Good point.
The purpose of the FAA is to “protect the traveling public”–those that are unaware of risk. Collings calls attention to the minimal risk on the WAIVER FORM that riders sign–but it IS a risk–and a risk most people will take.
What next? Prohibitions on skydiving? Balloons? Gliders? All of these aviation activities have an element of risk–and that risk is apparent. Experiencing Warbirds is closer akin to these activities than riding in an airliner.
The skydiving community even goes so far as to produce a video explaining the risk. The actors are NOT glamorous–in fact, they use an attorney that explains the risk that is as UNGLAMOROUS as possible–a long beard–and he repeats “this is a risk” multiple times. The last I heard, nobody had ever successfully challenged that explanation of risk. THUMBS UP TO COLLINGS FOUNDATION!