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Britain bans nail-biting aerobatics in air shows following Shoreham tragedy

Xinhua, August 25, 2015 Adjust font size:

Britain's Civil Aviation Authority Monday imposed controls on air shows in the country following the disaster at the Shoreham Air Show when a vintage warplane crashed into a busy road killing at least 11 people.

The CAA said that as a precaution no further flights can be made by Hawker Hunter aircraft, with the temporary restriction in place pending the outcome of an air investigation.

Flying displays over land by vintage jet aircraft will now be significantly restricted until further notice, the CAA said.

Further displays will be limited to flypasts, which means "high energy" aerobatics -- such as the loop-the-loop involved in the weekend horror -- will not be permitted.

A spokesman said: "The CAA will conduct additional risk assessments on all forthcoming civil air displays to establish if additional measures should be introduced."

The authority said it launched a full review of civil air display safety Sunday and held an initial meeting Monday morning, leading to the new restrictions.

Stressing that all air display arrangements, including the pilots and aircraft, must meet rigorous safety requirements, the CAA said in a statement it will continue to offer every assistance to the Air Accidents Investigation Branch as it seeks to establish the cause of the accident.

Air shows in Britain have been popular attractions, watched by tens of thousands of spectators.

A number of air shows already planned will go ahead, but with program changes to take account of the new restrictions.

A number of people, including the family of one of the fatally injured victims, have called for air shows to be restricted to coastal areas to avoid civilian casualties if disaster strikes.

However, air show experts say the last time any civilians were killed as a result of an air show was in the early 1950s. Endit