A Reader Responds: An air show is not an air race

As someone whose airport is playing host to a major civilian airshow this coming weekend I cringed a bit when I read your headline about Reno “PLANE CRASHES AT NEVADA AIR SHOW “.

I would take nothing from the sadness and horrific nature of what happened at Reno. My heart goes out to everyone and specifically the number of friends I have who work for the authority that will be dealing with the aftermath for a very long time.

However, I think it is critical at this point to acknowledge the difference between an Airshow and an Air Race and I think the following points from ICAS are well taken.

“Although it was an aviation event, the National Championship Air Races at Reno, Nevada are a fundamentally different kind of event than our air show. The races are governed by a completely different set of rules that focus on the competitive racing nature of the event. Our show is strictly a non-competitive aviation display. As a result of these very different rules, there has not been a spectator fatality at a North American air show in nearly 60 years.”

I greatly appreciate your publication and how well it serves our industry. Along those lines I think this is a clarification worth making.

Gary

Gary E. Petersen CAE Airport Manager/Director of Public Works Salinas Municipal Airport