Bob was my grandfather. When I was going to high school in Torrance je taughtt me how to fly when he wasn't doing airshow. By the time I graduated high school in 1982 I had my commercial IFR Multi. After going to Riddle in Prescott I've been flying for Netjets since 1986.

I have been to many airshows since I was a kid in the 80s. Many times I saw Bob Hoover fly in his Shrike. I regret to say that I kind of brushed it off, because I wanted to see the Blue Angels and all of the other military aircraft. I had no idea how much of an absolute badass this man was. It wasn't until I became an adult, and unfortunately never again had the chance to see him fly, that I learned about who Bob Hoover really was. An absolute legend. The story of him stealing the FW-190 and escaping Germany in WWII - my God.

One of the all-time greats of aviation. A true gentleman too.

Stuff like this is the best part about youtube. Videos that would be lost to time without it.

I saw him perform live! Greatest pilot in the world!

I got to meet and talk to Bob H back at an EAA fly in back in the 60's when they were still small and personal before they moved to Oshkosh. Even got to sit in Paul P's P-64. He recognized me from the many Sunday afternoons at the rather small museum in Hales Corners.

Simply one of the greatest. A inspiration for me, my entire career ! You will always be remembered, Mr Hoover !

I've seen him ABSOLUTELY Beyond Pushing the limits.. in the Mid 70's ! Yes I was about 12.. But I grew up W/an Uncle, ARMY Aircore/ USAF P-51 Pilot, Who grew up as a "Barnstormer" ! Dad was a Pilot. Also. Hanging around, initially @ Opa Loca Airport, I met other kids dad's who owned all sorts of Aircraft. Back then there were Many Warbirds ! The things I saw, & Did... on this Planet.. I'm Blessed.

Master of energy management... beautiful flying.

I had the opportunity to watch Bob Hoover several times at air shows. Amazing pilot!

Bob Hoover said Chuck Yeager is the best pilot he's ever known, and Chuck Yeager said the same about Bob. They were both right. Wright Flyer, USAF (1968-1972).

I had the great privilege of seeing him in Arlington Washington way back.... I couldn't believe my eyes. What he did with a pickup truck with wings was incredible.

There are many great examples of man being at one with his machine. Bob was beyond even that.

There's a reason you don't see this kind of aerobatics at airshows anymore.....pilots are not skilled enough to do them. Greatest stick and rudder man of all time. RIP Bob. Had the pleasure of seeing Bob and Old Yeller perform in the summer of 68 or 69 at a small airport in League City, Texas (not there anymore). I was mesmerized by the skill and of course the sound of the wonderful P51 Mustang.

I saw him perform at a small show just like this in Georgia. One of the best pilots ever and a great man too.

Amazing. Was fortunate to see this aircraft at the Udvar-Hazy Air and Space Museum annex. A fitting memorial for a pilot's pilot.

That’s incredible! Amazing airmanship.

I saw Bob do this at Airshow 77 Harlingen Tx. Spactacular show.

What a magnificent aircraft and the most spectacular flying I've ever seen. Man and his machine are ONE.

Had the pleasure of seeing the great Hoover do this in person a couple of times......absolute perfection.......

2 words for mr. Hoover. Simply amazing. ..

saw Mr. Hoover fly that beauty upside down about 10 feet off the ground a few times back in the 70s. always a great show.

Loved it when he took off in "Ol' Yeller" and made that victory roll as he left the Air Show.

The man is a legend, but let's not forget about this civilian aircraft that was never intended to do these kinds of aerobatics ..... it's a magnificent piece of engineering.

I saw Mr. Hoover fly this routine with his Shrike at air shows several times. My dad got a real kick out of it because the Aero Commander Shrike was one of the fleet of business aircraft at the corporation my dad worked for, and he got to ride in regularly. :-) My brother and I met Mr. Hoover and got a quick photo with him at Oshkosh back in 98. Amazing even now to watch what he could do with a twin engine aircraft. :-))

What sublime skill, what an aviator, what an excellent bloke he was.

that's the most beautiful landing I've ever seen, so smooth!

