Another sad weekend...

[Boss_BlueAngels]

...the aviation community really had a bad weekend! We lost an airshow legend, two news helicopters had a mid-air killing four people (two pilots and two cameramen) two more pilots in a midair mishap on final between two WWII P-51 Mustangs, and another helicopter accident with no fatalities.

Several years ago I had the opportunity to meet and shake hands with Jim "Bulldog" LeRoy at an airshow in Oregon. I showed him some of my pictures and chatted a few times through E-mail and lost touch since then. He is an incredible individual and was an absolutly astounding pilot, to say the least. All you have to do is go to Youtube.com and search his name... you will soon be amazed at his abilities. I thought last years airshow season was pretty bad regarding accidents, having witnessed one fatility myself. But this year is certainly racking up to be another bad one. So far we lost one Blue Angel, one Snowbird (RCAF) Jim, Oregon ANG pilot, and two Mustangs.

And then to have the accident with the news choppers is absolutly terrible as well.

Then two Mustangs crashed at Osh Kosh killing one pilot while the other walked away. The two birds involved were
P-51A "Precious Metal"

P-51D "Stang"

The aviation community is small enough as it is, but then you compress it into the airshow community makes it so much smaller. Over the years I've seen and visited with the same performers countless times. Then to go to anothers how and NOT see them there is very sad. I have to say, this business is really starting to take its toll on me, having lost five friends in just the last couple of years.

God Bless their friends and families​

^^This picture is not of any of the performers mentioned earlier

 

[InFathersArms]

As a fellow aviator, Boss, I feel you. Lost a few friends myself over the last 18 years, and it's never easy. Learning to let go is a survival skill we must hone throughout our lives, and the better we're at it, the more blessed we'll be. I wasn't very good at it and the last two years saw me in a tailspin. But letting go in life is like letting go of the stick - she usually recovers nicely. The more we fight the controls, the worse the recovery.

I finally managed to begin learning this skill, and while letting go is hard, I can breath easy today, whereas just two months ago I couldn't, so something must be straigtening up and flying right.

Have you heard of the serenity prayer? It's helped me a lot.

 

[ralangley]

As a fellow aviator, Boss, I feel you. Lost a few friends myself over the last 18 years, and it's never easy. Learning to let go is a survival skill we must hone throughout our lives, and the better we're at it, the more blessed we'll be. I wasn't very good at it and the last two years saw me in a tailspin. But letting go in life is like letting go of the stick - she usually recovers nicely. The more we fight the controls, the worse the recovery.

I finally managed to begin learning this skill, and while letting go is hard, I can breath easy today, whereas just two months ago I couldn't, so something must be straigtening up and flying right.

Have you heard of the serenity prayer? It's helped me a lot.

This is beautiful.

Boss, I'm so sorry. I'll be praying for you in this time of loss.

 

[Boss_BlueAngels]

As a fellow aviator, Boss, I feel you. Lost a few friends myself over the last 18 years, and it's never easy. Learning to let go is a survival skill we must hone throughout our lives, and the better we're at it, the more blessed we'll be. I wasn't very good at it and the last two years saw me in a tailspin. But letting go in life is like letting go of the stick - she usually recovers nicely. The more we fight the controls, the worse the recovery.

I finally managed to begin learning this skill, and while letting go is hard, I can breath easy today, whereas just two months ago I couldn't, so something must be straigtening up and flying right.

Have you heard of the serenity prayer? It's helped me a lot.

Wow, thank you for your kind words and encouragement. It really helped a lot.

 

[StacieA]

Boss, I am so sorry to hear about all of this. We are all here for you, to help you in any way that we can

 

[JPPT1974]

Praying for those families
And that they will lean on the Lord
In these very hard and sad times!
God be with them.

 

[Boss_BlueAngels]

Thank you, it really means a lot. I have the next two weeks filled up with airshow activities, so this will help to move on.