Originally Posted by
idle bystander
About the last thing I want to see, if you don't mind
I don't either, but there are a lot of paying punters that go to air shows to see aircraft performing dynamic manoeuvres, and those punters are a significant revenue stream that helps keep those aircraft flying. If air shows are forced to only fly parade laps then I rather think that visitor numbers will reduce. For example, ask many air show punters what they consider to be the best part of the Red's display and they will likely say the opposition pair. The risk is not from flight dynamics, but the high closing speed and apparent close proximity looks very dramatic from the ground (and even more so from the cockpit video footage).
The Shoreham crash would not have happened if the Hunter has been restricted to flying just a relatively safe parade lap, Even though the loop, as planned, rather than as executed, was not a particularly dynamic manoeuvre, it was intended to increase the appeal of the aircraft to the audience, I'm sure, and keeping the audience happy is what keeps them coming back.
The same is true of every air show. Take Farnborough, as another example. Many of the big civil aircraft taking part are being shown off by the manufacturers, and perform dynamic manoeuvres that they are most probably never going to perform in service. I'll lay money that some of them are close to the edge of the safe flight envelope and almost certainly outside the manufacturers in-service operating envelope. The risks are low, but they do these dynamic manoeuvres to make their aircraft stand out and grab the attention of the media.
Apparent risk attracts punters, be it to air shows or many other events, even TV shows. It seems to be a inherent part of human nature to want to view things that look risky.