Dash Pilot is confident in safety of airshows

Pilots know the risk of airshows when they participate. Last week, a pilot at a Virginia airshow, who was scheduled to come to the state, died in a crash. So, people may have concerns for the safety of these shows. One pilot participating at the Florida international Airshow is confident in the preparations for the airshow in Punta Gorda this weekend.

Pilot Scott Farnsworth will perform at the Florida International Airshow in Punta Gorda Friday Oct. 19 to Sunday 21.

Farnsworth takes his safety and everyone’s safety at the show seriously.

“Before the flight, I remove myself from the environment, get my mind right [and] go over my sequence,” Farnsworth said. “I come out to do some final checks strapping, and it’s my time to perform.”

Still, Farnsworth is very much interested in creating more exciting shows.

“We also want to keep developing a newer and faster more unique routine,” said Farnsworth, a member of Dash Aerosports.

Farnsworth is like a Nascar driver with two minor exceptions; he races in a 1970s modified fighter jet nearly triple the speed of a stock car.

“We’re about 530 miles per hour, but when I’m coming on a downline from building up energy in the aircraft, I’m exceeding 600 miles per hour in the air show,” Farnsworth said.

It’s a dangerous sport that recently took the life of Jon Thocker, a friend and mentor to many flying in this weekend’s airshow.

But, Farnsworth said the risk is worth taking.

“Everybody that I’ve met in this business is chasing a passion, and I would prefer to live a life that I can actually live,” Farnsworth said.

Ground crews are also trained for their own safety and all safety of spectators and pilots at the show.

“They have to go through a lot of rigorous training and certification by the International Council of Airshows, so I feel very confident that we have a good, safe crew,” Airshow President Dana Car said.

Learn more about the show on the WINK News app.