Bomberboy, just like every other user of this forum i do not have to justify myself to anyone thank you.! But just for you this is my position;

I was born in and live in Duxford. On application i am issued with a Neighbours of Duxford card that is supplied by the IWM to local residents, and can be used to gain entry to the airfield at anytime during normal opening hours except during airshows or special events. A privelage, yes most definately… freeloading, i would argue most definately not.

I also live where aircraft regularly overfly my house and garden just before turning finals for R24. Do i mind, most definately not. After all i chose to live there.! I can stand in my garden, or on the road, or watch from my bedroom window and still have a pretty good view of proceedings. As a resident of Duxford i also feel its within my right to leave my house and walk up the road to watch any aircraft movements as i choose. Its a public road nearly one mile from the runway, and there is no reason whatsoever that anyone should feel in danger from low flying aircraft whilst walking along that road. Again if you think thats freeloading or needs justifying then sorry i strongly disagree.

My opinion on the horsemen was made clear in my first post on the subject. After that i was asked politely for the reason for my opinion, to which i replied politely. I was then critizised for my positioning during the two incidents i mentioned. One of which my position was rather foolish, but the other in my opinion totally acceptable. If you really want to vent your anger at those endangering aircrew or themselves then maybe you need to start with the individuals who have now decided to position themselves in the field right beside the runway.. utter madness!

We all have different views on this subject, and whilst i agree rules and regulations have been tightened up quite considerably over the years, aircraft are STILL allowed to fly directly towards the crowd display centre whilst coming in from the direction of Barkers farm at Dx. Again in my opinion that is not a necessary part of any display. And what i was highlighting was that the biggest killers at airshows worldwide, and not just in Britain, is display aircraft been flown directly towards the crowd. Its bad enough as a singleton, but as a tight formation.. to me thats only asking for trouble, and as per usual nothing will be done to stop it until it all goes horribly wrong, but sadly for some that will be too late.

All the above is my opinion, and i don’t expect anyone else to agree.

Rob.

Galdri, i am highlighting the fact that it is not people standing on public roads that are the main problem as regards airshow safety. I had someone having a go at me for my positioning whilst watching airshows at Dx, and whilst i concede that standing in fields is a big ongoing problem, the two biggest airshow disasters so far that have resulted in the biggest loss of public life have been as a result of aircrew flying directly towards the crowd. Yes, it does’nt go wrong very often, but boy when it does its a major catastrophe.

And i may be wrong, but from what i can remember part of the horsemans display has both aircraft flying towards the crowd on crowd centre before pulling up, looping and heading east or west.

Ok lets get two things straight;

1996 – P-38 came down on the airfield, and i was stood in the adjacent field to the M11.. and i have never stood in that field since because it shook me up so much. So yes hands up to that one.

2003 – Firefly came down in a field JUST clearing Grange Rd, which was incidentally lined with many many Duxford residents. I know, i was one of them. Its a quiet public road so why should people / families refrain from using it just because an aeroplane might choose to crash there, incidentally after having carried out a ridiculous manouevre… barely 100 yds from houses.!

Since the P-38 crash i have vehemently advised people not to stand in fields because of my own experience, but as for a public road.. a mile from the airfield… and not even in line with the runway??? 😡

To be honest SH i’m not a great fan of aeros full stop. Being stood only a matter of yards from the P38 and the Firefly when they both came down following an inverted manoeuvre at low level does make me rather nervous, but anyway thats another story.
Machinery breaks down and pilots make human errors, and that will never change. We have the Red Arrows and various other aerobatic teams performing close formation aerobatics, and for me thats enough. Just to see those historics flying satisfies me no-end, and i would rather not risk losing them anymore than necessary by flying them so close together and especially upside down with such little room for mechanical breakdown or human error.

I am well aware that there are many on here who enjoy seeing the horsemen, but as i said in my opinion what they do is not necessary in my eyes :).