Too Low at Cosford airshow?

I was about twenty feet back from the point where he rolled back upright from the inverted.It seemed as thought he had less than ten feet between the wing tip and the ground.
To be honest it looked as though he had miss-judged it,I would like to see how he could gurantee getting that close to the ground everytime and mean to do it.

I don’t really care how ‘qualified’ or ‘experienced’ he is,it was very nearly a nasty pile up.

Not something that the Airshow business needs IMO.

I also think we should look at the display teams web site www.swiftteam.airshows.org.uk

As i stated in the first part of this thread “Was it as low as we thought or is it an illusion?” If you take that the aircraft wing on the ground could be say 6′ high and then add in the lie of the land and the foreshortening of the lens was it really that low ? Ive seen a simillar display at Little Gransden last year and from a different angle you would give a different opinion. The eye decieves and so does still cameras. Were we all fooled?

I feel merlin 70 has written a very fair comment. However I do not agree with his oblique assertion that we should indulge in self-censorship.

This is an open public forum and everyone has their right to have their say: you may not like or agree with what is said but it is their right to say it. Merlin70 or anyone else has the right to reply, that is the nature of debate in a free society.

I wish I had been at Cosford to see the display: opted not to go as the Vulcan was not “on the menu”. Back in the 1960s I remember seeing some spectacular glider aerobatics at a display at Blackbushe, including a loop within about 500 ft of the ground: one of those display items that sticks in the memory.

Planemike

Expert glider pilots

The a/c displaying at Cosford clearly had sufficient velocity to complete the pass and recover to the grass strip. Studying a web image containing fore shortening by a camera lens is no way to judge competence or safety.

Although this is a discussion Forum we should have all learnt by now not to speculate on things beyond our competence or comprehension that bring into question an activity that was undertaken by someone who is competent.

The displaying of a glider at an airshow undertaking aerobatics is still one of the most incredible and skillful sights that can be witnessed at public aviation event.

In general the public are not familiar with the capabilites of gliders. An example being, in ground effect it is possible to fly the length of an airfield maintaining sufficient energy to climb, perform a 180 degree turn and land quite safely. There are things that can be done in a glider that I wouldn’t want to try in a powered a/c. The converse is also true.

I am certain that none of us would like someone who is not competent to do our job of work, paying us a visit and saying oh I wouldn’t do it like that guv. So let’s not do it to others, especially in an area as sensitive and subjective as display flying.

Given the readership of this Forum, it is probably best to leave further comment of this act to less public places.

it is a perfectly executed 1g manoeuvre, that is all there is to it…..

I’ve done it too, and although I’d heard of this manoeuvre, it’s something else to see it done…wow!

I’ve managed to find Tex Johnson’s Boeing Dash-80 (prototype 707) (in)famous roll onYouTube here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ra_khhzuFlE . A manoeuvre in similar spirit – but I didn’t realise he could be Bob Hoover’s long-lost brother! Sorry about the thread drift from Cosford, BTW.

I can see we have the PC and Health and Stupidity team in tonight.

I am only going to mention one name.

Bob Hoover

Now go google it, you tube it or whatever search you like and learn something.

I expect it was all within the scope of the show.

similar comments about other pilots in the past have started serious goings on before. Please lets not do the same again here.

I did and flippin heck thats what i call flying, great stuff.

I want to know the logic between hes poring a drink whilst rolling?

Gravity acts in one direction no matter what way your up, or is it beacuase your going round in a circle central fugal (spelling??) force keeps the fluid inside the glass????

Thanks
668
________
Uggs

I can see we have the PC and Health and Stupidity team in tonight.

I am only going to mention one name.

Bob Hoover

Now go google it, you tube it or whatever search you like and learn something.

I expect it was all within the scope of the show.

similar comments about other pilots in the past have started serious goings on before. Please lets not do the same again here.

All safety aspects aside, and forgetting the fact that it may or may not have been dangerous…it was spectacular, and if he knew exactly what he was doing I take my hat off to him! There are very few things that shock me or leave me stunned at airshows these days. This was one of them!

From where I was – in the middle of the crowd line – it looked very very dangerous indeed. He wasn’t that far away from parked aircraft, as you can see from the photo above, and his wings must have been within scant inches of the ground.

Total seem to be getting their money’s worth. Utterly silly manouevre, even if he does have a lot of energy.

The Lancair looks nice !

Myself and several colleages were all the way at the other end of the display line and we all thought that this looked well outside of safe limits however an important factor is how fast was he going? If he had a ton of energy then it was less dangerous than a still photo might suggest. I still felt it was insane though!!!

Low Glider

Crikey, you have to hand it to the pilot, it was some display by the sound of it – and no flippin’ engine either!
That was a pretty good photo too.

Low inverted glider flying

I have read elsewhere that the pilot had an interview with no tea or biscuits immediately afterwards. Thanks for the photo, I wondered what it was all about!

I was looking down the flight line as this glider came along, and spectacular as it was, I was glad when it was over- far too low, no room for error at all.

What can you expect of an aircraft with the name Lo 100?

Expect it was intentional, they usually take them pretty low!

I saw an equally stunning Glider demo at Kemble last year and yes their was gasps followed by stunned silence then a round of applause.

Was easily the best act I saw all year.