NBAA just announced plans to honor Bob Hoover with its Meritorious Service to Aviation Award at its October convention. Were so glad. He deserves every accolade. Take a moment to read an excerpt from NBAAs press release, and youll agree. Famed air show pilot Bob Hoover has had a long and distinguished career, first as a combat aviator during World War II, then serving as a military and civilian test pilot and longtime air show performer. Recognized by his signature wide-brimmed straw hat, Hoover is often referred to as “the pilots’ pilot.” Jimmy Doolittle, a fellow aviation pioneer who served in the United States Air Force, called Hoover “the greatest stick-and-rudder man who ever lived.” During World War II, Hoover was shot down and spent 16 months as a prisoner of war before escaping by commandeering a German fighter. Upon returning to the United States, he evaluated captured enemy aircraft and flight-tested U.S. combat airplanes, including the first jets. As an alternate pilot for the supersonic Bell X-1, Hoover flew the chase plane when Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier in 1947. During his military career, Hoover’s citations include the Distinguished Flying Cross, Purple Heart, the Legion of Merit and the Prisoner of War Medal, among others. After leaving the Air Force in 1948, Hoover became a civilian test pilot, working for North American Aviation and Rockwell International for more than three decades. Considered a founder of modern aerobatics, Hoover, who has piloted more than 300 types of aircraft, is best known for his jaw-dropping aerial demonstrations in the P-51 Mustang and Shrike Commander. Enshrined in the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 1988, Hoover regularly attends NBAAs annual convention, where he joins other legendary aviators in presenting the National Aviation Hall of Fame’s Combs Gates Award, which is named for business aviation leaders Harry Combs and John Gates, and recognizes aviation history, research and preservation efforts. Commenting on the award to Hoover, NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen said, “Bob Hoover is well established as one of the world’s most accomplished aviators. He has been an inspiration to multiple generations of pilots, including business aviators, and has been an active participant in NBAA’s convention for many years. We are honored to bestow upon him our Association’s highest honor, in recognition of his long, illustrious career.”
Posted on: Wed, 06 Aug 2014 15:19:24 +0000
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