WHEN PLANS FAIL
Man Proposes, God Disposes
AN air show is a public event where aircraft are exhibited. Air shows often include aerobatic demonstrations in which pilots climb vertically, perform very tight turns, tumble their aircraft end-over-end and perform manoeuvres during loops. Air shows are held as a business venture, a trade event or in support of local, national or military charities. Military air firms often organize air shows at military airfields as a public relations exercise to thank the local community, promote military careers and raise the profile of the military.
Air shows are generally considered safe. However, like any other venture, these are some air shows which turned tragic. Ramstein air show disaster of August 28, 1988 that killed 70 people, and Sknyliv air show disaster of July 27, 2002 that killed 77 people are two of the deadliest ones in history.
Time magazine of September 12, 1988, published a report with photographs entitled, ‘Hellfire from the Heavens’ giving details of a tragic air disaster in West Germany on August 28, 1988. It happened during an air show, near the Ramstein Air Base in Frankfurt, in which ten military aircraft of the most up–to–date design were taking part. About 300,000 people had gathered to watch this special demonstration, fancifully titled “Arrow through the Heart.”
There is an element of surprise and risk lurking at us on every corner. However well prepared we are, we cannot always be content that everything will unfold as planned.
Ten aircraft flying at about 300 miles per hour—flew high into the sky to create a heart-shaped formation. One of these planes was to leave this formation during the flight in order to pierce the “heart” like an arrow. This tenth jet, piloted by a veteran Italian flyer, Ivo Nutarelli, arched down in a solo loop intended to take him through the lower half of the “heart” as the formations passed beneath him. But Nutarelli arrived too low and perhaps a split second early. The “arrow” was supposed to fly at a slightly higher altitude than the other jets, but levelled out at the same altitude, so that instead of “piercing the heart,” it struck at least one of the other planes. Three planes burst into flames. In normal circumstances, this extraordinary display by military jets would have produced tremendous thrills and excitement, but after this terrible accident, all the glamour was blasted out of it in just a few hellish minutes. All three pilots and at least 67 spectators were killed and 346 people were injured including many children.
At first, many of the spectators did not know what had happened. One of them said “I thought it was just some kind of special effect.” There is an element of surprise and risk lurking at us on every corner. However well prepared we are, we cannot always be content that everything will unfold as planned. Our plans are often at odds with the plans of others. Then there is the Supreme Planner. A person should take into account all these aspects before venturing out, and he should know that he can only plan and propose, it is God who will dispose.