RIAT Friday pics - a close shave

[Man-on-the-fence]

Friday, the last chance to practise before show day.

First a couple of arrivals

Airbedane has arrived, we can begin!

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/nick.blacow/riat1507/shwk.jpg

The 11 Sqn Tornado F3 with a rather excited Nav :)

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/nick.blacow/riat1507/frodo.jpg

Didn’t they forget someone at Boscombe??

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/nick.blacow/riat1507/astra.jpg

Italians in the static (which while relatively empty will be a nighmare to photograph on show days

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/nick.blacow/riat1507/harrier.jpg

Sea Harrier and Tornado arrival breaks

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/nick.blacow/riat1507/dshar.jpg

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/nick.blacow/riat1507/torn.jpg


A wonderful formation of the Red Arrows and 3 Spitfires

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/nick.blacow/riat1507/reds.jpg

This was VERY close to disaster!!!

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/nick.blacow/riat1507/close.jpg

[BEagle]

We were just walking back to Gold to crew-in our Flying Club PA28 formation when it happened. Closest I've ever seen to a very nasty accident.....

PS-Did you get any piccies of our little formation?

[Man-on-the-fence]

Beags

Sadly not, I had to disapper for a change of underwear (heaven knows how the pilot felt)

[Onan the Clumsy]

Sorry, I'm on the outside looking in. What was the problem? All I can see is full power and (reasonably) high pitch...and no gear. Was it a runway incursion?

[Conan the Librarian]

Was just about to send you a PM MOTF, but the pic already answers the question. Was standing there in disbelief as the aircraft dropped beneath the fence line and still dscending. The video of the incident is chilling.

Good news is that our man has balls of steel and the Typhoon went up again for rehearsal (other A/C) just over an hour ago and gave a cracking display.


Well done again Nick - these pics are wonderful.

Cheers,

Conan

[Man-on-the-fence]

Onan

He was pulling out of the bottom of a half loop!!!

[Conan the Librarian]

Onan he was descending like a brick at the time the photo was taken, with the nose coming up but the downward component very much in place. I was expecting a very big bang imminently. Rather reminiscent of the Sukhio crash at Paris.

Cheers,

Conan

[fradu]

Excellent photos, though I might have legged it when the described Typhoon incident occurred, rather then photographing it :)

[treadigraph]

On personal experience I'd have done neither, just stood there in slack-jawed disbelief. A personal exhibition of stupidity I hope to never have to repeat...

Our mate in the Tiffie is very lucky... over on Mil, someone mentioned the F-4 at Abingdon in '88 - I witnessed same crew at Duxford a week or so before, and was relieved they didn't pile in. Then. This guy I feel - post shreddy change - is a very much the wiser. Not a criticism, just a plea.... stay safe!

[SilsoeSid]

Just wondered, showing my ignorance, is it normal to have slats down while performing loops?

:ugh:
SS

[ChrisVJ]

Or do the slats drop automatically at high angles of attack, a real life saver?

[Magoodotcom]

Or do the slats drop automatically at high angles of attack, a real life saver?

Yes...the FCS deploys the slats and and flaperons automatically deploy and retract to optimise the aircraft’s wing camber at all AoA.

Good save Matt...live long and prosper!:ooh:

Cheers :ok:

[Seloco]

I guess the sign of a really exciting display is the smell of burning grass afterwards...........

[bolmas]

is the video available to view online?

[N Joe]

Echo treadigraph's comment - just stood in disbelief. Thought my panic might have been due to blunty ignorance but then saw everyone in the Breitling enclosure standing with their hands on their heads.

[G-KEST]

Lucky indeed. Having been the senior CAA airshow trapper for 14 years until 1998 that is the sort of situation where the intervention of a FDSC is absolutely vital. I do not care what colour the "grow bag" is, that pilot would have been in no fit state to continue with his "validation" without a period on the ground for rest and serious reflection.
For similar situations over past decades in airshows the world over I can recommend reading "Zero Error Margin" by Des Barker. An experienced South African fast jet display pilot who has done a fantastic job in researching airshow accidents in all categories of aircraft. It should be mandatory reading for ALL display pilots, service or civil.
Only the guys laundry person will know the real truth of that one, either that or he is one dense individual. We all make errors and I have made more than most over 50 years in airshows to the extent of a surplus of two in takeoffs versus landings in displays. I share one personal asset with that Typhoon pilot; we are both very lucky people.................................!!
Cheers,
Trapper 69

:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

[G-KEST]

There have been suggestions that it was the fly by wire and computer stabilisation system software that caused the near tragedy.

