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Good Bye and blue skies Bob Hoover

A true legend, hero, and one of the nicest people I have ever met. I didn't even know who he was until later, and he didn't care.
Nobody gets out of here alive, but he sure as **** gave it a great shot!
I don't even feel sad. He was one of the greatest of the greatest generation.
 
Movie

RIP Mr. Hoover!

And if any of you'll haven't seen the movie "Flying the Feathered Edge", I'd suggest you log out of here now, and go purchase it online. It is incredible.

There's also a nice write-up online about Mr. Hoover today, by our very own Bob Collins.

This is indeed RV related, because I'd highly bet that Mr. Hoover's airshow routine inspired MANY people to become pilots, some of which surely migrated to RV's. His airshow routine was superb.
 
Great man and never a finer pilot. Always a pleasure to talk to and never got tired of talking airplanes. Fly west my friend, you will be sorely missed. Thankyou for the years of wisdom and keeping the dream alive.
 
RIP Mr. Hoover!

And if any of you'll haven't seen the movie "Flying the Feathered Edge", I'd suggest you log out of here now, and go purchase it online. It is incredible.

This. . .very very much this.

On a related note, anybody want to start a betting pool on the number of combined flight hours that will be represented at his funeral?
 
I think it says volumes how many of us mere mortals have gotten the opportunity to not just meet him, but gotten to sit and chat for a few with such a great man. Our paths crossed a few times in the past decade, sometimes in the weirdest of locations.

R.I.P. Bob.
 
RIP Bob

He was a great guy, who led an adventurous life. I will miss talking to him at Airventure. My son, Robert, was named after both Bob Hoover and Robert Goddard; two great heroes of aviation.
 
The world will miss gentlemen like Bob Hoover.
I enjoyed his airshow flights as a kid.

Oh and nice article Bob Collins.
 
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You can't make up stories that could match the incredible truth of this man's life; no one would believe them! Maybe the best "hands and feet" of all time. I will raise a glass for him tonight.
 
Saddened!

.... This is horrible news for me, and I feel my world very diminished. Bob and I met in 1975, when Art Scholl, Chuck Wentworth and myself were all working together. We remained friends for many years and did countless airshows, movies, and TV work together. I learned many things from Bob over the years and can honestly say,"he was never wrong" when it came to flying, or for that matter, lifes lessons. I know he in now in a better place, but must say his leaving really took away from mine. He was a true American treasure that everyone loved and respected, and no one will ever fill those shoes. Allan
 
So very much a pilot and inspiration, he will be missed!

I have marveled at his pouring coffee while doing a aierlon roll and everytime I watched or listened to him I felt I learned something.

Amazing pilot, Lord receive him well please.
 
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Saw this image elsewhere, says it all for those who know of his talent.

RIP, tailwinds & blue sky
 
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One More Roll

" We toast our hearty comrades who have fallen from the sky,and were gently caught by Gods own hands to be with him on high.
To dwell among the soaring clouds they have known so well before,from victory roll to tail chase at heavens very door.
And as we fly among them there, we're sure to hear their plea:Take care, my friend, watch your six, and do one more roll for me.

by: Capt Jerry Coffee, USN (Ret)

Everyone go out an do a roll this weekend in Bob's memory. I bet he would love that.

Blue skies Mr. Hoover.

Respectfully,

Geoff McHarg
 
Hoover Story (2nd hand)

My uncle was a career USAF fighter pilot and in the later fifties he was stationed at an airbase in Japan.

He told me a story about when Bob Hoover came to the base doing a flight demonstration tour of the F-86 Sabre.

He said Hoover partied late into the night and spent that time with a girl under each arm. Then early the next morning with the young hungover pilots watching in amazement Bob made a perfect flight demo the the F-86 apparently unfazed by the nights festivities....

I got the privilege of meeting once at Sun-N-Fun when I bought a video of his and like all of us would have loved to fly with him.

Forever Flying....Bob Hoover
 
Only airframe to enter Udvar-Hazy under it's own power (according to my father, who works there):

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Paraphrasing, "Well, the door was open . . ."

And even after previewing, sorry, I am leaving the linked image size as is, because The Man was indeed larger than life.
 
I last got to see him at the Chino Airshow signing copies of his book.

IMG_3328-M.jpg


I saw his airshow routine back in the day and on more than one occasion see him fly Old Yeller into Long Beach airport over our house.

A true American hero of aviation!
 
