Rolling20. Interesting points, however each pilot must ensure he is fit, able and capable of carrying out the task in hand. If you're not fit, licensed and properly current (and I don't mean bare minimums just to get 'legal') then taking to the skies is a huge error of judgement and negligent. I wonder if those spectators would have been happy to be at that event knowing that close by a tricky aircraft was being flown by someone who had barely flown for 5 years?
Between this and shorham I'm glad the CAA have taken their stance. Aged, complex aircraft performing high performance maneuvers, coupled with a dose of the 'wrong stuff' and it's a recipe for disaster.