Chandy Clanton passed away this weekend

[Quicker]

Friday, July 11th Chandy's Edge 540 crashed, killing her while practising for an airshow. Chandy was based out of Lincoln Nebraska, just 45 miles from me. I just saw her perform at a small show in Seward on the 4th of July. She was fantastic. Her dad is Harry Barr of Duncan Aviation.

She leaves behind two sons, 10 and 7.

"Chandy is a three-time member of the United States Unlimited Aerobatic Team. She flew at the 2003 World Championships in Lakeland, Florida, where she was the youngest female pilot. Chandy won the Programme Q flight at the 2007 Championships in Granada, Spain. Chandy was the only woman named to the 2003 “Stars of Tomorrow” program and has performed before hundreds of thousands of spectators at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh; she was the only “Stars” performer invited back for the 2004 and 2005 shows. You can see her on many TV news broadcasts and The Weather Channel, as well as Discovery Wings programs that highlight the best pilots in the aerobatic world."

http://www.chandyclanton.com/

Q

[toc pilot]

Wow, very sad. I never heard of her but this is still very, very sad. Thoughts and prayers go out to her family.

She had a great looking Edge 540!


B.Hempel

[sukhoi26mx]

I was just stunned when I heard the news late on Friday. Very sad for her family, but that is a risk that is accepted when you fly full-scale aerobatics. I knew Chandy from the competition world, and she was a fun person to be around and a fantastic pilot. Her competitive attitude definitely motivated me. She will be missed.

Scott

[askforplanes]

Sorry to hear this, I will keep her and her family in my payers.

JP

[Dan B]

We lose yet another talented pilot of the "Stars of Tomorrow" program following the crash of team member Nick Nilmeyer back in 2006. I know they were doing what they loved, but it's still a tragedy.

My thoughts and prayers to her family.

Dan

[Mithrandir]

How irresponsable for a mother of 2 young children to be engaged in an activity that has a history of being so dangerous.

Sorry to sound so blunt... but her children should have had higher priority then flying aerobatics....

My heart aches for her two children!

[Quicker]

Local news said her father told them she was leaving the sport and only had 2 shows left on her agenda for the year, this was the 2nd to last show.

Q

[VETTE]

	Quote: Originally Posted by Mithrandir
	How irresponsable for a mother of 2 young children to be engaged in an activity that has a history of being so dangerous. Sorry to sound so blunt... but her children should have had higher priority then flying aerobatics.... My heart aches for her two children!

My feelings also. My thoughts and prayers to her family.

[PLANKBONE]

God Speed

[Tailchaser]

.

[sukhoi26mx]

	Quote: Originally Posted by Mithrandir
	How irresponsable for a mother of 2 young children to be engaged in an activity that has a history of being so dangerous. Sorry to sound so blunt... but her children should have had higher priority then flying aerobatics.... My heart aches for her two children!

Although I don't disagree with your assessment of the airshow portion of her lifestyle (I, too, fly aerobatics and have young children, but I don't fly airshows), did you say the same thing about Jim Leroy? ... or about any of the vast number of male airshow pilots with children? What about Kirby Chambliss? He flies airshows and the Red Bull and has a child. FWIW, I choose to limit my involvement in aerobatics to competition because, frankly, it is a lot safer than airshow flying. The second my wife and I decided to have kids we made the decision that I wouldn't fly airshows. Just our decision.

Scott

[Mithrandir]

	Quote: Originally Posted by sukhoi26mx
	Although I don't disagree with your assessment of the airshow portion of her lifestyle (I, too, fly aerobatics and have young children, but I don't fly airshows), did you say the same thing about Jim Leroy? ... or about any of the vast number of male airshow pilots with children? What about Kirby Chambliss? He flies airshows and the Red Bull and has a child. FWIW, I choose to limit my involvement in aerobatics to competition because, frankly, it is a lot safer than airshow flying. The second my wife and I decided to have kids we made the decision that I wouldn't fly airshows. Just our decision. Scott

I did actually say the same thing about Jim... and boy did I catch hell over that!!!

I disagree with the idea of any one who has young children egaging in dangerous activity..... with the exception of our people in Uniform.

Children come first is all.

	Quote: Originally Posted by sukhoi26mx
	......FWIW, I choose to limit my involvement in aerobatics to competition because, frankly, it is a lot safer than airshow flying. The second my wife and I decided to have kids we made the decision that I wouldn't fly airshows. Just our decision.....Scott

Excellent choice IMHO!! And come to think of it, I have never heard of a competition pilot getting killed.... it always seems to be people flying close to the ground!!! Prolly 100 or 1000 times less dangerous to be flying competition then airshows!!!

[sukhoi26mx]

	Quote: Originally Posted by Mithrandir
	I did actually say the same thing about Jim... and boy did I catch hell over that!!! I disagree with the idea of any one who has young children egaging in dangerous activity..... with the exception of our people in Uniform. Children come first is all.

Fair enough. I bet you did catch hell.

Along those lines, I guess mountain climbing, light airplanes of any type (they're dangerous, you know), skiing, skydiving, motor sports of any kind, motorcycles, etc... are all off limits if you have kids? What are we teaching our kids if we refuse to live while alive? I do everything possible to ensure my kids continued growth, and that includes teaching them to manage risk through example in my life and theirs.

Sorry for the distraction and OT rant. Chandy will be missed.

Scott

[Mithrandir]

Yes.... you are correct.. there is a vast range of grey here.... where is the line between dangerous and safe ???

I dunno.... but Flying High intensity airshows is way on the dangerous side....

How many great pilots "Retire" from airshows???? Unfortunately, the earth has a way of abbruptly terminating airshow pilots career!!! Part of what makes an airshow exciting is the daredevil element.

I sincerely hope that all the airshow pilots out there performing today have great success and no more accidents... we all do... but the statistics don't support that.....

I really sympathise with her family and her kids... I hope there is a trust or college fund for them..... but Mommy can't be replaced....

[dangerboy]

As an unfortunate coincidence, Gary Miller, owner/pilot of a beautiful, modified T-6 called "Mystical Power" that was a regular at the Reno air races as well as on the airshow circuit was also killed this weekend while practicing near his home in CO for the same airshow as Chandy. I saw Gary fly a few weeks ago at the Hill AFB airshow in UT. He had a great performance, and was doing things in that T-6 I know for a fact can't be done in a stock bird.