Bob Hoover

?Nothing, in truth, can ever replace a lost companion. Old comrades cannot be manufactured. There is nothing that can equal the treasure of so many shared memories, so many bad times endured together, so many quarrels, reconciliations, heartfelt impulses. Friendships like that cannot be reconstructed. If you plant an oak, you will hope in vain to sit soon under its shade.
For such is life. We grow rich as we plant through the early years, but then come the years when time undoes our work and cuts down our trees. One by one our comrades deprive us of their shade, and within our mourning we always feel now the secret grief of growing old.
If I search among my memories for those whose taste is lasting, if I write the balance sheet of the moments that truly counted, I surely find those that no fortune could have bought me. You cannot buy the friendship of a companion bound to you forever by ordeals endured together.?
― Antoine de Saint-Exup?ry, Wind, Sand and Stars
 
Another great aviator gone West. Like many here, spent some time chatting and getting a photo taken at the Cleveland air show many, many years ago.
 
Sad..

Chewing through the ratings in the '70s, I never missed a chance to see Bob Hoover or Art Scholl at the many air shows they performed in the SF bay area back then.
Scholl's routines in the Super Chipmunk were great, Hoover in the P51 was awesome but I was blown away by Hoover in the Shrike Commander.
Eight point rolls into a split-S with both feathered followed by dead-stick landings first on one main then lifting up and onto the other main then gently onto the nose. Stunning.

Especially for me since I was currently taking my multi in a 500B (Shrike without the pilot's door). My experiences flying the Commander to that point were not particularly
Hoover-esque - 'BLUE LINE, YOU IDIOT - YOU'LL KILL US ALL!' - but watching that man do
what he did with that airplane inspired me to buckle down and get good.

Hoover was Yeager's wingman for awhile in Korea and when Yeager flew the X-1.

Just watching him fly was a bit like touching greatness.
 
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RIP Mr Hoover.

I had the pleasure of hearing him speak at the outdoor theatre, when he was promoting his DVD, Flying the Featured Edge, at Oshkosh 2015.

He kept telling stories on stage & the moderator was trying to end for the night, but he kept going.

You could just tell, he loved talking aviation to aviators.
 
The Legend....

I too have met the man more than once, and ALWAYS...was the most pleasant individual! Met him once at Reno in the pits when I was there on an airline layover. He called us the "straight and level guys" with his smile!

He always seem to be "available" at airshows sitting at his booth, signing autographs and in general just being there for the public!

It can be said that sometimes the legend can be greater than the man. Not so with Bob Hoover! He was every bit of his legend plus a whole lot more!

God speed and tailwinds Bob!
 
A Man Ahead of His Time

No words can express this loss, truly a inspiration and gentleman!...I remember having some sit time with my Airline in Jackson Hole before my departure back to Denver...I noticed a uniquely familiar Aero Commander on the ramp, so I took a walk-about and noticed the Signature hat that always accompanied Bob....only to turn around and see his gleaming smile and extending his hand for a hardy hand shake...after a brief conversation with this amazing pilot it was time to part ways on the ramp to our respective cockpits...God speed Bob! May you always have 100kt tailwinds.
 
So sad to hear this. I shook his hand at Reno 3 years ago, excellent fellow.

I just bought his book too. Think I'll have to put Stick and Rudder aside for now...

"Gentlemen, you have a race!"
 
Van and I had the pleasure of meeting and speaking with Mr. Hoover at a social function this past OSH. He was unbelievably cordial and sharp for a man of his years.

He remarked to me how his body was now bent and broken from all of the mishaps he been in over the years. When I cajoled that he survived most probably due to exemplary flying skills, he said, "Not at all. It was just s@#t a*s luck!".

All of our lives are made up of moments. This is one I shall cherish for the rest of my life.

I ask everyone who reads this, that next time you can, raise a toast to
arguably the greatest pilot who ever lived.

Blue Skies Mr. Hoover. Let's see what you can do with your newest set of wings.
 
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Farewell Bob

I first met Bob Hoover in early 1971. I was dating a girl who lived down the street from the Hoovers in Rolling Hills Estates above the Terrence Airport. Bob and Colleen came over for cocktails one evening and I was fortunate to have a conversation with him. I had the opportunity to fly the Wing Derringer prototype earlier that day and we were discussing the utility of the Derringer. His said that a 2-seat twin was great for a golfing vacation but not much else. He was right; the Derringer never amounted to more than that. Later that year I met Bob again at an airshow in Pensacola. (I was flying OV-10s at Hurlburt Field at the time.) After he landed his Shrike Commander I greeted him and shook his hand. I was just a little gratified to note that his hand was sweaty. I guess even Bob Hoover has to work a bit to do the extraordinary!

Colleen passed earlier this year and I'm sure they are together again. The world is a lesser place without Bob Hoover. Tailwinds Bob.
 
