[Politics] Shoreham Pilot - Flying Licence Appeal Rejected 17/10/2024

[Springal]

Incorrect, read the AAIB report. He did not bail out, pilot was still in the aircraft when it hit the ground.

If you hit the ground at the bottom of a loop there is no choice where to "put down". It's a very different scenario to the WW2 bomber that had time to select where to ditch.

Please don't get me wrong, I'm in no way defending the lack of flying skills of Andy Hill. His first mistake was insufficient speed going onto his loop assent, this then ment his second mistake was the top of his loop was too low. If he'd glanced at one of his two altimeters he would have known and aborted the manoeuvre at the top of the loop, his 3rd and fateful mistake. Once committed to the loop descent, he was doomed. He ran out of altitude and it was a tragic fluke that point of impact was the A27.

50 foot higher at the top of the loop would likely have missed the road and hit the field, 100 foot higher and he may not have hit the ground at all.

Sad and tragic misjudgement.

Surely the first mistake was attempting a manoeuvre not in his flight plans and unknown to the organisers ?

 

[chickens]

Today's society. Such vehemence. So black and white.

He made a catastrophic mistake with horrendous consequences, as have many people have in the past. He is not the only person to be responsible for killing due to a misjudgement, negligence, or however you want to label it, but do drivers that kill get their licence back eventually ?

I hope you never make a mistake, there is only a small margin between mistakes being inconsequential and tragic.

This in no way should be read as anything other a reply to the post and not a comment on the actual tragedy that occurred.

I don’t believe in “the divine right to drive” either. I’m not talking about the type of accident where a kid has run out from between parked cars and there’s nothing the driver can do, I’m talking about the sort of bellendery where someone’s doing 50 in a 30 zone, or got pissed and mounted the pavement. Their judgement has proven so poor that they simply shouldn’t get back on the road.

There’s nothing mistaken about the decision to go 20mph faster than the speed limit, or get pissed and then get in a car. People need to own their choices.

This clown thought he’d show off in front of a paying audience, there was no fault with the aircraft, he chose.

 

[Chicken Run]

it wasn’t in the flight plan nor approved.

Seeing as his ‘memory loss’ was also a big problem I’d question how someone suffering from that is a suitable pilot

These two reasons alone are reasons enough for this chap to be kept away from aircraft for the rest of his life ! Ex RAF showboating ****

 

[tedebear]

Incorrect, read the AAIB report. He did not bail out, pilot was still in the aircraft when it hit the ground.

If you hit the ground at the bottom of a loop there is no choice where to "put down". It's a very different scenario to the WW2 bomber that had time to select where to ditch.

Please don't get me wrong, I'm in no way defending the lack of flying skills of Andy Hill. His first mistake was insufficient speed going into his loop assent, this then ment his second mistake was the top of his loop was too low. If he'd glanced at one of his two altimeters he would have realised and aborted the manoeuvre at the top of the loop, his 3rd and fateful mistake. Once committed to the loop descent, he was doomed. He ran out of altitude and it was a tragic fluke that point of impact was the A27.

50 foot higher at the top of the loop would likely have missed the road and hit the field, 100 foot higher and he may not have hit the ground at all.

Sad and tragic misjudgement.

Quite frankly I don't care if he was to high or too low, was in the plan or not, he killed 11 people with his recklessness. He was renowned for this and the Air Show organisers failed to protect the public from him. Many people have had multiple life sentences for less. Not flying again ever is a small price for someone to pay.

I sat on that hill and watched him do this, ploughing into traffic which was held on a red light, trying to explain to our young children what was happening and keep them away from watching, when you could see people were dying below me will stay with me forever.

 

[Midget]

Signed.

Can't even put into words what I think of this.

 

[Mellotron]

Insane that he's even considering it. I can't understand the mindset - if I was him the last thing I'd want to do is even look at an airplane again, let alone fly one.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

I don't like people using terms like "scumbag" but I am not sure that the anger against Andy Hill is a poor reflection of today's society. The anger is deserved. I would have thought in the past society might have treated the bloke a lot worse.

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

This is shameful and unbelievable. Signed

 

[ROSM]

Emergency services were put at risk in saving him from the wreckage.

People died as a result of his actions/inactions

He was unable to explain what happened due to reported amnesia

Those are the facts. For that alone, if it were me, I would never be able to pilot a plane again.

 

[scoobiewhite]

Signed. Read the room Andy Hill

Re-applying for his licence is shameful and shows a complete lack of remorse or empathy for his victims and their families.

Flying is not an essential form of transport, the only reason he wants his licence back is because he misses flying, not because he needs to travel for work or personal reasons.

He should have thought about that before showing off and endangering the lives of others.

 

[Commander]

Surely the first mistake was attempting a manoeuvre not in his flight plans and unknown to the organisers ?

If this is true, I can't understand how he could get off the manslaughter charges. I have no real knowledge of the case though, other than what I've read on here.

 

[Springal]

If this is true, I can't understand how he could get off the manslaughter charges. I have no real knowledge of the case though, other than what I've read on here.

Maybe I’m misunderstanding the summary and especially points 38 onwards

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/58c92626e5274a2a5c00016b/AAR_1-2017_Hawker_Hunter_T7_G-BXFI_03-17.pdf

 

[Mellotron]

Flying is not an essential form of transport.

I think this is a key point, when people talk about driving licences being reapplied for - it's not the same thing.

 

[Frutos]

Signed and shared.

 

[Peteinblack]

Signed, and made a donation towards costs of publicising the petition more widely.

 

[Midget]

Maybe I’m misunderstanding the summary and especially points 38 onwards

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/58c92626e5274a2a5c00016b/AAR_1-2017_Hawker_Hunter_T7_G-BXFI_03-17.pdf

When you consider the context, in that air crash investigations worldwide are usually carried out in a purposefully blame-free way, to ensure safety findings aren't lost due to arse-covering... the causal and contributory factors given in that report are pretty damning for someone who wants their licence back. Imho.

The operational aspects don't read too well either.

 

[Coldeanseagull]

Signed. The bloke should be rotting in prison, not doing this

 

[hart's shirt]

Outside the court after the trial Hill read out the names of all those killed in the incident and said "I am truly sorry for the part I played in their deaths, and it is all I will remember for the rest of my life."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015_Shoreham_Airshow_crash

This isn't just a simple case of getting back on the horse after failure.

If Andy Hill is still truly sorry, he won't want to add insult to injury by returning to the specific occupation that caused 11 deaths.

What's changed?

A life sentence of not being able to fly aircraft pales into insignificance with the life sentences handed to the loved ones of those lost.

If the man had a shred of dignity, his exile would be self-imposed. As it appears that he doesn't, the decision should be taken for him.

 

[AmexRuislip]

Sign the Petition

Prevent Pilot Andrew Hill from reacquiring a Flying License

t.co

 

[Brok]

I don't know if this has been mentioned in the thread so far, if so, then apologies for repeating...
A few years ago, (guessing, about 2007?) me and my girl were watching the Shoreham air show from the hills near Lancing College.
There were a few dozen of us there, when this bloody great jet came at us. If the pilot was trying to scare us, he did a bloody good job. I honestly thought we were going to die.
Same pilot?