Reno Nevada Air Show Crash
 

I've always wanted to go to an air show, but now I'm not so sure...

I know what you mean Spexx.

I've said it before, I hate airshows (I think this was a race rather than a show). More than once I've been at sporting events where the organisers have organised some demonstration or other to fill a lull in the proceedings and have felt that my safety has been compromised. Pilots are no different from the rest of us, we all like to show off, especially when we have lots of power (big guns, fast cars...) and plenty of space. They, hopefully, know what risks they are taking - I like to know what risks I'm taking too though.

Yeah, it's an air race. I'm surprised I didn't hear about this at all while I was in airports yesterday (with the news playing on the televisions). It wasn't until I got home that my dad brought it up.

I don't go to air shows b/c they are usually held in one thousand degree weather.

but this is also a good reason to avoid them.

accidents happen. air shows, motocross, drag races, monster truck rallies....the list goes on. yeah i'm a pilot so i may be a bit biased but going to a show, for whatever motorized sport, can be dangerous. don't want to be in danger? stay back from the front rows. sit or stand someplace else. just sayin. in my book, air shows rawk! then again, so does supercross! (i used to race it), monster truck shows? meh. i went for the demolition derby. never been to a drag race, i really want to go see one or twelve. outside of when i worked as a doorman at a bar in downtown houston back in college when the gay pride folks had a halloween party in the private ballroom upstairs, i've never seen a real one.

The falling aircraft showed signs of some major system or mechanical failure. The tailwheel was at full or nearly full extension just before it hit, with the main gear not extended at all, and that is weird. That a/c has and needs a retractable tailwheel -- especially to compete in Unlimited class air racing. It wouldn't just have been hanging out there being draggy. Some think the machine lost a trim tab, but I can't see merely losing such an adjuster causing what happened, as the rest of the controls would remain powerfully in effect, keeping the aircraft flying instead of the pitch-up and fatal dive that occurred.

They'll also be closely looking into the pilot's mandatory physical and such -- though we're only going to find something explanatory in that if we're lucky.

Meanwhile, I guess we pray for the victims.

I didn't realize the tailwheel retracted. I think its cool that they race them but I don't have enough hearing left to waste on motorsports.

not the weekend for airshows

not the year for airshows...

Wasn't the Reno "show" more of a "race". There is a huge difference.