Typhoon Close Call At RIAT
 

Typhoon Close Call At RIAT this pm.

How close can an ac get to an accident? Sooooo much alpha, soooo near the ground. Glad for him that he got away with it (and for half the RAF in the corporate hospitality area, I think we were all a little taken aback at the proximity).

Fair decision to knock-off all of the low display and vertical manoeuvres after that. Indeed, I was kind of surprised that he did not go straight home after monstering the base height. I’d love to see a replay just to see the nose down angle when it all went wrong, as well as the clearance from the deck as the sink rate was finally arrested.

I reckon it was around 30 ft. Allegedly there was significant ground scorching from the engines.

Something obviously went seriously wrong; I suspect that a change of underwear was in order afterwards.

It's the closest I've seen to an airshow disaster; up until then the display was pretty damn impressive!

Have seen the video (I am northside) and it was frightneng indeed. The Typhoon pilot is lucky to be walking tonight. I would estimate A/C still descending at about 25 feet AGL

The Typhoon (other A/C) has just done a rehearsal about 40 mins ago, so it may well be in the show after all.

I think tonight, I shall raise a glass to to one very lucky chap indeed. I am still shaking my head in disbelief.

We are all lucky sometimes.

Conan

Too right!

Photo

http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=45485

Bloody hell!

I was in the corporate challet at east end. It was close, right in front of us :uhoh: , lowest point less than the height of the fin at a guess.
Some photos of it climbing out and it was v low then.
So many ooohs and a huge sigh as he pulled away.
Seen clips like that before but not for real, or with such good outcomes, actually thought about where to run, along with others around me. We watched expecting him to bangout.
Interesting to see what happens tomorrow!!!:hmm:
NJ

That was SO close! I was enjoying a day of corporate hospitality, strolling along with an ex Buccaneer Nav and a friend who has no aviation connections, when I stopped them all to watch the Typhoon practice display.

It was an excellent routine, but when I saw it descend below the level of the hangar opposite the runway still going downhill at one hell of a rate of knots with a worryingly high angle of attack I froze. I was convinced he had left it too late and was just waiting for the bang, either of impact or Martin Baker. With an enormous tongue of flame and a deafening roar he managed to miss the ground, by around 20 feet I would guess.

I turned to ex Buc Nav to see him white as a sheet, even my legal mate asked if that sort of thing was normal. Apparently I was as white as a sheet too.

How come the normally fiercesome Flying Display Committee did not order a land right away?

That has to be the closest I have ever been to seeing an airshow accident, do 29 (R) have more than one authorised display pilot?

A good few of us thought he was going to have to leave the aeroplane. Given the proximity of it to the chalet I had already decided that running was not going to help...

I wondered if pulling through earlier crossed his mind, although that would have put him through the crowd line, albeit at a greater recovery height.

After years of wizzing about at high speed / low level, getting monstered on the ground would have been a little too ironic for Mrs JTO. Still, that kind of alpha is not exactly an option on the Tornado.

JTO

I was staggered he stayed with it, one very very lucky bunny. He must have been shi**ing himself.

Rather took the edge off the afternoon for me. I was reminded of the two good F-4 mates who pancaked in at Abingdon lacking the few extra feet that matey today had.

Oouch
 

Nice pic on the aviation forum web.
Anyone have any video footage of the display practice?

Have seen a work up to this display. What was the manouevre?

Given you longevity around aeroplanes, you've been a lucky sod then BEags, and from the sound of it so was Mate in the Typhoon. Long may you both be so fortunate...

Please stay safe, it's been a shyte eight days.

Reminiscent of the Strikemaster at F'boro in 76 too. That got extremely low after three-penny-bitting the bottom of the loop.

I do not think ejection would have been an option with a high r.o.d?

I would, however, have expected to see more 'alpha' on the fore-plane?

Amazing picture. It appears that he is now climbing in that so was clearly lower at some point.
Is there any method by which we could calculate his height using the red and white pole behind?... his position on field vs the position of the pole etc?... are the markings on the pole a set measurement? (they look about 6ft compared to the blue van)... next question is... what is the pole for anyway? Looks like flood level marker,

Calling all TYPHOO Drivers

Has anyone considered that this was part of the display, or even thought of asking the guy driving at the time if this was normal?

What about talking to a Typhoo driver for an opinion before you all crucify this one?

all spelling mistakes are "df" alcohol indeced

I was more of the opinion that he was being congratulated on a magnificent recovery.... unless he meant it, in which case he should still be:ok:

who was the pilot?
 

The pic on the Key publishing site is a little ambiguous. Anyone got any more of the close call, perhaps from side on?

There's a better shot by the same photographer at http://homepage.ntlworld.com/nick.bl...1507/close.jpg.

I/C

It's actually by a different photographer to the other one;)

Clearly seen in this one is the dirt and grass debris from the jet efflux.......:ooh:

Nick Blacow puts his pics on PPRuNe first and you can see that one and others he took over two days - so far - on AH&N.