Congressman Sam Graves (R-MO): "Air Shows Are Among The Safest" Events

By any estimation, it has been a difficult summer in the air show business. But U.S. Congressman Sam Graves (R-MO), Co-Chair of the House Aviation Caucus, has come out strongly against any new regulations for air shows in the wake of recent tragedies in Selfridge, MI, Reno, NV, and Martinsburg, WV. He issued a statement Thursday responding to calls to examine whether more regulations are needed for air shows.

“Within the past month, the aviation community has seen several accidents that have led to the deaths of veteran pilots and spectators. Every loss of life is a tragedy, and we grieve for those who have lost their lives or have been injured,' Graves said. "However, just as surely as night follows day, there will be claims that more regulations are needed for air shows. Simply put, they are not.

"As a licensed pilot and aviation enthusiast who flies vintage aircraft in air shows, I can tell you that every pilot knows the risks every time they slide into a cockpit. Flying a vintage airplane, or any airplane, comes with the same risks as simply driving to work. In fact, air shows, which are different than air races, are among the safest of any event you can attend. There hasn’t been a spectator fatality at an air show in more than 60 years.

"We all support common sense regulations. However, I urge my colleagues to avoid the typical knee-jerk, federal government stampede to regulate general aviation simply because they are in the news this week.”

FMI: http://graves.house.gov