" Matt has had long conversations with the NTSB who call the
accident a 'fluke'. They _are not_ going to recommend canceling
future races. He has also talked to the insurance companies
covering the races for Reno and they also say they _are not_
going to cancel their coverage of future races. Now we wait for
the FAA to make a decision."

None of these decisions would be made this early. As the law suits have
not started yet, insurance may be available but might add $10,000 to each
ticket price. If those statements were actually made they are only
opinions
and not facts. My opinion.

Murry I Rozansky



I imagine it will be several months before the dust and roar of the
rabid-feeding lawyers dies down.

roger


If we all feel the same way about lawyers, why do we just talk about it? We
should change it. We spend all of our time and resources trying to build
something or make something better- and all the while the lawyers stand by
watching for a way to take everything from us. All the brainstorming in
this
group, all the work by Paul and the others, and if there is a failure- (and
there will be eventually) look out here they come to take everything that
you have. Its not right.

I ran into a man at the airport a couple of years back that had a waiver
that anyone that flew with him had to sign. After you sign it, they were
left at the FBO "just in case". Absurd.

"Let he who is without sin cast the first stone". Excellent principle.
Every
single one of us screws up daily. Even the lawyers. But we dont sue them,
they sue us. It is killing our country and way of life.

Have you ever considered what we- meaning the people of this planet- could
accomplish if we actually worked together instead of trying to take stuff
from everybody else and destroy everything in the way?

Just sayin'.


Captain Kevin Alderman

N4839V


I am so with you.  It really is crushing this country.  I have thought about
working on tort reform legislation, perhaps even voter initiatives.    You
and I run in the same circles of people who actually do stuff, so I hear the
same thing from almost all of my friends.  But the underlying problem is 1)
most of the politicians, and all the courts, and all the people who actually
write laws, are lawyers.  2) There is a vast segment of the general
population who sees these lawsuits as their protection, if not their chance
for ultimate riches.

If you think of a good way to achieve tort reform, I am all ears.   IMHO,
the first reform should be looser pays.  That would stop the frivolous
black-mail stuff (i.e.  "I am perfectly aware that I dont have any legal
standing for my suit, but it is going to cost you $50k to prove it.  So why
don't you just give me $30k and I will go away")

That step is easy and would go a long way, but not fix things that are
really broken.  Like the Reno air Race Assn.  and GG lawsuits, which is very
similar to modern medical malpractice.  The issues there are 1) utter lack
of personal responsibility and 2) Expectations of excessive responsibility
to control the uncontrollable on those who have money.

For example, RARA - those guys were safety fanatics.  Everything was all
about safety and mitigating any risk to the crowd as well as pilots.  They
had lines that people couldn't cross, maximum aircraft altitudes and flight
profiles with crowd protecting escape routes.  They had emergency crews and
mass casualty drills, briefings and debriefings.  Talk of safety every where
you turn.  There is not a person on the board of RARA who did not do
everything in his power to provide a safe environment for the pilots and
spectators.  Yet, we all know that has nothing to do with it.  They will be
paying out lots of money just because they have it and people were killed.
Nothing to do with negligence.

Same thing with most medical malpractice.  But I am biased there, and you
got me started on a rant.