L-39 buzzing Santa Monica Pier....

[bdk]

How tightly can you control the wind, waves or other variables that could have sent all of them into the water?

Easy. You determine what parameters need to be met and you don't perform unless the conditions are within the envelope. Plenty of people have waterskied everything from L-19s, to Piper Cubs, to Stearmans all the way up to Skyraiders. I wouldn't do it either because of the risks, even as a tightly controlled demonstration- but some people go air racing and others drive top fuel cars or barefoot waterski. I'm just a reasonably risk averse person I guess. Some day though I'll probably slip in the shower and crack my head open and that will be the end of me.

[JFS61]

I find it hard to believe that anyone with a functioning brain would try to water-ski a nosedragger.

Steve

Especially in a plane with almost zero ground clearance like a Lancair.

[ZRX61]

80 years from now, TIGHAR will claim they solved the mystery & found him in Loch Ness.

[over/out]

Sad for his family & and passenger (and aviation)

How tightly can you control the wind, waves or other variables that could have sent all of them into the water?

Easy. You determine what parameters need to be met and you don't perform unless the conditions are within the envelope. Plenty of people have waterskied everything from L-19s, to Piper Cubs, to Stearmans all the way up to Skyraiders. I wouldn't do it either because of the risks, even as a tightly controlled demonstration- but some people go air racing and others drive top fuel cars or barefoot waterski. I'm just a reasonably risk averse person I guess. Some day though I'll probably slip in the shower and crack my head open and that will be the end of me.

Yup, some of the most simple things can be dangerous, what a strange world we live in when THE MOST DEADLY Sport is STILL "FISHING"!! ( more people are killed fishing than in any other sport!) So you never know, flying 450 mph +, but watch out for falling out of a row boat!

[ZRX61]

Yup, some of the most simple things can be dangerous, what a strange world we live in when THE MOST DEADLY Sport is STILL "FISHING"!! ( more people are killed fishing than in any other sport!)

Kid I went to school with was killed fishing. Line caught around some power lines so he waded into the creek & tried to knock the line lose with a length of wet rope with predictable results.