Not good. Not good at all.

[Darrin]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-11189990

[Jonny69]

Not so much related to this event but I'm AMAZED they can get away with running the Red Bull air race over the Thames with thousands of people standing watching. It would only take one mistake in a plane that's being flown right on the limit for a pretty horrific accident to happen.

[Nutcase]

Indeed :( Tragic accident. I hope the Schneider resumes next year.

[Desmo]

I've always wondered the same Jonny. One mistake or aircraft failure and the crowd have had it.

[Feek]

The Red Bull air races have been cancelled for next year due to the recent accident, or so I was told by my mate Gary who's a big follower.

[Goose]

It's down to all sorts of reasons, including safety changes. :)

[Del Lardo]

Not so much related to this event but I'm AMAZED they can get away with running the Red Bull air race over the Thames with thousands of people standing watching. It would only take one mistake in a plane that's being flown right on the limit for a pretty horrific accident to happen.

From the coverage I saw a couple of years back the gates they go through are very flimsy so when hit they do not damage the aircraft and the only real point of impact for the planes would be the Thames. As the planes weigh bugger all their inertia at the point of impact wouldn't make them very far at all.

There are 100s of commercial aircraft flying over central London every day, now if one of those buggers was to crash then there would be a problem.

[Jonny69]

I was thinking more the fact that they are aircraft being thrown around right on the limit of performance. Would only take one mistake to barrel completely out of control and hit a building, for instance.

[Goose]

Indeed, and if a wing tip touches the water, it'll just pull the rest of the plane into the water.

The nice thing with these planes is that they get 100% of the lift from the angle of attack, which gives the pilot an element of control still. It'd be quick, but I'd say they would be able to avoid people easily if they lost a major control surface.

When I was learning, I use to enjoy ready the ditch instructions on the back of my check list. 'Fly the plane positively into the wave'. :D

[Darrin]

I remember getting the pre-flight brief before stepping into a CH-46.

"In the event of a water landing, bend tightly at the waist, stick your head between your knees and kiss your arse goodbye. The minute this aircraft touches the water, it will violently invert and sink, but not before BOTH rotor heads slice the cabin into approximately 27,000 tiny little pieces. And you'll be sitting in the exact center of the carnage."


Needless to say I was quite relieved when we passed over the shore, until the same crew chief stated that an unplanned landing on ground wouldn't fare much better...

[Lozza]

I'm just glad they didn't crash on the beach at whitecliff bay, as I was sat on it watching them flying over head!