Still remember the first time I saw this flight in the eightys.

Человек удивительного таланта, удивительных чувств, и невероятной судьбы!

A master of managing the plane's energy!

Watched the original one you posted before, and this one popped up on my feed. Thanks for sharing - always enjoy watching Bob fly.

I was fortunate enough to see mr Hoover at the Atlantic City air show I believe in 1985 I will never forget it!

As a former Aero Commander pilot. Hail to the King..

Hey, missed the guy rushing up with a fresh class of water as Hoover rolled to a dead stick stop!

Bob "no engine, no problem" Hoover. Definitely an aviation legend!!!

Holy smokes! I was at this show when I was 13! Thanks for posting this and bringing back a distant memory

Best stick and rudder man who ever graced us with his presence...

Bob Hoover sits at the top of the pedestal to me. The quintessential pilot.

No one could fly an airplane with both engines out like this guy. Just amazing.

This aircraft probably had one of the best sounding engines

Bob Hoover was friends with my dad Torrance airport. I got to go up with Him 1 day. He had his dog sitting there In the seat as We were doing Rolls and Loops

wow what an absolutely incredible pilot

It's crazy we was still flying when the propellers were not moving

That man was an F'ing LEGEND! The stuff he could do with an aircraft would make you shake your head in disbelief. He was also Chuck Yeager's backup pilot on the Bell X-1 and flew the chase plane during Yeager's successful Mach 1 run......

Thank you for share! LEGEND!!!

I saw him at Cable Field in SoCal years ago in such a plane when I was in my teens. The man was incrededible.

I saw Mr. Hoover blow an engine in Lefties(?) P38 at Bridgeport TX in the late '80s. He the borrowed a GARBAGE PILE of a Beech Baron and did a very similar show to this show. The first pass was inverted, both engines feathered, 2feet off the ground the entire length of the runway. The memory is so foggy in my mind, that I suspect I'm making it up! Dreamed up or real, it was the finest piece of airmanship.... and showmanship , I have ever seen. Does anyone else remember this event? Todd

Never been any pilot like him since.

Bob was the real deal. Probably the best pilot ever.

I have flown for over 40 years and still consider Bob Hoover the greatest pilot of all time. Chuck Yeager agrees with me.

This fucking fucking insane!! 64 years old performing a ridiculously difficult airshow routine wearing a damn suit!! The smoothness and grace that he flies with is awe-inspiring... What a legend

I saw him once at the Dayton Air Fair. As he said... it's all about energy management!

nobody could do those maneuvers in that Shrike but Bob. You basically are taking your life in your own hands and asking for trouble...unless you are Bob Hoover. Saw him at air shows for years and years and years.

The BEST Stick and Rudder MAN Mr. BOB HOOVER !! Ì didn't know U BOB but I admire your FLYING and I wish U could have been my FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR !! Indeed !!!

He was a master of energy management.

I saw Bob perform at Miramar NAS. He had a mechanical problem on his Shrike. The nose gear got hung up and would not come down. Bob landed the plane skidded on the nose to a stop at center line of the show. Got out of his plane and waved to the crowd like no big deal. All I can say is what a great pilot!!!

Most likely one of the very very best pilots in the history of the world......

That man is flying the aircraft, he’s not just along for the ride top three greatest of all time or most likely the greatest ever

God flies a Shrike Commander.

he is the standard of supreme aviation, navigation, and communications. shrike...best non-mil prop a/c ever.

An absolute legend.

And now it's an eight point roll while pouring himself a nice refreshing glass of iced tea, and there's four and five, and six and seven,

2,000+ hrs in the 500B as a “freight Dog” back in the mid to late 80’s. Oh how I LOVE that aircraft! Easily my favorite of everything I’ve flown. (Well, that and the good old Aeronca Champ). But, who’s the best pilot you ever saw? Watch’n this video...you’re looking at him!

Oh Wow ,,, I was at this air show .

The swagger on this man holy cow!

It dosen´t get any better!

He truly had "The Right Stuff".

I was at that airshow!

