Jay Sata,
I was the person that facilitated the sale of the majority of the T67's 160/200/260 from Babcock (military to civilian including BONSO) on behalf of Lombard and took along G-ZEIN to Cambridge to ensure prospective owners were not offered the ability to bid on aircraft they had not flown.....we sold (26) aircraft that weekend - many will remember......... The T67 of all variants are safe - its typically the crew that might occasionally forget an item from either pre-departure or in flight memory action......
Woe betide anyone aerobating the T67 that feels they can ignore what the POH procedures - heights, recovery, weights, equipment or any other element that played a part or briefed...
Re USA and anything from Wiki - you really need to see where Hondo is and the DENSITY altitude of that airport and area are and the height that the manoeuvres where entered and the full reports...
I do not work for Slingsby or ever have but I started life as a glider cadet, instructor and worked my up plus served in the military. Like Alan Wade and many others I have a substantial time on the T67 all variants - The T67 is not an aircraft that is docile or forgiving in the sense that you can be lazy and not operate it as per the POH - thats why the military bought it - it teaches you lessons and will bite you if you are lazy - if you're son is taught as per the POH it will be a pussycat - it will not throw surprises, the military will never teach you to "kick the tyres and light the fires" in any situation which is why we rarely have accidents of this nature.... Plan, Brief, Demonstrate, Execute, De-brief and then do again as required if required. We also ensure currency in all aspects of the flight envelope especially high energy manoeuvres or aerobatics. The T67 is not a C152 Aerobat which is why the C152 aerobat was never used as military EFT aircraft.
Please remember flying itself is not inherently dangerous, but to an even greater degree than the sea, it is, however terribly unforgiving of any carelessness, incapacity or neglect.
I know BONSO as she was affectionally known.... please don't bash the T67 - and I openly offer anyone that has fears of the T67 to come and fly her with me or any of the military instructors....
The fact remains 2 young souls were lost and may they rest in peace....... Sincere condolences to all involved both family and at home airfield....
Oh! they have slipped the surly bonds of earth,
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward they've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds, --and done a hundred things
you have not dreamed of --Wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there
They've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
they're eager craft through footless halls of air...
Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue
they've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark or even eagle flew --
And, while with silent lifting mind they've trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.