[davisfh]

"...should not be done that low over an urban area."

Yes. You're right. Makes one think of the accident that occurred at Ramstein a few years ago. Italian flying team, I believe.

[ops33]

I was stationed in Germany when that accident happened, 1984, and remember watching it on Armed Forces television. I worked with some pretty tough guys but many were in tears watching the TV. I was an air traffic controller and have worked many airshows. US air show teams do not fly over the crowd, all their maneuvers are aligned with the runway. Any that is not flown inline with the runway are flown at a higher altitude when over the crowd. The Italian team flew that maneuver at a low altitude, less than 1000’, at right angles to the crowd line. So when the two aircraft clipped wings the one that was flying towards the crowd plummeted right into a large group of spectators. Whereas, if the same accident occurred with a US team the aircraft would have crashed in line with the runway, areas where spectators are not allowed. What I have always wondered is why the AF allowed the Italian team to fly that maneuver to begin with since it violated all established safety rules.