Concerned about the safety of spectators, federal officials have refused to approve a controversial airplane race that has been promoted as one of the main attractions at this weekend's Camarillo air show.
So instead of watching high-performance propeller planes weave through inflated pylons at an altitude of 15 feet, the expected crowd of 40,000 will have to settle for a more modest aerial display.
The decision by the Federal Aviation Administration prohibits the Ultimate Air Race Championship from staging a high-speed competition that has been advertised as “faster than NASCAR” and a showcase for seven of the best pilots in the world.
FAA officials questioned the qualifications of the pilots to fly such a race and the safety of the slalom course, including the distance between the aircraft and spectators, who, they contend, could be hit by debris if a crash occurred.
One of the show’s marketing officials and the main organizer of the race is David G. Riggs, who lost his pilot's license for a year and was convicted of reckless flying after buzzing the Santa Monica Pier in a Soviet-era military jet in late 2008.
Jon Whited, who is in charge of the Camarillo air show, disagreed with the FAA's concern about spectator safety, saying the event’s pilots are highly skilled and there is enough room to separate the viewing areas from the course.
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