Originally Posted by
TeePee
For anyone living in a hole, there was a tragic crash at the Reno Air Races yesterday. A highly modified P-51 crashed and a number of spectators were killed.
There has been some speculation over the cause, but honestly there isn't much of the airplane left.
This may be an excuse to cancel the races in the future on safety grounds. It may also be used to question the safety of the Red Bull races which happen in England.
Before anyone mourns the loss of a historical artifact, let me point out this airplane was built for racing and had very little resemblance to the historical P-51.
I'd agree that every reasonable step should be taken to protect the public attending this kind of event, and I believe they were taken. The FAA has always had a heavy presence there. If an element of danger exists for people who choose to attend an event, is this a good enough reason for it to be prohibited? At what point should a line be drawn?
A similar but far worse accident happened at the 1961 Italian Grand Prix, and resulted in significant safety improvements in the design of tracks and positioning of stands, but even so there may still be an element of risk. Would a big accident mean the end of Formula One?