Franco J. Scicluna, Victoria
Air show has taken a nose dive
Ever since part of the annual air show was diverted to St Paul's Bay, the event has lost much of its lustre.
It was a day when thousands of family and friends congregated for a day out enjoying the great spectacle, in one place. It would start at about 9.30 to 10 a.m. when people would visit the static display of aircraft, chat with the magnificent men and their flying machines, buy souvenirs, enjoy snacks and drinks or just lay on the turf at Park 4.
By 2 p.m. the flying display would start. By staging this at St Paul's Bay, all the thrills of take-offs and landings are missing, also the cheering by pilots to spectators as they taxi to their positions. The end result is that this event is no longer attractive as it was in days gone by. The safety factor for this alteration to the show is just a lame excuse.
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Pia Zammit
Sep 5th 2008, 12:51
@R Caruana
It's the pilot's choice to fly upsidedown. certainly not mine!
all i'm saying is that aerial acrobatics should not be performed directly over occupied residential buildings.
i'm all for airshows. they're spectacular and fun........ from a distance.
i don't wish to share my afternoon cuppa brew with a pilot - at least not while he's supposed to be airborne.
Antoine Vella
Sep 5th 2008, 09:37
I totally agree with the comments of Mr. Bezzina. The reality is that airshows main actors are the aircraft and their brave pilots and their natural scenario is an airfield and people watching their amazing displays. I fully agree that airshows should be held at the airport and not at St. Paul's Bay. I know that the financial commitment is much higher but the goverment should contribute to this once a year event which is attracting a lot of tourist to Malta. I hopr that the airshow will be brought back to it's natural envirioment so that families will enjoy this amazing show.
Franco Farrugia
Sep 5th 2008, 01:08
I should hope that the air show will not, once again, be organised to take place over people's precious homes around the villages surrounding the airfield!!!!!!!!!
Safety!
Before anything else, Mr Scicluna from Gozo!
@ Charles Falzon - Abroad, there are usually vast, open spaces surrounding airfields, not over-populated villages!!!!
@ M Bezzina - True, but why put people more at risk, then? Stay away from danger, especially danger which is ... let's face it ... very unnecessary!
Charles Falzon
Sep 4th 2008, 16:34
Take-offs , landings and flypasts are an integral part of any airshow. And of course there is the static display of aircraft with their crews in attendance to answer any questions and chat to.
I too live in the vicinity of the airport by the way.
The vast majority of airshows everywhere are held over an airfield.
R. Caruana
Sep 4th 2008, 16:24
Aircraft displays over water are far more dangerous than over an airfield.
Pilots find it extremely difficult to calculate height over the sea as it looks just the same at 50 metres, 500 metres or 5000 metres, especially when flying upside down. No time to look at instruments during such manouvres. The straight line provided by a runway keeps a display pilot exactly where he should be all the time and it's width is easy reference as to height.
Even the most experienced display pilots find flying over water difficult. The Red Arrows lost Hawk XX262 when its pilot, Sq Ldr Johnson miscalculated his height over Brighton and hit a yacht mast on May 17, 1980. Luckily he ejected to safety while the Hawk crashed into the sea.
During the early Malta airshows, flying displays were held over the Sliema front. I can still remember a RAF Nimrod mistaking the display point and instead of in front of the 'Torri' as planned its pilot flew the whole display over Dragonara! That's how easy it is for display pilots to be misled by displaying over the sea.
M.Bezzina
Sep 4th 2008, 15:49
Seeing the comment of Mr. or Mrs.D.Spiteri makes me feel as there are no other factors that's can lead to death!! Those who lived in Zabbar in the 70s never thought that a military aircraft (Vulcan) will crash in that area !! who takes the blame for that?There was no airshows taking place at that moment!! If, god save us a civil plane crashes over Luqa or Mosta ??These things happens outside in other countries so it can happen here as well we are not the odd one out!!
And by the way do not walk outside because there is a chance that a car hits you!!Or dont stay inside your house because there is a chance that an earthquake takes place!!
Come on and live the reality please!!
Pia Zammit
Sep 4th 2008, 15:14
I know precious little about aircraft, however common garden logic would suggest that it is safer for pilots and spectators if airshows are held over sea rather than over land. of course commercial planes DO fly over land but at a considerably higher altitude and not as seemingly recklessly. i mean our good ole airmalta pilots don't attempt to loop-the-loop - at least not EVERY day. standing on my balcony in mqabba observing the airshow a couple of years back - i could tell you the colour of any airshow pilots' eyes. fine! i'm exaggerating - but they DO fly way too close for comfort. if anything goes wrong and a plane has to crash land - i think that the poor pilot would have a better chance of survival if he landed in the sea rather than in my living room. just a thought.
Stephen Vella
Sep 4th 2008, 12:58
Absolutely right, the air show has now lost most of its glamour, considering last year the attendance at Luqa was relatively low. Even so putting the aerobatic display over the harbour at St Pails Bay does not guarantee absolute safety. If God forbid an accident occurs one can never determine where the damaged aircraft will land especially at higher altitudes. One must also consider that holding such an event is a huge financial undertaking for the organisers who have to struggle with the dwindling paying attendance at Luqa, if this event were not to continue it will be a huge blow to the tourist industry.
As a resident who lives very close to the airport I do not feel any greater risk than the overhead flying of commercial aircraft on a daily basis
D.Spiteri
Sep 4th 2008, 10:48
The safety factor is NOT a lame excuse!! Put yourself in our shoes, living in the southern part of the island and in the vicinity of the runway. It's not fair for us!
Ivan Galea
Sep 4th 2008, 10:45
Quite a fair comment. In fact browsing through this year's participants one can see a really weak line up, where it not for the presence of the Red Arrows, it would easily be regarded as a flop. While safety might not be a lame excuse, surely the thrill of watching take offs, high speed low pasts is totally missing at the present venue. What I suggest is to forget all about going to St Paul's Bay but stay at Luqa and at least witness the take offs and landings of the participating aircraft which most of the times are effected in a spectecular way.
Joseph Spiteri
Sep 4th 2008, 10:34
Absolutely correct! I personally have not attended the show for the past three years.