High Toll of U.S. Air Shows

Thank you for your investigation of air-show accidents. Aside from the lives and property lost in these shows, I wonder about the wisdom of using the millions of gallons of fuel that must be necessary for practicing the intricate maneuvers and stunts. We are warned about our dependence on foreign oil and we know that our own resources aren’t inexhaustible. Added to that consideration we now have the global greenhouse effect caused by the burning of fossil fuels. As this greenhouse effect seems to be having a disastrous impact on our weather, it’s time we stopped the frivolous use of gas and oil.

To those who say we need to have air shows and the practicing that goes into them in order to train pilots for military purposes, I say baloney. I just can’t believe that all the fancy dives and rolls and almost-head-ons (often in tight formation) serve this purpose (at least not with economy and efficiency).

Let’s cancel the air shows and save lives, property and fuel, and help clean up the earth’s atmosphere on which we all depend.

ANN ALPER

Pacific Palisades