Shoreham Air show crash

[Theatre of Trees]

"Reports from this morning suggest the RAF’s famous Red Arrows display team ruled the danger level was too high to perform their full stunt programme at Shoreham.

A former airshow promoter who has worked with the Red Arrows and helped organise airshows around Britain told the Mirror:

I have friends involved in the organisation of Shoreham Air Show and have been there several times.

"The Red Arrows refuse to display there as they say the surrounding area is far too dangerous and could lead to a major accident.

"All they will do at Shoreham is a straight fly-past with red, white and blue smoke coming out the back of the jets.

"They have refused point blank to do an acrobatic display. They say there is no fall-out zone and any accident would be a disaster there.

"There is nowhere for them to put a plane down without killing someone.

"Every year the organisers apply for a Red Arrows display but they turn them down."

This is a group of planes rather than a single one. Their margin of safety requires a much greater area to display in.

 

[Yoda]

Was curious about why no red arrows at shoreham, was told they are not allowed to fly over Worthing, but yours makes more sense.

No, It's to do with the Airport being hemmed in by both Shoreham and Lancing on both sides and the downs to the north. They made the decision to only do one flypast in formation about 20 years ago. As good as the Red Arrows may be, they just don't want to risk a mid air collision over an Urban area during their usual routine.

 

[easynow]

This is a group of planes rather than a single one. Their margin of safety requires a much greater area.

The limited places to crash the plane in the areas outside the runway is what I resonate with...whoever that person is.

 

[martyn20]

I can't see how they changed their minds. I've not seen them scheduled to appear at Shoreham for a long time.

They have displayed at Shoreham in the past and now they don't, that means a change of mind. The road, the runway or the hills have not moved!

 

[sydney]

Bless all of you on NSC, I have just received wonderful news, my brother is fine. Without letting anyone know he changed his mind about the airshow and instead visited Salisbury. His home phone had broken and he forgot to take his mobile. His friend travelled to visit family in Scotland.

I am acutely aware of the power, mostly good, of NSC and it's brotherhood of wonderful people who offer such help and kindness when it's needed. I'm lucky, sadly so many are not and my heart goes out to them, I know from held back tears how you feel.

Again, bless & thank you all, and those that prayed for me may your God be with you. Boroseagull

great news mate...!

 

[perseus]

This is a group of planes rather than a single one. Their margin of safety requires a much greater area to display in.

I think it means when a Red Arrow has a malfunction a high aerobatic jet has an ability to glide down or at least attempt to land over a non-populated area (so I was told at a Coroners Inquest into a aircraft fatality) but at low level* this option is not available. But the option was not available apparently despite the large area of downs. (Corrected: it was because of the risk of collision; see post above.) (*Critical height danger is more apparent at take-off.)

Hindsight (even foresight as I thought so in previous years) said the Hawker Hunter should be further north over arable field as a malfunction at a critical period at low level is irrecoverable. Professional safety watchers would have seen that.

Displays are in alignment with the runway and the runway approach was where the jet came down. Not as in the faked photograph where the plane is shown over the top of the A27 running in the same direction as the cars.

Infortunately some plane watchers know about ther runway alignment and watch from underneath. We did as kids (different location then). Now I avoid it cause of the noise does my head in.

 

[Chicken Runner61]

So pleased for Boro seagull don't know him and certainly not his brother but finding out he's ok feels so good.

I can't believe some people on here it's one thing picking up on every word of someone's political or general post but why dissect every post and look for things to attack a poster on. People have different views anyway but I'm sure some have misread or misinterpreted the post on purpose just to make themselves look good or clever. This is life and death people there are lots of aspects to it

 

[theboybilly]

Very well done indeed, Mr Barber.

He didn't have to do it, and would not be human if he wasn't full of anxiety about what he would witness in terms of raw emotion when he got there. But knowing it would be appreciated, he put his own anxieties to the back of his mind. In the great scheme of things, it doesn't lessen their grief one iota, but it was a tremendous gesture on his part.

