My early days of flight training was at Torrance, CA KTOA. I had just passed my commercial check ride at the age of 19 and there was RA Hoover with Old Yeller. I told him that I had just passed my checkride. He said hop in the back seat and I will give you a ride. Strapped in and away we went. We flew over the Pacific from offshore PV towards Catalina Island. I got to know Bob even better at the Reno Air Races. He never forgot about giving me a ride. I think Bob was from Tennessee . My later friend Bob Lau,also flown West, was RA's ferry pilots. Driscoll took over from Bob Lau. I got to know Bob Lau very well. He showed me letters of recommendation from RA. Bob Lau ended up flying for Pratt and Whitney and after he retired moved to East TN.. Aviation is a very small world. God Bless Bob RA Hoover for what he has done to advance aviation and to promote aviation to the younger generations!!!! His legacy will live on forever.
Met and talked to Bob at Oshkosh not long before he retired. Chuck Yeager was talking and Bob leaned over to me and said "You can't believe 1/2 of what he was saying."
It’s an honor and a pleasure to say that I have seen Bob Hoover fly his planes in several air shows! It was plain to see that he was one of the best! What a great American and hero he was! Mr. Hoover the world will miss you Sir!
Many years ago, when I was about 19, I had the pleasure to witness Mr. Hoover do his routine with the Shrike. It was amazing. Great pilot and a great man.
I'm lucky to have seen Bob Hoover , Art Scholl ,Patty Wagstaff , Snort , Sean Tucker and all the most talented pilots of our time . But Nobody could be more memorable than Mr. Hoover start out inverted, coming in steep and dead stick quite , with wheels up , whistling by 60 feet over the deck , then pull up, restart the engines and level out. In a civilian twin !!! The GOAT
I had the fortune to be in the pits at Reno in 1974, 6 months out of the USMC, and met Bob. Fascinating man! I returned to Reno in 1979 and couldn't believe he remembered who I was! That trip was tainted with Steve Hinton's crash, but I will never forget the time spent in conversation with Bob Hoover. Greatest pilot ever. RIP, Mr Hoover...
I will always remember Bob Hoover flying his engines out sequence . He did an engine out landing and rolled up to the viewing stands. I can still hear the wind sound as it passed over the rivets. There will never be another Bob Hoover.
I've seen Mr. Hoover fly his airshow routine twice in my life, once as a little boy, and again as an adult in my 30's. What an honor to have seen such a piece of history in action!
It takes something truly special to make a man like Bob Hoover. He was the pilot we didn't deserve, but was fortunate to have to pave the way for modern aviation as we know it. May your skies be forever clear Bob, Rest in Peace aviator.
Truly great documentary, spoiled in post production by the music 😢 The music is well chosen and appropriate - but it tramples over the narration and especially the most important sound - that of the softly spoken Bob Hoover.
I saw Hoover a couple of times, but most memorably with the Shrike routine, which was simply astounding. I have never seen anyone have such mastery over an aircraft. It was if they were one.
I can’t think of a single man that has been a more effective ambassador for aviation than Bob Hoover. He has covered so many areas to influence that community. His exceptional skill was equally matched with his genuineness as a human being. Saw him perform a number of times and I happened to be in Vegas at NBAA in the early 2003s at a restaurant on the strip waiting when behind me I heard that TN drawl and standing there was Bob waiting to be seated, it happened to be his birthday and the people at Shell were giving him a birthday party. I wished him well and he responded as you would expect with that smile and a thank you. What the FAA did to him was unconscionable and I’m glad he finally beat them. R.I.P. Mr Hoover.