A software problem, minor or otherwise, is absolutely no excuse acceptable to me. In the civil display world in the UK we grant display authorisations to pilots, not software engineers.

I suppose I am a bit of a luddite in that my whole 51 years as a pilot have relied on rods and cables to connect my brain to the control surfaces through hands and feet. However the F16 has been a factor in UK airshows for probably a couple of decades and they have not had problems.

Is it a couple of years too soon to be displaying the Typhoon in public if such a situation can arise..?? Have they got all the glitches out..?? Comments appreciated.

Cheers,

Trapper 69

:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

[John Farley]

G-KEST

that pilot would have been in no fit state to continue with his "validation" without a period on the ground for rest and serious reflection.

Unless the pilot knew what went wrong and knew that it would not happen next time. Which may well have been been the case.

[Biggles Flies Undone]

Almost identical pic in the Torygraph today, but it looks far more dramatic in colour!

The Torygraph story ends "It is an internal matter between the pilot, his groundcrew and his commanding officers to establish what went wrong". Can't help wondeing if he'll keep his hat on and forego the tea & biccies.....

[G-KEST]

John,

Sorry but we must agree to differ.

The pilot did have his period on the ground, no doubt in the process of being before the RIAT FDSC, then he, apparently, successfully validated with a second attempt.

To have broken off then continued with the first effort would have been a gross error by ALL involved and we both know who those may have been.

Nice to chat, albeit electronically. Hope you are in the best of health and enjoying retirement. I certainly am, thanks in no small part to the aviation forums - along with G-KEST which is in fine fettle.

Cheers,

Trapper 69
:ok:

[CamelPilot]

I am not in a position to judge what actually happened and I happy to say neither is anyone else. Whatever their's or my experience is. Who on here knows the Typhoon well enough?

The best tp I know has just made a perfectly plausible and realistic statement to the effect that the pilot may have known what was happening and flew again. I would take a large bet that he would not have done that if he was just the slightest bit concerned. He may also have been a BAe tp of course!

Constant speculation and pre-judgement may well be a million miles from the facts. To pass such judgement is plainly silly.

[G-KEST]

Welcome to the discussion Don. I recall from my Religeous Studies some 60 odd years ago that "It is harder to get a camel through the eye of a needle..............!!!!!!!!!" and I frequently seem to needle you...........!!!

My case rests and we will, almost certainly, never see the eventual incident report so will never know what actually happened before, during or after this horrendous near catastrophe. One that would have had awful implications for airshows in the UK, of that there is no possible doubt.

With my background I am very anxious that our fabulous summer aviation activity that attracts over 6 million folk each year, to watch us play in the sky, is not put at risk.

The pilot and his Maker know the truth. He is an extremely fortunate gentleman..... as we have both been in the distant past.

Cheers,

Trapper 69

:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

[CamelPilot]

I was not out to needle you or anyone else. It is a question of knowing the facts and we don't know them. That you have nothing to "rest your case" on is the very point I am making.

I am out to avoid the useless game of speculation. You of all people know the CAA do not speculate until they have all the facts and you or I have none! Do we? And yet you have held him out to dry without one iota of fact. The fact that he was low is the ONLY one ANYONE has.

But do remember that it is a VERY distinct possibility the pilot was one on the Warton guys and a tp is very different person from a normal display pilot like you and me, well me anyway. ;)

It is far and away the wrong thing to pre-judge. I never have and I never will - not until I have the facts.

You can rest again now Barry.

[G-KEST]

Camel driver,

You rose beautifully to the bait on both occasions as, indeed, in the past.

To recall some words from the Vietnam war period protest song "Where have all the flowers gone..??" which was sung so well by Marlene Deitrich.

"When will they ever learn.............when will they ever learn...??".

If we waited for the eventual outcome every time before action was taken then we would be collectively and potentially guilty of manslaughter should anything similar happen. Do you, or any of us, wish that? I think not.

Until the next time.

Cheers,

Trapper 69

:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

[Conan the Librarian]

More info in the thread on the Mil forum. It was a squadron pilot (2005 display pilot) and not a TP.

regards,

Conan

[gaunty]

Lucky lad, did anyone get a photograph of the teeth marks in the seat cushion.:uhoh:

I'll bet there was more than just lift sucking him up and away from the ground.

Fantastic pics of the rest and a brave one to stay snapping.:ok:

And the pilots get paid for having all that fun. :)