Several here have suggested that all is ok in the UK because there hasn't been an accident involving "civilians" since Farnham 1952. If that implies disregarding air show accidents outside the UK, it does not strike me as a prudent approach to safety (and this is nitpicking, but one could also argue that the passengers who died in the 1977 Biggin Hill sightseeing helicopter-Tiger Moth crash were indeed "civilians", or "spectators"). "It can't happen here/to me" is a dangerous way of thinking, and usually there are lessons to be learned. Likewise, disregarding air show rehearsal accidents just because no spectators were present seems equally unwise (athonite I noticed you edited out the reference to the 1982 Thunderbirds accident
- I thought it was interesting). I'm almost certain the CAA will consider the question of altitude minima for high-energy downward trajectory maneuvers, and for me, that is one of the most interesting questions in this context.