In the human species, Airshowitis and its complementary disease Gethomeitis attack the trait of good judgment. Symptoms often appear without warning in an otherwise healthy, conservative pilot and are frequently accompanied by recent or imminent arrival of poor weather, circumstances that – not coincidentally — often exacerbate the insidious, but deadly nature of both diseases. Other symptoms include excessive “figidiness” and repeated assertions that the weather forecasts on the Weather Channel are incorrect and unreliable. Late stage manifestations include mild hallucinations by the pilot suggesting that he/she can fly beyond the envelope of good judgment and miraculously avoid the fate that has met others who flew after coming down with the same diseases.
There are no known cures for either of these diseases. Air show professionals can only fight them by raising awareness and staying constantly vigilant for pilots exhibiting early indications of having contracted the disease.
