"Kyle Boatright" wrote in message
. ..

"Doug Semler" wrote in message
ups.com...
On Jul 28, 7:39 pm, "Gerald S." wrote:
Doug Semler wrote:
On Jul 28, 6:44 pm, "Blueskies" wrote:
..Spun in down at Dayton.

Now all the masters of disaster have gone to the great airshow in the
sky...

Blue skies forever...

Big bummer.

The only time I saw him was in Salinas a year and a half ago. I had
never heard of him before and was thinking "This guy is balls to the
wall and beyond insane." After seeing more videos of him, he became my
favorite acro pilot.

Anyone hear what happened?

Gerald

The story I saw makes it sound like he basically ran out of altitude
during a pullout and pancaked to the ground...

Which is why I wish they would institute a 200' (or whatever) minimum
altitude for airshow performers. First, I don't like seeing airplanes
*that* close to the ground. It makes me uneasy (which I realize is part
of the draw - but I still don't like it). Second, in many shows, the sight
lines are terrible for low, low, acts anyway.

A higher minimum altitude, with corresponding higher entry altitudes,
would have saved quite a few great pilots over the years.

KB



I'm just an enthusiast here not a full blown pilot but just my "two bits "
here.
Most organizers of airshows in this day and age are well aware of the fact
that there are not enough pilots and enthusiasts to make an airshow pay, you
have to engage the nonflying public too if your show is going to survive.
That means Joe sixpack folks, the NASCAR fans and we all are well aware
what they go to a show to see.
If they don't have at least a hint of the possibility of crumpled sheet
metal they are going to stand there and watch all those pretty aerobatics
and go home and say HO HUM that wasn't worth my admission fee , I won't go
again and I will tell all my buddies don't bother.
I'm not saying that I think it is the way things should be, I too wish
that we could do things safe enough that several of my heros also could
still be alive.
Its just that I beleive that is what is behind all the (pardon the
language) Balls to the Wall flying we see .
Pilots trying to find one more trick to make a plane to dso to WOW! Joe
Sixpack so he will bring his family out to support the local airshow.
Remeber this is the generation whos favorite slogan is NO FEAR! ( I
usually add no brains either when I hear this but thats just me).