IMHO - you should always align your flight path so that if sh%t happens, your chances of impacting in a dangerous area (pits, spectators, etc) are minimized. This is true with any RC plane, but most importantly, to a far greater degree with our fat. heavy, high energy potential jets. Radios lock out, rough air happens, airframes fail, and batteries die.... why take the chance?

I have seen some of the truly hot sticks fly low, hard, and fast, but the best (and the ones I respect and try to learn from) always turn away from the crowd, always have a safe "OUT" plan (i.e if something goes wrong, where/what direction do I go in - safely?), are always two steps ahead of the plane, and don't take un-neccesary risks. They put on awesome shows, but do it in a smart manner. To me, that shows a truly impressive level of skill - more so than the guy who does 360's at full pop 10' off the ground, with the jet pointed right at the flightline through at least a quarter of the circle.

There's also a few that cause me to seek hard shelter whenever they go up... just in case.

My $0.02...

Barry