Favorite Aerobatic pilot

[kenf]

Re: Favorite Aerobatic pilot

There is no question that all of those mentioned are/were great and unforgetable. But emotionally, I cannot hear Lee Greenwood sing "God Bless the USA" without my mind's eye seeing Rick Brickert in the Red Knight.

[JET1]

easy....

R A Robert Hoover or 'hooverbob' I have been lucky enough (read OLD enough) to have flown with him in all the airshow aircraft he has worked his magic in. I guess I am biased as ALL of the guys and girls who do this are amazingly talented.

[Big_Jim]

Re: Favorite Aerobatic pilot

There is no question that all of those mentioned are/were great and unforgetable. But emotionally, I cannot hear Lee Greenwood sing "God Bless the USA" without my mind's eye seeing Rick Brickert in the Red Knight.

Props to that!

[Sneauxman]

Re: Favorite Aerobatic pilot

There are three in my book. Jimmy Franklin flying anything. Mr Hoover in the Shrike (viewed 139 times without boredom). Wayne Handley in the Turbo Raven. Of course there have been many from Art and his contemporaries to whoever flew at Reno in '10. But these guys could make anything fly and sing. They all showed bravado and native talent.
Long live the kings!

[Reever]

Re: Favorite Aerobatic pilot

Every pilot listed is and was AWESOME! The wildest routine I have ever witnessed was Jimmy Franklin in the Waco with the jet engine mounted under the fuse.

[Leo]

Re: Favorite Aerobatic pilot

You can't choose just one!
My personal favorite was Lefty in a blue sky, a few puffies around and that great classical music mixed with the allisons. Chills...
Second in the graceful category to me would be Brickert in the Red Knight. I too, cannot hear that song without the images coming back.
Third would be Art Scholl. It was just plain graceful and pretty.
I always admired and enjoyed Hoover, even when it seemed like the Shrike show took forever. Bob Love did a good demo in the mustang also.
Handley, Leo, Tucker, etc. all had something different to offer that made a part of their show special.
The all time wildest for me was Jimmy Franklin, solo or dueling. That inverted flat spin to a low pullout was SCARY! That big Waco wrapping up tight with smoke everywhere and the engine screaming. My favorite maneuver of all.

[Big_Jim]

Re: Favorite Aerobatic pilot

You can't choose just one!
My personal favorite was Lefty in a blue sky, a few puffies around and that great classical music mixed with the allisons. Chills...
Second in the graceful category to me would be Brickert in the Red Knight. I too, cannot hear that song without the images coming back.
Third would be Art Scholl. It was just plain graceful and pretty.
I always admired and enjoyed Hoover, even when it seemed like the Shrike show took forever. Bob Love did a good demo in the mustang also.
Handley, Leo, Tucker, etc. all had something different to offer that made a part of their show special.
The all time wildest for me was Jimmy Franklin, solo or dueling. That inverted flat spin to a low pullout was SCARY! That big Waco wrapping up tight with smoke everywhere and the engine screaming. My favorite maneuver of all.

The reason Hoover's Shrike routine seemed to take so long was the climb to do the Energy Management Series. If I remember, they usually had some other 'routine' inbetween parts 1 and 2 of Hoover's routine.

And as far as I'm concerned, the EMS was worth the wait...every time.

[f1-69]

Re: Favorite Aerobatic pilot

leo in the budlight 200 was hard to beat never more than 3 sec in between maneuvers

[Reever]

Re: Favorite Aerobatic pilot

Bobby Bishop in the BD5J! He put on a great show at Shafter!

Steve

[Shawn Aro]

Re: Favorite Aerobatic pilot

saw it at the Livermore in 1981 Steve Rosenburg in the Blue max corsair John Herliley? dont no if i spelled his last name correctly in the Mustang This Is it and a bear cat Bob Love and at Madera Frank Sanders in 924 sea fury. shawn

[Jeffro]

Re: Favorite Aerobatic pilot

A lot of GREAT nominees here! There is one however that I did not see mentioned. I have attached a video of the performance where I was introduced to the incredible John Mohr. What this man can do with a bone stock Stearman is just unbelieveable. If you ever get the chance to see this man fly in person do not miss it!

http://www.airshowbuzz.com/go/view/video/lweDkwMjozsMhZ_mwAv6Q83ApB85ZjLP

[Shawn Aro]

Re: Favorite Aerobatic pilot

I am suprise no one said anything about Jim Raymond in the Omni Gang T-6 i really never saw him perform thought shawn

[tim]

Re: Favorite Aerobatic pilot

Best aerobatic show, Jeff Lo, 2006, turn 5 I think....

[Bill@Interstell]

Re: Favorite Aerobatic pilot

Mr. Robert A. (Bob) Hoover.

32 point rolls in the mustang. I can't remember what year is was that the wind was blowing 45 degrees across the runway at 45 knots, but the shrike show was just unbelievable..

[deepsky]

Re: Favorite Aerobatic pilot

I have thought long hard about this since this post first came up. I have to say that Art Scholl and Bob Hover are most definatly tied for #1. Wayne Handley is definatly in the #2 spot.