All
← Back to Squawk list
Biplane crashes while performing at Travis Air Force Base air show
TRAVIS AFB, Calif. — A biplane that was performing at an air show at Travis Air Force Base Sunday afternoon crashed on the tarmac while executing a maneuver, according to eye witnesses. KTVU reporter John Sasaki was attending the air show and reported the accident shortly after 2 p.m. when the biplane crashed to the tarmac at the air base. KTVU photographer Chris Paxton later learned the blue biplane was flying close to the ground executing a maneuver known as "cutting the ribbon"… (www.ktvu.com) More...
Sort type: [Top] [Newest]
From the video, i wouldnt be surprised if he had some sort of medical related incident, he didnt make any effort to recover.
Video of the crash
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FI4w2PKL4zk
RIP Eddie, you are a legend! Condolences to the family.
Don't sweat it aknorris - ejects happen to all of us for no reason. I think others that have had squawks ejected do it to get back at everyone else. Maybe they shouldn't have the vote count go below 0. It seems to cause a lot of butt-hurt.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FI4w2PKL4zk
RIP Eddie, you are a legend! Condolences to the family.
Don't sweat it aknorris - ejects happen to all of us for no reason. I think others that have had squawks ejected do it to get back at everyone else. Maybe they shouldn't have the vote count go below 0. It seems to cause a lot of butt-hurt.
Thanks for the link and the comment.
The pilot is reported as being 77 years old. At what age should pilots retire from aerobatic flying in front of thousands of spectators? It seems to me geriatric pilots are involved in far too many of these airshow crashes (e.g. Reno Air Race disaster of 2011)
The FAA actually doesn't have very rigid medical requirements at all. Less than a generic 'check-up', even for a 1st class. I think 60 would be a good number for these guys/gals doing aerobatic stuff. They force the 121 guys out at 65 that have 2 crewmembers and never go beyond a G and a half.
I personally think your comment sucks. I wish they'd take the cap off the ATP. It is not age that hampers ability. Having been thru that mess at age 60 before it was changed and now waiting on the hammer to drop for 65, a person should be allowed to work as long as they want. I know people at half that age that should not be in a cockpit, yet they have the cert, and there will be a lot of good pilots put out to pasture before they are ready. The government is shoving out the goal posts for Social Security. They ought to make it equal for everybody.
I respect you preacher but age very much hampers ability in physical and mental capacities, it's a fact of life.
You are displaying old man syndrome just by saying that 'half my age' comment as if pilots on average today are worse than 30 years ago. Give me a break. There have always been and always will be an untalented 10% that make it through the screen just like in every other profession.
If you want to propose exemptions beyond 65 for passing additional cognitive and physical testing I would support it, but don't give me that crap about our skills not holding up to yours; it just isn't true.
You are displaying old man syndrome just by saying that 'half my age' comment as if pilots on average today are worse than 30 years ago. Give me a break. There have always been and always will be an untalented 10% that make it through the screen just like in every other profession.
If you want to propose exemptions beyond 65 for passing additional cognitive and physical testing I would support it, but don't give me that crap about our skills not holding up to yours; it just isn't true.
Well, we are both speaking in generalities. As far as the half my age comment, I said "I know", meaning some, and we all know people like that, that don't have enough sense to come in out of the rain. that's the 10% you reference. I personally would support the extra skills testing as it is generally accepted that some things disappear with age but not for ALL individuals. Hell, I been on waivers for minor things for at least the last 10 years, but I personally would put myself up against anyone out there and just resent somebody pulling an arbitrary age down out of the air. I do know one thing for sure though, my can do can't keep up with my want to at times.LOL
I'm with you on all of that.
The next question is, do you seriously thing a 77 year old guy needs to be flying low level aerobatics at an airshow? Maybe it was mechanical but to me it looked like he threw the trim for inverted and passed out.
The next question is, do you seriously thing a 77 year old guy needs to be flying low level aerobatics at an airshow? Maybe it was mechanical but to me it looked like he threw the trim for inverted and passed out.
Obviously something went wrong and unless there is an investigation of some type, we'll probably never know. And there may not be that since no spectators were killed. I'll not say yay or nay on the 77 years old, only to say that while I am still active and plan to remain current, I am really starting to like that back porch and sweet tea as well as the creekbank.LOL
