Shamelessly copied from the Cambridge Evening News website today:
Public defends air show safety record
THE Cambridge public has given its backing to safety at Duxford air shows following the weekend’s fatal plane crash.
As crash investigators continue to probe the deaths of Lieutenant Commander Bill Murton, 45, and navigator Neil Rix, 29, readers have supported steps taken by the Civil Aviation Authority and the Imperial War Museum to ensure the public’s and pilots’ safety.
The CAA has said it carries out vigorous checks of all air shows and that directors must prove they can organise an event safely before they are given the go-ahead.
It also said pilots must satisfy the CAA that they are skilled, competent and experienced before they are authorised to fly at air shows.
Meanwhile, the Imperial War Museum said the public’s safety was its priority when staging air shows and that emergency and safety procedures were constantly reviewed. Now readers have given their backing.
Jason Webb, of Great Eastern Street, Cambridge, said: “The aircraft that display at Duxford are maintained to extremely high standards, and the UK Civil Aviation Authority is probably the strictest in the world.
“The men who died gave numerous people an awful lot of pleasure, they died doing something they loved, they knew the risks they were taking and I’m sure they did everything in their power to minimise the risk to others.”
David Knight, of Strawberry Fields, Haverhill, said: “My family and I have attended several air shows and I feel safer there than I do on my daily drive into London.
“If you’re looking at what is more dangerous to life and limb then I’d reckon that the M11 is far more dangerous.”
Spencer Cottington said: “The only people risking their lives at an air display are the pilots and crew of the aircraft, who 25,000 people are willing to pay £22 per head to see.
“Duxford has been an active airfield for almost 90 years, and continues to be used as a means of showing respect to, and celebrating the lives of, all those who flew in defence of their countries’ skies. It was these men, many of whom paid the ultimate price, that are the flying legends, and long may this airfield, and these great warbirds continue to be their active memorial.”
But Chris Cullum appealed to bosses at the Imperial War Museum to stop pilots performing aerobatic manoeuvres such as a loop-the-loop.
Mr Cullum, of Gannet Close, Haverhill, said he had been distracted from his driving by the actions of pilots as he travelled on the M11, adding: “Other air shows have a fly past, they don’t do these aerobatics and I think it should be prohibited.”
Frank Crosby, Imperial War Museum head of marketing, said: “If you are in charge of a motor vehicle at 70mph you should keep your eyes on the road.
“The pilots who carry out these manoeuvres are highly skilled and the aircraft are maintained to the highest standards so there’s no reason to think they should be stopped. If the CAA issued a global directive we would conform.”
Published on 15 July 2003
Nice to see something from the enthusiast’s point of view. And I love Frank Cosby’s remark, in response to someone who I’m guessing hasn’t been to many airshows 😉
By: Bob - 15th July 2003 at 23:51
Mr Cullum, of Gannet Close, Haverhill, said he had been distracted from his driving by the actions of pilots as he travelled on the M11, adding: “Other air shows have a fly past, they don’t do these aerobatics and I think it should be prohibited.”
Any chance we can find out what he drives and give it a w-i-d-e berth!!!!!!!
By: Snapper - 15th July 2003 at 21:55
Maginot is correct spelling.
By: Snapper - 15th July 2003 at 21:50
Full agreement with Digby.
Way to go Frank!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
By: DIGBY - 15th July 2003 at 21:48
Mmmmm forgot about that M25 better than the Maginot line (spelt wrong probably) whoops most things are though
By: David Burke - 15th July 2003 at 21:42
Digby – There is one big presumption in your senario ! – the German tanks have to navigate the M25 first – I think that would stop them in their tracks !
By: DIGBY - 15th July 2003 at 21:26
Brilliant,
The people who usually moan about Duxford are the people who have moved up from places like London to a village next to an active airfield then all they do is bloody moan about planes flying. I wonder if thease same people when they are in their charter holliday jets climbing out above the houses etc at places like Luton and Gatwick etc think about the noise they are helping create for the people under the flight path. Probably not.
I wonder if the same people would moan about duxford if German tanks wer coming up the M11 No again probably not
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July 15, 2003 at 9:05 pm