My early days of flight training was at Torrance, CA KTOA. I had just passed my commercial check ride at the age of 19 and there was RA Hoover with Old Yeller. I told him that I had just passed my checkride. He said hop in the back seat and I will give you a ride. Strapped in and away we went. We flew over the Pacific from offshore PV towards Catalina Island. I got to know Bob even better at the Reno Air Races. He never forgot about giving me a ride. I think Bob was from Tennessee . My later friend Bob Lau,also flown West, was RA's ferry pilots. Driscoll took over from Bob Lau. I got to know Bob Lau very well. He showed me letters of recommendation from RA. Bob Lau ended up flying for Pratt and Whitney and after he retired moved to East TN.. Aviation is a very small world. God Bless Bob RA Hoover for what he has done to advance aviation and to promote aviation to the younger generations!!!! His legacy will live on forever.
Met and talked to Bob at Oshkosh not long before he retired. Chuck Yeager was talking and Bob leaned over to me and said "You can't believe 1/2 of what he was saying."
It’s an honor and a pleasure to say that I have seen Bob Hoover fly his planes in several air shows! It was plain to see that he was one of the best! What a great American and hero he was! Mr. Hoover the world will miss you Sir!
Many years ago, when I was about 19, I had the pleasure to witness Mr. Hoover do his routine with the Shrike. It was amazing. Great pilot and a great man.
I'm lucky to have seen Bob Hoover , Art Scholl ,Patty Wagstaff , Snort , Sean Tucker and all the most talented pilots of our time . But Nobody could be more memorable than Mr. Hoover start out inverted, coming in steep and dead stick quite , with wheels up , whistling by 60 feet over the deck , then pull up, restart the engines and level out. In a civilian twin !!! The GOAT
And it was narrated by Harrison Ford?! Very nice documentary! What a Legend Hoover was!
It would be a nice documentary if he could hear what Bob is saying. I saw him in 2003 with the shrike Commander
I had the fortune to be in the pits at Reno in 1974, 6 months out of the USMC, and met Bob. Fascinating man! I returned to Reno in 1979 and couldn't believe he remembered who I was! That trip was tainted with Steve Hinton's crash, but I will never forget the time spent in conversation with Bob Hoover. Greatest pilot ever. RIP, Mr Hoover...
I will always remember Bob Hoover flying his engines out sequence . He did an engine out landing and rolled up to the viewing stands. I can still hear the wind sound as it passed over the rivets. There will never be another Bob Hoover.
I've seen Mr. Hoover fly his airshow routine twice in my life, once as a little boy, and again as an adult in my 30's. What an honor to have seen such a piece of history in action!
Thanks for the memories Bob; the finest gentleman and most talented pilot in history; RIP as you fly with the angels👍
RIP Bob Hoover (1922-2016) a national treasure, inspiration to generations, and member of that exclusive club: the right stuff.
It takes something truly special to make a man like Bob Hoover. He was the pilot we didn't deserve, but was fortunate to have to pave the way for modern aviation as we know it. May your skies be forever clear Bob, Rest in Peace aviator.
I sure wish the background music didn't drown out the impeccable Mr. Hoover throughout the duration of this video.
Just plain and simple. My hero. RIP Bob
Truly great documentary, spoiled in post production by the music 😢 The music is well chosen and appropriate - but it tramples over the narration and especially the most important sound - that of the softly spoken Bob Hoover.
I never knew how awesome hoover was until I was in my twenties and man what a awesome pilot and person
I saw Hoover a couple of times, but most memorably with the Shrike routine, which was simply astounding. I have never seen anyone have such mastery over an aircraft. It was if they were one.
I can’t think of a single man that has been a more effective ambassador for aviation than Bob Hoover. He has covered so many areas to influence that community. His exceptional skill was equally matched with his genuineness as a human being. Saw him perform a number of times and I happened to be in Vegas at NBAA in the early 2003s at a restaurant on the strip waiting when behind me I heard that TN drawl and standing there was Bob waiting to be seated, it happened to be his birthday and the people at Shell were giving him a birthday party. I wished him well and he responded as you would expect with that smile and a thank you. What the FAA did to him was unconscionable and I’m glad he finally beat them. R.I.P. Mr Hoover.
I saw Bob fly in 1981 in Medicine Hat , Alberta and was absolutely thrilled !!!