Saturday, September 19, 2015

Brooklands air displays cancelled over safety fears



Two aircraft displays at a Surrey museum have been cancelled following the Shoreham Airshow crash last month.

Brooklands Museum said the displays on Sunday and 27 September had been cancelled as a result of "enhanced risk assessments" carried out by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

The CAA had concerns the displays were to he held over a "particularly congested area", Brooklands said.

The museum said people's safety was "paramount".

A Hawker Hunter jet crashed on the A27 at Shoreham on 22 August, killing 11 people.

Following the crash the CAA brought in new controls over air displays.

Allan Winn, director of the aviation and motor museum, said: "The CAA has identified Brooklands as being situated in a particularly congested area, and we will be discussing options for future flying displays here with them as soon as possible."

"The safety of both people - whether they be our neighbors, display pilots or our own visitors, staff and volunteers - and property must be paramount in considering such issues."

The air displays were to have included a Spitfire, Tiger Moth and a biplane with a wing walker, the museum said.

Brooklands, near Weybridge, houses old aircraft including Wellington bombers, Sopwiths and Hurricanes.

A spokesman for the museum said other activities at the Brooklands Aviation Day and Great War 100 events over the next two weekends would go ahead as planned.

"We fully understand the increased caution being shown by the CAA," Mr Winn said. 

Source:  http://www.bbc.com

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