God bless you

Most of us will be genealogy research in a few generations, a rare few become legends, even fewer are fondly remembered. Mr.Hoover was and is the gentleman legend that will be remembered for doing much to help and inspre others. I will remember him for his kindness and for proving to many of us, in flying and in life, most all things are possible when done right.

Godspeed Mr. Bob. The journey continues!
 
I met him at the Reno air races in the mid 90's or so. He was kind enough to autograph my pilot logbook. We only chatted for a few minutes. After seeing so many of his flawless airshow routines over the years (and at Reno that year) I was surprised at his precision for his age... And that was 20 years ago! I hope he kept flying right until the end.
 
Very well written..

Most of us will be genealogy research in a few generations, a rare few become legends, even fewer are fondly remembered. Mr.Hoover was and is the gentleman legend that will be remembered for doing much to help and inspre others. I will remember him for his kindness and for proving to many of us, in flying and in life, most all things are possible when done right.

Godspeed Mr. Bob. The journey continues!

Have wondered what I could say about Bob that hasn't already been shared.. my time with him was one of the most treasured events of my career and I couldn't have said it any better than this post.
Godspeed Bob..
 
Moments

My wife and I blundered into him talking with a friend of his in one of the vendor hangars (C?) at OSH '97. I said, "that's Bob Hoover!" She said with her "then" knowledge of aviation, "Does he sell vacuums?".....

He heard, was hugely amused and chatted my wife up as the Brits say. What a kind man. It helps she was/is cute. He knew how treat a lady. I took lessons.

Then she saw the flying show that afternoon......................

Tailwinds
Howard
 
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I think he was revered as much for his graciousness and humility as he was for his flying, if that is even possible. A true role model in a world where graciousness and humility are becoming very scarce.
 
I'd just like to say thanks to Bob for the article, and that I really think we should make his Fantasy Legislature project a success.

Charlie
[obligatory ;-) here]


One of the many great ideas that turned out not to be so great.

Seriously, thank you guys for picking up that article. It's the second-most-viewed post I've written this year and for the longest time yesterday, it was the only news organization site in the US (and that includes you, NY Times) to carry anything about Bob's passing.

I'm not sure why it is, although I think not having enough aviators in the business is a big part of it. Hoover, as you all know and they don't, is right there with Orville Wright, Eddie Rickenbacker, Charles Lindbergh, Jimmy Doolittle, Jackie Cochrane, Chuck Yeager, and Neil Armstong, all of whom he met in his life. Think about that.

The comments that people are sharing on that page are really great (how often do you hear THAT on the Internet).

Anyway, now I'm rambling, but I wanted to thank you again for your nod.

At my age, I get up in the morning and go to work and I honestly don't know what the point is of doing what I'm doing or whether anyone is out there are gives a d*****.

Yesterday was not one of those days and it was a real honor to provide a tribute to the likes of Bob Hoover.

[ edit to add: Oh, I wanted to add this observation. I have a hard time walking up to people and introducing myself (I know. I know.). I just assume that people have more important things to do. I got into the editing business largely because of Lou Grant. So when Ed Asner came into the newsroom one day for an inteview (not with me), I couldn't bring myself to meet him. I've got a hundred "could have beens and could have mets" just like that.

Sadly, one of them is Bob Hoover. I had plenty of opportunities at Oshkosh. But it was Bob Hoover and who the heck am I?

So these stories that people have been posting about the time they met Bob Hoover are tremendously pleasing to me and also tremendously sad because they all remind me of missed opportunities. I'll keep working on that -- I have many issues and that's on the list -- but just wanted to reaffirm not only how lucky we were to live in the time of Bob Hoover, but also how lucky you were to know him, if even for a moment, on a more personal level. ]
 
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Moments

Bob once in a while we get lucky. When I was stationed at Zweibrucken AB GE in the 80's I briefly met Adolf Galland at a Dedaelion dinner at Ramstein AB. I was a 20 something USAF know nothing pilot.

General Galland chose poorly in the 30-40's but what were his options? He like Bob Hoover was a gentleman. I would hate to have had either of them behind me in another airplane..

Two common threads of both men, gentlemen and the courage of a lion.

Bet they are shooting down their watches about right now! Oh well who needs time..

Regards
Howard
 
Sadly, one of them is Bob Hoover. I had plenty of opportunities at Oshkosh. But it was Bob Hoover and who the heck am I?

Bob, I know exactly what you mean. Mr. Hoover was at Williams AFB checking out in the F-5E to demo it later that year at the '73 Paris Air Show. He was in front of me in the lunch line at the O'Club and as a lowly 2Lt, I did not have the nerve to say hello I was in such awe.
 
Nice tribute Dan. Im not a drinking man, but that was cool. I admired Bob since he had to fight the FAA years ago.
 
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