The new edition of A***plane dropped through my letter box this morning. There is an article by Richard Paver on the future of Warbirds in the UK particulary at airshows. As I feared after the crashes at Biggin, insurance is starting to affect the number of operators able to take part in airshows. Especially those that don’t offer to properly cover their costs.
Another article features Lancasters after their service ended. Warning (especially Lancman) this may be too distressing to look at 🙁
mmitch.
By: Corsair166b - 30th November 2003 at 17:26
I, for one, would not want to live in a world where warbirds did not fly, but could be seen and heard as a great example of what was once cutting edge technology….To see a Bearcat or Sea Fury today is to see the ultimate development of pure piston engined technology, to HEAR such planes is to be dumbfounded by their raw power and aesthetic beauty, the years of refinements that have been poured into them…and to think that we had come THAT far since 1903 (gaining roughly 100 miles an hour in speed every decade!) and the first flight of the Wright flyer is to be awstruck by the accomplishments of creative mankind….
I’ll stop going to airshows when the last of the Warbirds are grounded….I’ll die on the day that the last Corsair flies…luckily, there seem to be more and more joining the ranks of the flying, so my life is so far prolonged….to some folks’ chagrin!
Mark
By: duxfordhawk - 30th November 2003 at 13:03
Maybe the Golden age..
Is gone if this the is the case September 11th is the main cause it was a world changing event that caused a reaction that still will rumble on for many years,The fact is we now are living with the terrorism threat it was obvious insurance companies would hike there insurance prices to cover this,THe awful events of Biggin Hill 2001 will never be forgotten by myself and anybody else who was there but at the end of the year figures for airshow crashes in uk were no worse than other years.
I hope Ray Hanna can start a debate like it says in the Paul Coggan report in Airplane,it would be intresting to hear what other operators views are,Rays operated warbirds in aerobatic
routines safely for years and his oppinions are very valid so lets hope a debate can be started as im wondering what operators are on what side of the fence on this subject.At all costs we must try to keep our preservation movement in this country,THESE PLANES WERE MADE TO FLY LETS KEEP THEM IN THE SKY.
By: David Burke - 29th November 2003 at 22:49
My father used to be in insurance and the very simple facts are that if they pay out they want the money back in the long run and a little more. The number of warbird crashes over the last few years plus the growing liability to people on the ground will force premiums up.
By: Bradburger - 29th November 2003 at 18:33
Yes it is an interesting article Mitch.
But I think you’ll find that it was Sept 11 that drove Warbird insurance prices crazy rather than the recent crashes at shows over the past few years.
This is what I’ve heard and what Richard Pavers Article says too.
Interesting to read Paul Coggans column too, especially the comments from Ray Hanna regarding “High energy/Low Level” manouvers.
As you’d expect, he has lots of sensible things to say on the subject. 😉
Cheers
Paul
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November 29, 2003 at 6:06 pm