I applaud you, sir!

Right now, and not just because of this incident I am very proud of my club and Paul Barber in particular. May I also wish Boroseagull and Westdean Seagull all the best after the awful last couple of days, and to all those involved.

 

[dazzer6666]

Right now, and not just because of this incident I am very proud of my club and Paul Barber in particular. May I also wish Boroseagull and Westdean Seagull all the best after the awful last couple of days, and to all those involved.

Well said. Been several things over the last few days that have shown the club and people associated for what it is/they are..........mightily impressive.

Less impressive is the constant backbiting and apparent pi**ing competitions on here over almost every post/opinion/comment, but each to his own I guess.

 

[Chinman3000]

. Not as in the faked photograph where the plane is shown over the top of the A27 running in the same direction as the cars.

I thought this when I saw that picture, are you sure it has been faked / photoshoped? If so why someone would feel the need to do that in this situation is beyond me. More than enough frighting real pictures out there already.

 

[atomised]

They have displayed at Shoreham in the past and now they don't, that means a change of mind. The road, the runway or the hills have not moved!

See someone else's post above your reply. One flypast in formation around 20 years doesn't constitute displaying

 

[Fungus]

I thought this when I saw that picture, are you sure it has been faked / photoshoped? If so why someone would feel the need to do that in this situation is beyond me. More than enough frighting real pictures out there already.

Which photo?

 

[poidy]

Fair play to Barber for doing that. Don't underestimate the moral courage required for him to visit Matthews family in there darkest hour. Respect to him for doing so.

 

[Everest]

Displays are in alignment with the runway and the runway approach was where the jet came down. Not as in the faked photograph where the plane is shown over the top of the A27 running in the same direction as the cars.

Nothing faked about it.
You can be a right idiot at times.

 

[wellquickwoody]

Any talk of faked photos, theories, opinions about why this has happened should stop right now! Show some manners, dignity and respect everybody.

 

[atomised]

Any talk of faked photos, theories, opinions about why this has happened should stop right now! Show some manners, dignity and respect everybody.

You've got that spot on. The press sadly are fuelling the theories and speculation but I guess it's their job. Leave finding out what's happened and why to the specialist investigators

 

[martyn20]

See someone else's post above your reply. One flypast in formation around 20 years doesn't constitute displaying

They did display in either 2000 or 2001 (more likely), they actually used the airfield as a base for both the Shoreham and Folkestone displays on the same day, they landed and took off twice and did a display

 

[Gullflyinghigh]

Any talk of faked photos, theories, opinions about why this has happened should stop right now! Show some manners, dignity and respect everybody.

Well said, it's been said a few times already and I've agreed every time. Time and a place.

If theories are your thing, why not start a new thread?

 

[symyjym]

The limited places to crash the plane in the areas outside the runway is what I resonate with...whoever that person is.

I have no idea how often pilots have to abort an extreme display maneuvers but I would imagine it happens all the time for multiple reasons without incident. Each time a death defying stunt is performed it is a high risk, and just because it hasn’t happened yet doesn’t lessen the probability of it happening in the future.

I don’t understand why it would be ok to carry out the most critical part of a display directly above a busy road, and it is interesting to know how one organisation, The Red Arrows, viewed the risk differently to another.

 

[Mackenzie]

Bless all of you on NSC, I have just received wonderful news, my brother is fine. Without letting anyone know he changed his mind about the airshow and instead visited Salisbury. His home phone had broken and he forgot to take his mobile. His friend travelled to visit family in Scotland.

I am acutely aware of the power, mostly good, of NSC and it's brotherhood of wonderful people who offer such help and kindness when it's needed. I'm lucky, sadly so many are not and my heart goes out to them, I know from held back tears how you feel.

Again, bless & thank you all, and those that prayed for me may your God be with you. Boroseagull

Oh thank goodness [MENTION=887]Boroseagull[/MENTION].

When you didn't update us, I'm assuming you simply didn't know yourself now, I was fearing the worst. So pleased and relieved for you.