Editorials & Other Articles

Last edited Sun Feb 12, 2012, 03:33 AM - Edit history (1)

The light aircraft business has several interrelated problems, only one of which is liability costs. Some of it is the very nature of flight - run out of gas on the road or the track, and, most of the time, it's merely an inconvenience. Run out of gas in the air, and it is apt to get ugly.

We race at ski areas in our series - and, sometimes, we compare notes. One of the things that save both sports in a vigorus defense- in court - of liability claims of dubious merit. Bill Simpson has set himself on fire on courthouse steps more than once to prove the capabilities of his driving suits - and then disrobed in the judges chambers to show the lack of burns. In the case of racing, we all sign a bulletproof release at the gate. The release has been set aside in court - but only in cases of egregious gross negligence.

And that, IMHO, is where football is failing. The NFL (and WWE/F) is stonewalling on head injuries, despite major outcries from pro players and coaches. Corporate sports equipment manufacturers have little stake in the game, in comparison to the propietor-driven, "all-in" racing equipment companies. And racing sanctioning bodies, and racers themselves, are very proactive on safety issues, including the testing and certification of equipment.



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