The Waterloo Air Show takes place this weekend, bringing an audience of thousands to the Region of Waterloo International Airport.
With that many people in close proximity to aircraft performing amazing maneuvers, the potential for something to go wrong is never far from the minds of air show organizers and pilots.
“If you mess up, you die,” Texas-based crop duster pilot Rusty Lindeman tells CTV.
“Safety is the first thing we all look after.”
Pilots planning to take part in the two-day air show spent most of Friday practicing and fine-tuning their routines, ensuring their ability to balance entertainment with safety.
Even if it was their first time in Waterloo Region, it wasn’t the first time they’d considered the safety aspect of this particular performance.
“There’s an awful lot of information that transfers hands before anybody comes to an air show,” says pilot Gordon Price.
Air show organizer Richard Cooper says in the event something does go wrong, airport staff on the ground and EMS workers have an emergency plan in place to respond quickly and efficiently.