Sorry another post. This guy was an actual BIRD! I can fly aeroplanes but will NEVER have such intuitive feel for the air. What a gift to humanity and I have said it before but GOD BLESS AMERICA, whether secular or not.

Wow. How he recovers from the powerful winds that day for that landing and that day

What. A. Legend.

Best pilot ever in history

That looks like great fun!

This is crazy cool!!

The Zen of Stick & Rudder. No pilot was better.

It could be apocryphal but I remember hearing that when Hoover retired from the air show circuit, no one really entertained the idea of having a successor to his demonstration because the air show underwriters didn't trust anyone else to do what Hoover was doing in that Shrike Commander. It was extremely dangerous envelope pushing flying the feathered edge stuff. I believe a saw an interview with a modern military test pilot explained also, what hoover was doing in that plane, is almost unexplainable.

Did the aircraft have strengthened wing spars for aerobatic manoevres? In NZ in the early days the smaller Aero Commander had wing spar issues just in normal flight, with wing separations happening on occasions, and people lost confidence in them.

I do like to see any preserved video of Bob Hoover's airshows. However, the title of this video is inaccurate....it is so very obviously NOT the "full flight", as many sections are missing, and it is clearly not in HD/High Definition, and although the low resolution original might have been uploaded as HD, it is still low definition.

Good show Bob!!!

Are there any pilots today who are as skilled as Bob Hoover was?

I remember a reporter asked bob if his show was particularly tricky for him to perform and bob just laughed and said, “ No not at all, for most of the show the engines are on.”

I've seen Bob Hoover perform the engine out roll to landing in a Shrike Commander, complete with an engine start and taxi back on the runway, in Harlingen, Texas. It was back in the pre-"socially correct" days when the Confederate Air Force still existed and was HQ'd in Harlingen, Texas. I was an air traffic controller with the Confederate Air Force, with the rank of colonel, as all of us had, in those days. I frequently flew my T-6 Texan or P-51 Mustang with them., and have flown in their "Tora, Tora, Tora" show. I, along with about 75% of the CAF membership, left when the decision was made to move HQ wing to the tourist metropolis of Midland, Texas, against a negative membership vote, despite the city of Memphis essentially offering us the entire Sparta AFB and offering to pay the utilities. Sorry, but I can only see three reasons to get off the interstate in Midland, and all three can be accomplished at any gas station. Buy gas, use the restroom, grab something to drink or nibble on. The Confederate Air Force rapidly failed, lost over 2/3 of their aircraft, and became the Commemorative Air Force, largely unknown today. They used to have the only flying B-29, FiFi. Can't even claim that today. Doc is in much better shape and flies more. B-17 and B-25 rides today are a dime a dozen. I'm left and right seat rated on both aircraft.

Rockwell Commander was one of the best aircraft ever made.

I saw the show in Torrance the announcer mentioned. I also saw Bill Russel vs Wilt Chamberlin, OJ Simpson playing H S ball. Mohamed Ali. And I saw a Bigfoot. Seriously

SHRIKE SO PRETTY!

This was a modified aircraft. But the commander has always had a good glide rate.

Glass of tea , General ?

This guy knew how to do long hand math with a pencil and paper. A lot.

Did he use to fly a yellow P51? If it is him I saw him in an air show at the Homestead Air Force base many years ago. I remember we’ll because he did the same type of landing in the Aero Commander and later when they tried to move it the engines wouldn’t start . This man also flew a yellow P51 and left on it at the end of the show.

Is that Dan Johnson doing the announcing?

What a Great American.

Born to fly

The real Top gun Maverick , he even stole a plane behind enemy lines to get back home.

Even the lord sighed & shook his head 7:12

The Pilot’s Pilot....

What a saber dance 😍

All of that dressed like a gentleman!

Bob Hoover flying was very impressive with both engines shut down. Bob Hoover's performance would've been no less impressive with the announcer's mouth shut down.

i love it

Why a shrike?..I dont know that much about airplanes...seems like there would be better aerobatic airplanes. Or, is that the point?