crash at duxford today [2011]

[Sternjaeger II]

Originally Posted by Zorin

Experience won't get you anywhere, lower reaction times and physical limitations are well known facts of age and should lead to a flight ban. Simple as that.

He should use his experience to train new pilots and not hang on it for vanity's sake. Plus, he wrote off several million dollars there... not very smart.

well first of all he OWNED the plane and was deemed as physically fit to fly it; second thing he logged HUNDREDS of hours on it; third, he got out of there like a gazelle on redbull when he got hit, which was the wiser thing to do, it's not worth dying for something that is insured and can be rebuilt.. I would think twice before making such stupid statements fellas..

[Zorin]

Originally Posted by Sternjaeger II

well first of all he OWNED the plane and was deemed as physically fit to fly it; second thing he logged HUNDREDS of hours on it; third, he got out of there like a gazelle on redbull when he got hit, which was the wiser thing to do, it's not worth dying for something that is insured and can be rebuilt.. I would think twice before making such stupid statements fellas..

I will remember your words when I smash my Ferrari in your frontyard when I am 64... I own it, I have logged hundreds of hours and it is ensured... blablabla...

It is pure vanity to not except that you have to step down when the time has come.

Seriously, maybe YOU should think twice before posting a comment.

[JG52Uther]

It is quite normal in the UK for warbird pilots to be older.A lot of them are airline captains with thousands of hours experience.
You don't just jump into a warbird here,it takes years and years before you can do that,even if you own it.

[Skiiwa]

I would Trust a 64 year old with 40yrs of flight time over a 25yr old with lighting reflexes anyday.....I would be willing to bet my life on it.......

[zoopyzook]

This was on my local news tonight with the pilot talking about the crash and the fact that he had to fly back home in his own aircraft afterwards!

http://www.itv.com/anglia/pilot-spea...ut-crash48488/

[Trumper]

Originally Posted by zoopyzook

This was on my local news tonight with the pilot talking about the crash and the fact that he had to fly back home in his own aircraft afterwards!

http://www.itv.com/anglia/pilot-spea...ut-crash48488/

Also on BBC

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLQsJS7zQOM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xctYWSuwoYA

[Sternjaeger II]

Originally Posted by Zorin

I will remember your words when I smash my Ferrari in your frontyard when I am 64... I own it, I have logged hundreds of hours and it is ensured... blablabla...

It is pure vanity to not except that you have to step down when the time has come.

Seriously, maybe YOU should think twice before posting a comment.

as long as you have a good insurance I won't mind

In order to fly such aeroplanes you need to pass serious medical tests, not like your driver license, and often it's the pilot himself that reckons he's too old to carry on.

For your information, in view of his advancing age, the pilot just sold the plane, he was doing his last performance with it (the P-51 was bound to Germany after Legends), and once again, it wasn't his fault, he acted according to the briefing.

You might have heard of Bob Hoover, Chuck Yeager and Clarence Bud Anderson, they all flew Mustangs well into their 70s and never had a problem.

I'm afraid that your assumptions are completely biased.

[Viper2000]

Originally Posted by Sternjaeger II

as long as you have a good insurance I won't mind

In order to fly such aeroplanes you need to pass serious medical tests, not like your driver license, and often it's the pilot himself that reckons he's too old to carry on.

For your information, in view of his advancing age, the pilot just sold the plane, he was doing his last performance with it (the P-51 was bound to Germany after Legends), and once again, it wasn't his fault, he acted according to the briefing.

You might have heard of Bob Hoover, Chuck Yeager and Clarence Bud Anderson, they all flew Mustangs well into their 70s and never had a problem.

I'm afraid that your assumptions are completely biased.

+1

It's not as though they hand out even class II medicals like sweeties.

In any case, you can tell that the man is as fit as a fiddle by the simple fact that he was able to get out of the aeroplane from such low altitude.

It's as easily done as some people probably think!

[Trumper]

A younger less experienced pilot may not have had the presence of mind to get out before it was too late.
There's good and bad young and old pilots,some pilots killed in warbirds weren't that old.
Ray Hanna was probably the best warbird display pilot before he died aged 77 of illness.
You have to judge each person on an individual basis,don't forget alot of 60+ year old people are now more like 45 year olds but with all the added experience.

[SEE]

'agism' is just another form of bigotry, what makes Zorins comments so laughable is the total lack of logic.

It wouldn't have mattered wether the P51 pilot was 20 or 100, the Skyraider would still have connected.

At 100ft above the ground you have to make a pretty damned fast decision regards saving your life at the expense of a plane or attempt to regain control in the certain knowledge that if its the wrong decision your family and friends will be attending your funeral.