CHARLOTTE COUNTY - After an air show crash in Reno, Nevada claimed 11 lives, similar events across the country are looking at their safety measures. We spoke to organizers of the Florida International Air Show who say safety is their highest priority.
"It is very dynamic. Things are changing very rapidly. Their planes are flying up to 500 MPH," said Fred Buckingham, an organizer with the Florida International Air Show – one of Charlotte County's biggest events.
He pointed out the show in Charlotte is not a "race" like in Reno.
At Florida International, performers fly rehearsed routines that they have practiced over and over again.
During the actual air show, the type of plane flying will determine how close spectators can get.
"We have what's called an aerodynamic box. This is like a cube in the air," Buckingham explained.
He explained that with the slower planes, audience members can be as close as 500 feet.
But when high performing planes like the Blue Angels take to the sky, people must be 1,500 feet away.
"In that cube, there can be no humans and performers are required to stay in the air space," Buckingham said.
Firefighters and paramedics are already in the process of preparing for next year's show and officials we spoke to say what happened in Reno will be factored in.
"We'll talk things from the Reno show and other disasters and put them in our conversations to make sure we're covering as many scenarios as possible," said Larry Lippel, with Charlotte County Fire/EMS. "They're in standby anytime an aircraft is up in the air."
Buckingham says he hopes past air show tragedies won't turn people away from the Charlotte County show.
"There has not been a spectator fatality in over 60 years. That's a pretty good safety record," he said.
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