Tronk 11 wrote:Being devils advocate here. But IF a jet or prop go down on the public hitting a mound full of photographers the implications of watching aircraft at bases doesn't bear thinking about. The flight line south of the base needs to be clear for safety, end of.
The safety card is a load of bull to be honest, the 'easy' answer... if safety was truly behind this decision, then why are these "prohibited areas" fully accessible with no issue during any other day especially when the practice displays are occurring? It could even be suggested that the practices, particularly in their infancy are less safe than a fully rehearsed display being performed for approval... Failures could happen on any day that could god forbid lead to a crash, so here's no heightened reasoning there,
the routine is worked up and choreographed on the sim anyway so that itself mitigates some risks arising from the actual routine
The point Andy_99 made about hundreds of people being drawn on this apparently most hallowed of days bringing issues re parking and chaos to roads I hadn't given much consideration to, but then it returns to the question about why is pda day so revered by everyone? What's so different in the day/display to any other bog standard practice display for anyone watching outside of the wire or in these spotting locations?
I agree with him that if they don't want people coming, don't darn advertise it!