It is fair to say the article was damning and highly critical especially of the pilot, but also of the CAA’s mechanism for granting display authorisation.
Good. I have not read the article, but this looks to be close to the truth. I have seen the videos, and what strikes me, is I cannot figure out what the pilot was trying to do.There are more than enough regulations, but what good are they when they aren’t properly followed up? Adding more will certainly not help. Flying is a set of skills and a mindset (of sorts), not a bureaucratic game of ever increasing regulations. Should have read the article though, any link?
I would like to add that I have personally been involved with the work of the AIB – not thank God in respect of an accident in which I was involved but the fatal accident of a close friend who I had flown with on many occasions, and who I knew in a wider context.
I can only reiterate how impressed I was with the thorough, professional and exacting investigation which has lead me to doubt the wisdom of second guessing the process or offering theories whilst I can completely understand the need some feel to do so.
The current speculation doing the rounds may or may not prove insightful but none of it really matters other than satisfying a justified need or a perverse satisfaction.
and the real danger in circumstances such as this is that it fuels a potentially dangerous misconception that there is a need to legislate without any evidentice.
While the 100ft entry height (which seems to not be disputed – it’s all in the videos) may be below the display minima, is there a fundamental reason why a Hunter cannot then do a loop which ends at least 500ft AGL?
It must be down to the energy with which it is started, and how much power there is on the way up. On the way down you don’t need any power and actually the slower you go the tighter the radius can be.
This is a terrible thing to say, but when you look at a guy who is a British Airways captain, has got long hair and wears a cap like that, you get the feeling that he’s a glamour puss rather than a professional pilot.
the “expert pilot” has zero credibility with me.
Not to mention knowing it all after just having looked at the videos. What do we need the AAIB for? Disgusting!
And you say that based on an interview in a trash media paper?
Anyway, the fact remains (Or what appears to be a fact). He was way outside the “box”, way too low, doing a maneuver nobody understand. One has to wonder.
