Bob Hoover flies West.

[Gabriel]

My brain says that this thread should be in the Aviation forum, but my hart tells me that it belongs here.

Robert A. "Bob" Hoover...
... WWII fighter pilot...
... POW in a German camp...
... Escaped stealing an Fw190...
... USAF test pilot...
... aerobatic genius...
... performing in airshows with a P-51 Mustang and...
... an Aero Commander???? ...
... with the engines shut down???? ...
... died today ....
... NOT "doing what he loves" (as if crashing was what pilots love to do)...
... at 94 years old.

Way to go Bob. You will be missed.

[brianw999]

I dread to think what aerobatic stunts the other angels will start pulling once he arrives up there !

RIP Bob.

[elaw]

[Evan]

My brain says that this thread should be in the Aviation forum, but my hart tells me that it belongs here.

Robert A. "Bob" Hoover...

Just loco enough to be made honarary Argentinian.

[elaw]

I've got to disagree on that one.

Besides having crazy stick-and-rudder skills, Hoover made an art of knowing his and the aircraft's limitations, and staying within them at all times*. To me that's just about the opposite of "loco".

* In spite of doing a lot of things that *appeared* to be completely crazy.

[3WE]

I've got to disagree on that one.

Besides having crazy stick-and-rudder skills, Hoover made an art of knowing his and the aircraft's limitations, and staying within them at all times*. To me that's just about the opposite of "loco".

* In spite of doing a lot of things that *appeared* to be completely crazy.

I think that two loops, a barrel roll, a landing and coasting to a stop at a precise, predetermined point did indeed require a ton of situational awareness and fundamental airmanship skills and attention to natural laws and limitations.

Of course, I think that numerous black and white, scientifically-determined, engineer limitations and procedures were often violated.

Even the FAA tried to throw the black and white mentality / written law book at him for a few years.

[Gabriel]

I've got to disagree on that one.

Besides having crazy stick-and-rudder skills, Hoover made an art of knowing his and the aircraft's limitations, and staying within them at all times*. To me that's just about the opposite of "loco".

* In spite of doing a lot of things that *appeared* to be completely crazy.

That applies very much for the last part of his career, as an aerobatic airshow pilot.

When you are a fighter pilot or a bomber pilot (especially in the times of the WW2 and Korea war), it takes a dose of chance not to get killed. Bullets and other type of AA devices are outside your and your plane's limitations.

When he stole the Fw190, I doubt very much that he was familiar with the POH and limitations of that plane.

When he was a test pilot, he didn't know the limitations of the plane he was being paid to find the limitations of. (is that even a sentence in English?)

[Evan]

When he was a test pilot, he didn't know the limitations of the plane he was being paid to find the limitations of. (is that even a sentence in English?)

Yes, but you ended it with a preposition. Bad Gabriel! Bad!