Hello Friends,
Bob Hoover has always been my favorite airshow pilot...bar none!!
I have just finished reading his book FOREVER FLYING and it gives you incredible insight to his life as a kid, in the Army Air Corps and shot down....and then his career as a test pilot along with the story as to why Chuck Yeager flew the Bell X-1 through the Speed of Sound before Bob!! Great book available on Amazon....mine is an autographed copy to a previous owner....it's still Bob's signature. You will enjoy it!!
I have several of his videos and a large print hanging in my office of his Yellow Mustang opening a Reno Air Race....signed by artist and Bob Hoover.
Here is the latest to come from the HOOVER Camp and I have it on order, I think you will enjoy it!! A new DVD called FLYING the FEATHERED EDGE.

www.thebobhooverproject.com

Follow us on social media:
https://www.facebook.com/TheBobHooverProject
https://twitter.com/FlyngFethrdEdge
http://www.youtube.com/thepilotspilot

Cheers,

AND . . .

He flew a "Commander"

Amongst a plethora of other aircraft...

In the airshows...predominantly and most famous the SHRIKE Commander....on 2 engines, then 1 engine, then NO engines....loops, 8 point hesitation rolls, and landing with taxi to the crowd!
The other two in shows, the Yellow Mustang, and a North American Sabreliner- Biz Jet (T-39)but I have also seen him fly F-86, T-33....but if you want a real list...read FOREVER FLYING!!
Cheers

Saw him flying the Shrike Commander many years ago at the air show in Medford, Oregon. What a pilot!

Anyone who would take a Shrike Commander and perform aerobatics had huge balls considering so many of them fell out of the sky due to spar fatigue.

quote:

Originally posted by Opus1:
Anyone who would take a Shrike Commander and perform aerobatics had huge balls considering so many of them fell out of the sky due to spar fatigue.

That's part of the magic of Bob's Shrike performance. He did all he did in that Commander without ever pulling any G forces that were anywhere near the limit of the airframe. That takes talent....

His airplanes also got some very special attention in the maintenance department I'm sure.

Can't wait for that DVD to come out!

Bill-

It is available now. Just click on the links I put in the original post, you can order on line.

Cheers,

Yes, that is true on the early failures....and exactly why North American Rockwell, where he was employed as a test pilot, had him doing the airshows....to cancel the early fears of failure the aircraft had.
That said, the Aero Commander was also the ONLY twin piston aircraft ever certified for Presidential flights and Eisenhower used one extensively!!
They are great airplanes....and if you like a cheap and fast Biz aircraft, the Turbine Commanders...especially the 900 and 1000 series really fit that bill....and are rock solid IFR platforms....
Cheers,

I used to fly a 500B with IO540s on it. It was far and away the nicest light piston twin I've ever flown.

quote:

Surestrike- I agree completely!! Loved flying the 500S years ago...and if avgas wasn't $5-6/gal I still would!! When I was flying them we were paying $0.35-.50/gal!!
Wonder what the huge drop in crude will do to avgas....and also JetA....and will airline prices come down too??
Cheers,

quote:

and will airline prices come down too??

I'm guessing no.