Air Shows Are Not Pro Wrestling Pay-Per-Views

A startling number of accidents and fatalities occurred at air shows this year, including the passing of the last of “The Masters of Disaster” at Dayton, and three pilots at Reno, a record for that venue. An air show is in no way a form of “extreme” entertainment. There is too much that is flammable or explosive all around an airfield. An air show is a demonstration of ability and performance staged by professionals in controlled conditions – set up and maintained by other professionals – with the safety of the performers and the audience always a primary concern. At a public event such as an air show or race, safety regulations, show rules, and the mechanical condition and limits of the airplanes are not things to be pushed, bent, eased, or ignored (see “extreme” entertainment, above). Because, if there is one way that an air show is like a wrestling Pay-Per-View, it’s the fact that if the safety envelope of a stunt is pushed too far, someone can easily lose their life.

U.S. Air Travel: Now Rivaling Sudan in Terms of Inconvenience, Delays, and Canceled Flights

That’s right, it’s not just our health care system that’s the equal of certain African nations! (Ok, comparing air travel in the United States to that in Sudan is a bit of an exaggeration). According to the National Transportation Safety Board, for the months January – November, there were an average of 24 domestic aviation fatalities per month. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s year-to-date performance statistics for airlines in 2007 has the percentage of on-time arrivals down from 2006, while late arrivals, late departures, cancellations, and flight diversions are all up. Meanwhile, the U.S. government and Department of Transportation dragged their feet and pointed fingers, hemming and hawwing and stalling over new regulations. Large airlines had the nerve to blame all of their misfortunes and losses of profit on general aviation, supporting unreasonable user fees for small aviators.

Move Over F-104, A New Generation of Starfighters Have Arrived

In 2007, the Air Force showed off the F/A-22 Raptor at a tremendous number of air shows. Jaws and asses were bruised as both parts of the human anatomy hit the tarmac at high velocity from coast-to-coast. It looks like a stealth fighter should. It’s got the same radar signature as a White Castle cheeseburger. It’s lethal to adversaries before they know it’s there. In their spare time, its flight control programs spend their time computing the Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything. It maneuvers like nothing else in the sky. Except its younger brother, the F-35 Lightning II, aka Joint Strike Fighter, which just had its first public flight demonstration. The F-35 is slated to replace the F-18, AV-8B, F-16, and A-10. Now I’ve got your attention again. How will it replace the A-10? By performing the same role high up, they claim, out of the range of enemy fire. What, you mean like the F-16 did? Given that the weaponry of today is smarter than the average Reality TV junkie, that just might make the difference, but I’ll believe it when I see it. Keep in mind that the A-10 is one of the best examples of “if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it” the world has ever seen.

Time To Light 50 Big Candles

This July, the National Air and Space Administration celebrates its 50th anniversary. The same government agency that managed to lose the Apollo 11 moon landing footage, turned the Space Shuttle into a Greyhound, and lost a $125 million Mars probe because part of the design team used feet while the other part used meters, seemed to snap out of it and get its sense of direction back. NASA has dedicated itself to returning astronauts to the moon by 2020 on the new Orion spacecraft, which hearkens back to Apollo in its design. All major contracts for the new lift vehicle, the multi-stage Ares I rocket, were awarded in 2007, with first flight tests occurring later this year. The International Space Station grew in size, volume, and self-sufficiency, with astronauts conducting 22 space walks throughout 2007. The Phoenix probe will land on the northern polar region of Mars in 2008 to search for water.

But there’s a new game in town. In September 2007, the design for Spaceport America in New Mexico was unveiled, and construction will begin this year. Virgin Galactic, Rocket Racing League, Starchaser Industries, UP Aerospace, and the X-Prize Cup will all be among the tenants there, and they have the spirit and resources to teach an old dog new tricks. Several years ago, I had the opportunity to hear “Buzz” Aldrin speak at the USS Hornet Museum. The focus of his talk was that if space was ever going to be affordable, let alone profitable, it had to be commercialized. There had to be space tourism. It seems Sir Branson and the boys in New Mexico are thinking along the same lines.

If NASA doesn’t burn a little midnight oil, we’re going to have to hitch a ride with the Russians on the second Jupiter Mission in 2010. Wait…sorry, wrong continuity.

Hope you all had happy holidays, and best wishes for a better, and safer, new year.