Favourite Airshow Moment
One of the funniest moments I saw at an airshow was at Liverpool (SPEKE) airport in the 70s ???. A Lightning passed the crowd (just under the speed of sound they said later) but he approched from the REAR of the crowd and no-body expected it. I think the person by me had a bowel movement and a baby in a pram jumped out with shock . They can't do that now.
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Lara, VIC.
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BOB HOOVER!
Without a dobt the most amazing display I have ever seen was BOB HOOVER at AVALON, I think around 2001.
He did this amazing display in a SHRIKE MASTER twin. Shut down both engines at about 3000'. Then performed a full glide aerobatic display under the guise of "ENERGY MANAGEMENT."
The climax was: follwing his dead stick landing he rolled up to the commentator on the strip who held out his hand. BOB stopped the AC with the stationary starboard spinner against the commentators out stretched hand.
SCUTTLEBUT says that after the display the AC had to be towed to the hangar where all the oil was drained from both engines and replaced as the AERO routine with engines off caused oil to go everywhere.
Also the rumour mill says that Australian Aviation refused initially to let HOOVER fly until he took up a CASA testing officer and wowed him with his ability. This man is a ledgend, not flying now but I will never forget his display!!
He did this amazing display in a SHRIKE MASTER twin. Shut down both engines at about 3000'. Then performed a full glide aerobatic display under the guise of "ENERGY MANAGEMENT."
The climax was: follwing his dead stick landing he rolled up to the commentator on the strip who held out his hand. BOB stopped the AC with the stationary starboard spinner against the commentators out stretched hand.
SCUTTLEBUT says that after the display the AC had to be towed to the hangar where all the oil was drained from both engines and replaced as the AERO routine with engines off caused oil to go everywhere.
Also the rumour mill says that Australian Aviation refused initially to let HOOVER fly until he took up a CASA testing officer and wowed him with his ability. This man is a ledgend, not flying now but I will never forget his display!!
Gnome de PPRuNe
Join Date: Jan 2002
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Mike, correct!
Pall, I think it must have been earlier than 2001 as, so far as I can recall, Bob flew his last Shrike display in 2000 before grounding himself - I saw him fly at Reno in 1999, as you say, awesome!
He was actually grounded by the FAA in the early 90s on some medical pretext or other, and while a campaign was fought in the USA to get his medical back, CASA allowed him to fly in Australia - must have been about 1994?
Very sad that he didn't peform in the UK; I'd loved to have seen his act in the P-51D.
Pall, I think it must have been earlier than 2001 as, so far as I can recall, Bob flew his last Shrike display in 2000 before grounding himself - I saw him fly at Reno in 1999, as you say, awesome!
He was actually grounded by the FAA in the early 90s on some medical pretext or other, and while a campaign was fought in the USA to get his medical back, CASA allowed him to fly in Australia - must have been about 1994?
Very sad that he didn't peform in the UK; I'd loved to have seen his act in the P-51D.
Bob Hoover's aerobatic displays with both engines feathered certainly put paid to the myth of shock cooling of piston engines. He used stock standard Shrike's I believe and I haven't heard of any operator refusing to lend him a Shrike for his displays because of shock cooling concerns.
The PFA tent at Cranfield. At one end, their Airships are pretending to be unable to hear and see the display occurring at the other end, which consists of a gang of lads, having lined up a row of trestle tables and sloshing them down with beer, then attempting "carrier" landings on their beer-swollen bellies, on the tables. The first guy tripped just before touchdown and head-butted the edge of the table, the second and third made good landings "on" but slid off the sides and the fourth made a perfect landing and sailed off the other end. Another tried to land with the t-shirt pulled over his face but had a disasterous crash into a pile of empty beer bottles. Absolutely priceless to see!
regards
TDD
regards
TDD
Just found this link to Bob Hoover video (it starts about one third of the way through the clip, stick with it to see THE lowest pass ever!)
http://www.airviolence.com/e107_file...ow/finally.mov
http://www.airviolence.com/e107_file...ow/finally.mov
Gnome de PPRuNe
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Too close to Croydon for comfort
Age: 60
Posts: 12,637
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He actually wiped off the belly aerials at one show...
