(WWJ) – Last weekend the Yankee Air Museum held its annual Thunder Over Michigan Air Show at Willow Run Airport near Ypsilanti, putting on a display of vintage and modern planes performing aerobatics.
But on Sunday, it almost ended in disaster, as a Russian-made MiG-23 jet experienced engine difficulty and crashed. Miraculously, no one died as both pilots ejected moments before the explosion and narrowly missed an apartment building in Belleville. Authorities say the investigation could take over a year.
On a new Daily J podcast, WWJ’s Brian Fisher takes a look at air shows and explores whether the risks are worth the benefits.
So, how big of a risk do air shows pose? International Council of Air Shows president John Cudahy says the risk for pilots is “moderate,” but the risk is always there, despite yearly evaluation processes for pilots.
“They are professionals, they take steps to mitigate that risk and to identify ways to lessen the risk, but there’s no doubt. Anytime an air show pilot gets in to fly, he knows that he is taking on some risk,” Cudahy said.
As for spectators’ risk at air shows, there hasn’t been a spectator fatality in the U.S. or Canada for seven decades, according to Cudahy.
“Most of the risk associated with air show flying comes when the airplanes are flying aerobatically. And the system we have in place to mitigate that risk is something that we call an aerobatic box,” Cudahy said.
Essentially, when they’re performing dangerous maneuvers, they are confined to a certain area without spectators, he said.
As for why spectators love air shows – about 12 million people attend shows across the country every year – Cudahy says it’s a mix between loving the history and uniqueness of the jets, as well as the thrill of seeing the aerobatics.
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