The Mad Russian
12th Jan 2003, 10:30
I hope that reading this news article will make you all as incensed as I am!
http://www.buckinghamtoday.co.uk/fullstory.asp?storyid=1 (copied below should this link not work)
Aerobatics are not inherently dangerous, accident statistics at aerobatic competitions over the last ten years prove this.
It is far from proven that this particular accident was directly related to aerobatic flight. The evidence is pointing strongly at a possible airframe related failure and not pilot error. As always, no judgement should made until the AAIB have finished their investigation and the report published.
I find it sickening, vile and insensitive that Councillor David Rowland has chosen to capitalise on this accident in order to bolster his campaign against aviation activities at Turweston Aerodrome.
Respect has not even been preserved, I understand the victims have not, as yet, been laid to rest.
But why should I expect better morals or behaviour from an individual such as Mr Rowland, when he has used this appalling accident to blatantly further his cause!
Notwithstanding the fact that this accident happened in the open FIR and not within the Turweston ATZ and as such the Turweston aerodrome operator has no control as whether a individual pilot engages on a aerobatic sortie or not. Incidentally aerobatics are not banned by planning permission at Turweston, pilots were politely asked not to practice in the aerodrome overhead (the safest place by far, for a number of reasons I won’t go into here) in an attempt to appease one particularly vociferous complainer who recently moved into a ‘large’ property on the aerodrome boundary! This particular individual has since turned his attention to the height of an earth bund (ten inches too high apparently, an alleged planning infringement, I understand!) on the airfield property! It strikes me that no matter what we do as pilots to keep the peace, some people are determined to destroy our passion to fly!
An excellent pilot and friend was lost last weekend, people like Councillor Rowland should be of extream concern to us all. We all have rights too, if to nothing else... respect and dignity would be a good starting point!
I look forward to all your replies.
CRASH FUELS SAFETY FEARS
The wreckage of the Yak aircraft
FEARS have been expressed over the dangers of pilots performing aerobatics in skies above north Bucks after two men died in an air crash near Towcester on Sunday.
Brothers Ian Hunt, 45, of South Wimbledon, London, and Tony Hunt, 48, of Camberley, Surrey, were killed in a Russian-built Yak light aircraft.
The 'plane hit an overhead cable near the Hesketh estate after earlier landing at Turweston Airfield in north Bucks to refuel. Witnesses claim to have seen it performing aerobatics over Towcester and then it disappeared out of view and smoke was spotted.
Bucks district councillor David Rowlands, who is chairman of the Turweston Airfield Consultative Committee, said he was concerned about the dangers of pilots doing aerobatics near Turweston after a local resident spotted stunts being performed on Sunday afternoon.
He said that, at a recent meeting of the committee, the owner of the airfield had agreed to ban aerobatics within the vicinity of the site and added: "I'm hopeful this will benefit local people and their personal safety."
Turweston Airfield spokesperson Angela Brown said aerobatics had been banned in a surrounding two-mile area of air space because of concerns by residents, but some pilots performed aerobatics over open ground further afield.
She added: "The pilots' deaths have come as a big shock to us.
"We knew one of them, Tony Hunt, quite well as he had a fuel account here and used to stop off once or twice a month on trips. He was a very nice chap and a very experienced pilot."
A post-mortem was carried out into the men's deaths on Tuesday, which showed they died from multiple injuries.
An inquest was due to open this week at Northampton.
After examining the crash site, air accident investigators will draw up a report on their findings.
A spokesman at their London office said: "The investigation is ongoing and our experts will be checking hardware, weather patterns and flight paths."
09/01/2003
Crash Fuels Safety Fears (www.buckinghamtoday.co.uk/fullstory.asp?storyid=1)
http://www.buckinghamtoday.co.uk/fullstory.asp?storyid=1 (copied below should this link not work)
Aerobatics are not inherently dangerous, accident statistics at aerobatic competitions over the last ten years prove this.
It is far from proven that this particular accident was directly related to aerobatic flight. The evidence is pointing strongly at a possible airframe related failure and not pilot error. As always, no judgement should made until the AAIB have finished their investigation and the report published.
I find it sickening, vile and insensitive that Councillor David Rowland has chosen to capitalise on this accident in order to bolster his campaign against aviation activities at Turweston Aerodrome.
Respect has not even been preserved, I understand the victims have not, as yet, been laid to rest.
But why should I expect better morals or behaviour from an individual such as Mr Rowland, when he has used this appalling accident to blatantly further his cause!
Notwithstanding the fact that this accident happened in the open FIR and not within the Turweston ATZ and as such the Turweston aerodrome operator has no control as whether a individual pilot engages on a aerobatic sortie or not. Incidentally aerobatics are not banned by planning permission at Turweston, pilots were politely asked not to practice in the aerodrome overhead (the safest place by far, for a number of reasons I won’t go into here) in an attempt to appease one particularly vociferous complainer who recently moved into a ‘large’ property on the aerodrome boundary! This particular individual has since turned his attention to the height of an earth bund (ten inches too high apparently, an alleged planning infringement, I understand!) on the airfield property! It strikes me that no matter what we do as pilots to keep the peace, some people are determined to destroy our passion to fly!
An excellent pilot and friend was lost last weekend, people like Councillor Rowland should be of extream concern to us all. We all have rights too, if to nothing else... respect and dignity would be a good starting point!
I look forward to all your replies.
CRASH FUELS SAFETY FEARS
The wreckage of the Yak aircraft
FEARS have been expressed over the dangers of pilots performing aerobatics in skies above north Bucks after two men died in an air crash near Towcester on Sunday.
Brothers Ian Hunt, 45, of South Wimbledon, London, and Tony Hunt, 48, of Camberley, Surrey, were killed in a Russian-built Yak light aircraft.
The 'plane hit an overhead cable near the Hesketh estate after earlier landing at Turweston Airfield in north Bucks to refuel. Witnesses claim to have seen it performing aerobatics over Towcester and then it disappeared out of view and smoke was spotted.
Bucks district councillor David Rowlands, who is chairman of the Turweston Airfield Consultative Committee, said he was concerned about the dangers of pilots doing aerobatics near Turweston after a local resident spotted stunts being performed on Sunday afternoon.
He said that, at a recent meeting of the committee, the owner of the airfield had agreed to ban aerobatics within the vicinity of the site and added: "I'm hopeful this will benefit local people and their personal safety."
Turweston Airfield spokesperson Angela Brown said aerobatics had been banned in a surrounding two-mile area of air space because of concerns by residents, but some pilots performed aerobatics over open ground further afield.
She added: "The pilots' deaths have come as a big shock to us.
"We knew one of them, Tony Hunt, quite well as he had a fuel account here and used to stop off once or twice a month on trips. He was a very nice chap and a very experienced pilot."
A post-mortem was carried out into the men's deaths on Tuesday, which showed they died from multiple injuries.
An inquest was due to open this week at Northampton.
After examining the crash site, air accident investigators will draw up a report on their findings.
A spokesman at their London office said: "The investigation is ongoing and our experts will be checking hardware, weather patterns and flight paths."
09/01/2003
Crash Fuels Safety Fears (www.buckinghamtoday.co.uk/fullstory.asp?storyid=1)