Jim Le Roy from Bulldog fame dies

[Guest thrasher]

This is the guy who was performing those amazing stunts in his Yellow Pitts Special BULLDOG at Avalon 2007

 

Killed during the crash in Dayton, Ohio air show.

 

Jim LeRoy (d. 28 July 2007) was an American aerobatics pilot. A former US Marine Corps Scout/Sniper, he held a B.S. degree in Aeronautical/Aerospace engineering as well as an Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) license.

 

LeRoy was one of only eleven pilots ever to be awarded both the Art Sholl Showmanship Award (2002) and the Bill Barber Award for Showmanship (2003). He was also one of only a handful of full time air show pilots in the world who actually made his living by performing for air show audiences.

 

Initially flying solo performances, he gained a reputation with his highly energetic aerobatic displays. In 2003, LeRoy joined a daring and successful airshow troupe, the X-team, that referred to themselves as the Masters of Disaster. Their performance generally consisted of three pilots flying a simultaneous, chaotic, interweaving aerobatic display through clouds of smoke generated by circling jet powered trucks below. After two seasons of successful airshows, an accident occured on July 10, 2005 during a routine performance when Jimmy Franklin and Bobby Younkin collided in mid-air. Jim LeRoy was not involved in the collision and landed safely.

 

LeRoy also held the following pilot ratings: single-engine, multi-engine, airplane instructor, helicopter, helicopter instructor, instrument instructor and aerobatic competency evaluator.

 

He died July 28, 2007 in transit to Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, Ohio after crashing around 2:15PM EST at the Vectren Dayton Air Show at the Dayton International Airport during a performance with the X-Team

 

 

[Downunder]

Probably a bit disrespectful........ but he should have learnt something from the 2005 accident....... http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=b53_1185689297

 

smoke and low level aerobatics don't mix........

 

Regards,

 

RJM

 

 

[Guest brentc]

Accidents do happen in high-risk activities and I'm sure the pilots are aware of those risks. Previous accidents won't stop the likes of Pip and others pushing the boundaries.

 

 

[djpacro]

Probably a bit disrespectful........ but he should have learnt something from the 2005 accident.......smoke and low level aerobatics don't mix........

Regards,

 

RJM

The NTSB report apparently stated to the effect that "Stunt pilot Jim LeRoy's failure to maintain clearance from the ground during an aerobatics routine caused his fatal crash at the Dayton Air Show last July, but the presence of airborne smoke contributed to the accident, a federal investigation has concluded."The accident scenario: http://www.daytondailynews.com/m/content/oh/media/news/local/airshowcrash.html

 

Accidents do happen in high-risk activities and I'm sure the pilots are aware of those risks. Previous accidents won't stop the likes of Pip and others pushing the boundaries.

The risks are extremely high for those who conduct aerobatics at ground level - run through the names of those who have participated in this country in recent memory and the statistics are pretty clear.If there is no margin for any error there can only be one outcome, unfortunately.