Originally Posted by
farefield
Seriously? For that?
The video does indeed show a ‘pretty tame’ flypast but if the authorisation was only for an ‘exceptionally tame’ flypast then the crew is going to be in trouble, whoever they are. It’s a question of discipline and orderly conduct, not safety, and that is a very difficult position for a subordinate commander to wind up in (whether pilot or WSO is, in this situation, totally irrelevant). The time to challenge overly-restrictive parameters is before a sortie, not during or after.
That said, I do lament the attitude to flypasts of a generation of senior commanders who would routinely have given ‘spirited’ performances in their squadron flying days. I am not suggesting carte blanche be given to unsafe acts, but there is nothing unsafe about flying over one’s own airfield at heights and speeds which would be perfectly acceptable on a weapons range or in a low flying training area.
But, sadly, I also recognise that there is a question of trust. If crews could be trusted to stick to their authorisations then maybe senior commanders might take a bit more risk in setting parameters...