
But I also feel that way about motorcycles, especially when people ride them at 140 MPH. Skillful, yeah, it helps, but it didn't help much with the two who died yesterday and no doubt skill was there too.
(I better run before Eric reads this! ;D)
-Don-
Depends on what kind of airshows. I'm betting you're talking about the Reno air races.
That's because you don't hear about the ones where nothing happens. There's nothing newsworthy about an air show that was successful.Originally Posted by DonTom
It's a question of marveling at the handling of precision machinery by an expert - operating at the limits of the machine's capability and of his own. Dangerous? Sure. But an amazing feat to witness, a demonstration of tremendous skill and bravery.... for the person doing it, there is exhiliration in the doing, of the sense of accomplishment that comes with mastery...
Where and when did they get dead?
And don't be silly, airplanes are the world's best toys.
Here in Reno, but I tuned in late and didn't get the entire story, but I think it happened yesterday. The Reno air show is going on now.
-Don- (Reno)
Thanks, I'll have a look.Here in Reno, but I tuned in late and didn't get the entire story, but I think it happened yesterday. The Reno air show is going on now.
-Don- (Reno)
" Dangerous? Sure. But an amazing feat to witness, a demonstration of tremendous skill and bravery..."
IMAO, it's more of a demonstration of tremendous skill and stupidity.
"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity -- but I'm not sure about the universe."
-Albert Einstein
-Don Quoteman
As to the first, maybe 'pretty good' skill is enough and the second part seems unfair. After all, I said nothing about people who drive an RV on rotting rubber.
"After all, I said nothing about people who drive an RV on rotting rubber. "
Not for long. Those tires were replaced ASAP and then the RV was junked with the thousand bucks worth of tires.
-Don-
"IMAO, it's more of a demonstration of tremendous skill and stupidity"
Would you say the same of expert/competitive skiing? Or any other elite sport? It's essentially the same thing... a quest to "push the limits" of human performance/skill; to demonstrate the "best of the best."
I see nothing stupid about that - indeed, such risk-taking is often the means by which advances in engineering and so on are achieved... .
Controlled risk-taking is what life's all about!
"Would you say the same of expert/competitive skiing? Or any other elite sport? It's essentially the same thing... a quest to "push the limits" of human performance/skill; to demonstrate the "best of the best.""
I couldn't care less if people go out and kill themselves for any reason.
But these air shows often kill others who are not doing anything stupid, other than perhaps watching those flying toys.
I just don't think aircraft should be used as toys.
-Don- (back in SSF)
First of all, Reno is not, per se, an "airshow." It is an Air RACE.
Second, spectator injury or death at an airshow is extremely rare in the U.S. There are strict rules about show routines, path of flight, spectator positioning, etc that are designed to protect the crowds. Admittedly, there have been fatalities at non-US shows. You can also get conked by a baseball, golf ball, race car on a track, or stampeded to death at a European or South American soccer game.
A man's greatest mistake is to think he is working for somebody else.
An air RACE is dangerous, like any motor race. Since there is no way to put a barrier between the action and the spectators, said spectators are at some risk. So, don't go.
An air SHOW is different, and air shows have a good safety record. Yes, there's still some risk in being near airplanes that are flying close to the ground. So, don't go.
I tho0ught I was the only one who did that kind of thing -
"I couldn't care less if people go out and kill themselves for any reason."
Well, the goal's not to kill yourself, of course! It's just that extreme performance entails risk...
"But these air shows often kill others who are not doing anything stupid, other than perhaps watching those flying toys.
I just don't think aircraft should be used as toys."
Same could be said of any type of motorsports; spectators at races sometimes get killed, too.
I think you're just very conservative (which is fine!)...
And I don't think amateurs should be driving large vehicles on the highways when there are perfectly good hotels and motels waiting to accomodate them, and people depending on them for work cleaning rooms, etc.
You see, it's easy to judge almost anyone's hobby as wasteful and dangerous.
"First of all, Reno is not, per se, an "airshow." It is an Air RACE."
They call it both, and it sure messed up the traffic on 395 near our Reno home. The "show" or "race" was about ten miles south of our Reno home.
Here's an update:
"3rd fatal crash at Reno air show.
Sept. 14 - Two airplanes collided Friday at the Reno National Championship Air Races, killing one pilot and injuring another in the third fatal crash at the event in four days.
AP"
-Don-
"I think you're just very conservative (which is fine!)... "
I've taken a few of those on-line tests to see if I am conservative or liberal and they all put me somewhere near the middle.
-Don-
How sad that WRC rally-driver Colin McCrae was killed in his helipcopter along with others including his 5yr-old son today.And I don't think amateurs should be driving large vehicles on the highways when there are perfectly good hotels and motels waiting to accomodate them, and people depending on them for work cleaning rooms, etc.
You see, it's easy to judge almost anyone's hobby as wasteful and dangerous.
It's not really the same subject as using aircraft as toys, or is it?
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