Sorry but its a known fact that aging does affect your performance. A slight difference in the force available to pull the stick may make the difference in such circumstances. It is a known fact that your eyes get weaker and many other things degrade to some extent.

I won't say don't let them fly but one should consider if they really should fly at this kind of event.

Of course....but he was passing medicals that said he was fit to do this, yelling out for age restrictions is just a blatant statement of mistrust towards all the professionals involved, you are questioning the abilities of the aviation medical examiners.

Lets not forget that you can be too young as well. A man with experience is never at the mercy of a youngster with his theory.

Yeah I think sometimes people are too taken in by the holywood image of pilots, always portrayed as young supermen, the fact is physiologically there are no forces encountered that a reasonably fit old person can't endure, all this talk of eyesight fading etc, they let young pilots fly who need glasses....even in the military, you only have to have 20/20 on initial selection, if your eyesight fades subsequently they let you fly with glasses, I know a few old guys who have reflexes like a cat, Douglas Bader had no legs and was a top scoring fighter ace......

Sad, I hope some good will come from this accident...as a side note, this may have played a role:

" Leeward said major changes were made to the plane before this year's race. He said his crew cut five feet off each wing and shortened the ailerons -- the back edge of the main wings used to control balance -- to 32 inches, down from about 60 inches. The goal was to make the plane more aerodynamic so it goes faster without a bigger engine.
"I know the speed. I know it'll do the speed. The systems aren't proven yet. We think they're going to be OK," he said."

http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/9523/...tleewardfb.jpg

Seemed a very well fit old man. He was stunt pilot in many movies.

To his memory and my condolences to all families.

This is hidef vid, you can see his shoot try to deploy as he's thrown out:(

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=ffe_1316240833

Honestly I actually do mistrust the physicians knowing from first hand how often they are wrong, on some occasions with terrible consequences.

I will be the last one to deny some pleasure to a chap at some age but one surely has to apply reason.

I dunno what was the cause of the accident and possibly this thing could have happened to a guy in his best form too.

My response I made on a very general basis and I do think for the sake of the lives of uninvolved people (like the spectators) security primes above the joys by some pilots whatever age.

I mean it is not that some people are just dead. Wives have lost their husbands, husbands have lost ther wives, parents have lost their sons and daughters and children have lost a parent in this incident. A lot of people affected in a very drastic way.

Is there actually a cutoff age for this sort of racing, or is it as unlimited as the aircraft?

The man was certified medically to fly, regardless of his age. He had thousands of hours of experience. That should be enough to squash any discussion over the matter of age. And yet here you guys are...no respect.