DEATH OF AN AIR ACE; Red Arrow killed in crash at show.THESE are the last moments of a doomed jet as it crashes into the sea yesterday in front of thousands of horrified hor·ri·fy tr.v. hor·ri·fied, hor·ri·fy·ing, hor·ri·fies 1. To cause to feel horror. See Synonyms at dismay. 2. To cause unpleasant surprise to; shock. air show spectators. Pilot Ted Girdler gird·ler n. 1. One that makes girdles. 2. Any of several insects that chew circular bands around twigs or stems in preparing a nesting site. , 62, died as the 30-year-old jet hit the water, throwing wreckage 30ft in the air, while performing a tight roll. Former Red Arrow Mr Girdler was the owner of the Czech built L29 Delfin military trainer. He was performing aerobatics aerobatics Sport of performing maneuvers such as rolls, loops, stalls, spins, and dives with an airplane. As an organized sport, rather than as an air show attraction (“stunt flying”), aerobatics began international competition in 1960 under the auspices of the at the popular Eastbourne Airbourne 2000 show in East Sussex East Sussex, county (1991 pop. 670,600), 693 sq mi (1,795 sq km), extreme SE England. It comprises seven administrative districts: Brighton, Eastbourne, Hastings, Hove, Lewes, Rother, and Wealden. The county, the seat of which is Lewes, borders the English Channel. . Mr Girdler, from Kent - who owned his own flying school - was due to fly an L39 Albatross albatross (ăl`bətrôs), common name for sea birds of the order of tube-nosed swimmers (Procellari-iformes), which includes petrels, shearwaters, and fulmars. but they were all grounded because of problems with ejector ejector (ijekt  r),n by common usage, a device used to remove debris and fluids by negative pressure. Another term is aspirator. See also aspirator. seats. Witness Laurence Roche said: "The plane was about 400 yards out to sea and barely round a loop when it crashed nose first. "It looked as thought the pilot was being too adventurous." Another witness said: "He went about 400ft vertical in the air to do a turn. He did that twice but the second time he did not come out of it and plunged into the sea." Lifeboat crewman Gary Mead, 29, pulled Mr Girdler's body from the water. He said: "He was coming in at a 45 degree angle and tried to pull up but bellyflopped into the sea. He just didn't have enough space. There was a flash, a big spray of water and a huge noise. "I managed to reach the man and hang on to his parachute." Gary said it was a miracle that no one else was killed. "It was 200 or 300 yards from three of the safety boats patrolling the area and we are all lucky to be alive." Several swimmers were taken to hospital after swallowing jet fuel. They were later released. A Dover coastguard spokesman said: "The plane disintegrated on impact and there was wreckage floating everywhere." Ian Stringer, senior helmsman of Eastbourne inshore in·shore adv. & adj. 1. Close to a shore. 2. Toward or coming toward a shore. inshore Adjective in or on the water, but close to the shore: lifeboat, said: "There was debris floating on the surface when we got there and the heavy smell of aviation fuel. The plane sank straight away." |
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