What is the future for air shows?

Those poor people (families?) who were just driving in their cars, or waiting at that junction

I don't know about the future of air shows but I can't stop thinking about the innocent people who just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

I'm not a fan of air shows. I was dragged around far to many as a child but I've always thought that they should take place well away from major roads.

I agree about those poor people being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

I think the days of air shows are numbered. There have been far too many tragedies in recent years. My heart goes out to all affected by yesterday's events.

Certainly some things will have to be looked at. It might just be a dreadful set of coincidences but doing loop the loops with elderly aircraft is always going to be potentially dangerous. Safety checks will need to be even more stringent and flight paths better planned.
I think, in all honesty, there has always been a frisson of danger about such events but we really do not want these tragedies to actually happen.

The airport is about 2 miles from us and the river in the background is where we walk our dog most days unless we are on the Downs. This is about the 3rd crash in about as many years.
I use this road to Mum's house and we would have used it yesterday except that we had to go shopping first.

My heart goes out to all those poor souls who have lost their life and those who are suffering terrible injuries.

The large Church in the background is Lancing College

WW such is the nature of chance. Thankfully you weren't there nor your mum.

It does seem strange that such events take place next to a main road. Spectators who have chosen to attend the show must take their chance, but innocent drivers should not be put at risk.

Knowing the H&S rules for such outdoor events as my family are involved in arranging such things, I am very surprised that this is sanctioned.

DH has just come back and said it is weird out very quiet with few cars and of course no little planes

Yes. It was ridiculous to have such an old aircraft performing stunts so near a road. 'They' will come up with all sorts of reasons for why it should have been safe but, unfortunately, the evidence speaks for itself.

My OH said they should only be allowed on the coast so planes could do their tricks over the sea! There's a logic to this as, after all, if you really want to see such a display then the coast is not too far from anyone in this country - - personally I think they should be banned.

We are off to Clacton Air Show later this week where the display is over the sea and patrols stop anyone from going into the water during flying. They issued a press release saying that the show must go on. It is a huge boost for local business and would be sorely missed.
If everything was stopped when accidents happened life would have ground to a halt by now.

Agree totally Pittcity - just a gut reaction from me about banning them!

It is such a shame that something which gives so many people pleasure should end with such a tragedy. This particular air show has been taking place for some time, and there will now no doubt be lots of questions asked about the continuing of such events. At the moment, we should concentrate on those who have lost loved ones in such an horrific accident and the others who are now clearing up the debris, and still looking for the remains of bodies. What a distressing time for everyone, and our thoughts should surely be with them all.

Why is nothing ever just an accident anymore? Whenever anything like this happens these days there are always calls for something to be banned or some other policy change, but this summer's two incidents are the first crashes for 63 years, and only one of those hurt anyone other than the pilot. The risk is so small as to be negligible.

Anyone who is seriously worried can make a huge difference to their life expectancy by getting some regular exercise, eating a healthy diet, losing some weight, smoking less, drinking less, leaving the car at home and going by bike or train etc. etc......

It appears to me that it would be more seemly to bide a while until all the poor souls are found and cared for, and thought given to those trying to find them in such dangerous circumstances than to start bickering about the future. That will take care of itself.

While I liked your post, crun, the other thing that could happen is that old aircraft stop doing stunts.The older aircraft can be displayed on the ground and modern aircraft do all the stunts, much safer.Air shows are popular and bring in a lot of money to the region, and also to charities, I hope they won't stop because of this.Equally, dangerous stunts by ancient aircraft over busy areas is, literally, an accident waiting to happen.

It said on the news this morning [apologise if I've got it wrong as it's what I've been told] that the pilot hadn't done the required amount of flying of the plane as he'd been brought in at the last minute. A previous 'accident' was a result of the pilot doing an unscheduled manoeuvre. So accidents they may be but human error was involved and human errors that could have been avoided. I hope what happened at the weekend hasn't invalidated the insurance in some way [not that money can make up for what has happened ].

"dangerous stunts by ancient aircraft over busy areas is, literally, an accident waiting to happen"

Is it? Arguments of this kind beg a definition of exactly what's meant by safe and dangerous, if you're not going to count how many are killed then how?

People watch a train crash and then desert the railways for a less safe motor car, or they'll laugh at cyclists for riding on dangerous roads even though the exercise increases their life expectancy 7 times more than the risk of accidents reduces it. The problem is that people judge risk according to how readily something springs to mind, rather than it's actual probability, and they are also 1000 times more sensitive to risk imposed on them than risk that they choose, which means people worry about all the wrong things.

" it would be more seemly to bide a while until all the poor souls are found and cared for"

But you weren't aiming that remark at those arguing a different line. As I recall, people were willing to defend blasphemy laws on the day that 12 were shot in Paris.

While I agree with a lot of your post crun, I still think that a very old aircraft could lead to potential problems in 'itself' much as a very old car may do.However, your thoughts that pilot error is the main problem is also likely true, as few pilots today have enough experience of flying old aircraft.

CAA has just announced that vintage jet planes are to be banned from aerobatics.

I think it's a bit early to go laying this at the door of the pilot. I totally disagree that 'few pilots today have enough experience of flying old aircraft'. He may well have flown this aircraft during his RAF service. He will almost certainly have worked on it and devoted his spare time as a civilian to keeping it in the air, and clocked up the hours he needed to be able to fly it, in the same way that the pilots who fly the Vulcan and the Lancaster and the other venerable aircraft that so many of us love to see. The last time we attended RAF Waddington airshow, there were many vintage jet aircraft from all over the world performing aerobatics, including our own veteran Spitfire and Hurricane. Presumably, we shall not see them there, or anywhere else, again. I am shocked by this tragedy, the same as everyone else, saddened by the loss of life, and not trying to excuse anything or anybody, but If this plane had crashed anywhere but on a busy road, if it had crashed in a field, say, and had killed no-one, would the CAA have still banned vintage aerobatic displays?

Why are the TV reports still showing the footage of the plane plummeting to the ground? So insensitive.

Oh, have they banned vintage air stunts now then? It certainly seems like common sense to do that anyway.