Reno Air Crash - Turns Out My Brother & His Family Were There

[Road_Runner]

Just found out last night that my brother, his wife & two youngest sons were at the Reno Air Race last Friday when the big crash happened.  I thought about him when I first heard of it because he used to attend every year, but he hadn't in some time.  Well, he went for the first time in years this year.  He was originally going to buy the four-day package for all of them, but when he showed up at the ticket window Thursday they wouldn't sell it to him because that 'deal' ended the day before, they said since his sons were younger than 18 they could get in free if he bought general admission Thursday & Friday and they could still buy reserved seats for Saturday & Sunday saving even more than the 4-day reserved seats package would have.  So he was there on Friday when it happened but sitting in the general admission area when the plane hit the tarmac right in front of the seats he would have been sitting in had he gotten reserved seats on Friday too.  He was most upset that his 11 & 14 year old sons saw people die that day and his youngest almost got sick to his stomach.  Bad stuff.

Now what he's mad about is the calls to end all types of air shows.  This race has been going on for 60+ years and this is the first time a non-pilot has been killed.  Are we becoming such panzies in this country that we won't accept ANY risk in life at all?  I totally agree, and we're going to meet up at a local air show here in Atlanta next month and I may see if I can go to the Reno races with him next year, he's already seeing about buying his tickets for 2012.

Later, Jim

[Chryco Psycho]

Life used to be fun , but now the lawyers have killed everything , if there is a 1:1,000,000 risk of getting hurt it must be banned . Every part of life has become rediculous , we never wore bike helmets or skateboarded with them , we are forced to buy airbags in everycar & still have to weaqr seatbelts ,seatbelts weren't mandatory soon will will be confined to padded cells with our computers & taking a risk will be using a WII or some simulation game in our padded cells 

[HemiOrange70]

One of the people killed was from where I live. He was a retired pilot and the pilot of the plane that crashed invited him and gave him the tickets to watch him fly. My opinion is have the plnaes fly over a safer zone and not over the crowds. Reports in the media state that the  draw tot his show was they fly over your head. Glad your family is safe

[AARCUDADEN]

Any type of an event anyone attends there is always a risk of some sort and i don't care what it is. Too many Lawyers and and sue happy people are killing everything my   

[Matt70]

Glad your brother and family are ok. Seems like the typical knee-jerk reaction. Sad that's what things in this country have come to.

[74BlueFish]

Glad your brother is ok,  Terrible accident. 
Just one incident can cause a great over reaction.

His kids are upset ,but this can be a learning experience for them in time.
Life IS fragile.

The accident seems to be a airframe failure.   But everything we do or attend has risks.
Be careful crossing the street.
In Miami , yesterday a man was hit by a car and was killed, the car stoped to help. but 8 cars later hit him and never stoped to help.

Tragity is but a moment away.
Be safe

[Road_Runner]

Reports in the media state that the  draw to this show was they fly over your head. Glad your family is safe

Thanks, I'm very relieved they're OK too.  Unfortunately, your example is exactly what's wrong with the press, my brother spoke at length that there is a 'kill zone' (his words) where the planes are forbidden to cross the runway to where the stands are located.  In every situation up to now, no matter how bad the accident the crowd has remained unharmed.  It looks like the pilot was not in control of the airplane after it pitched up and only then turned towards the crowd.  The theory so far is that he either blacked because of the increased G's when the plane lost the trim tab causing the plane to pitch up violently and/or the bolts holding the seat broke at the same time causing the pilot to lose control of the airplane.  My brother told me of another P51 racer losing a trim tab years ago, the plane pitched up exactly as this plane did causing the pilot to black out, but in that case the pilot regained consciousness after the plane climbed to 9000 ft!!  How far back would the people have to stand to be 100% safe from this type of situation?  Take the necessary precautions, but don't try to make life risk-free.  And please federal government, quit protecting me from my own decisions!!!!

Later, Jim