Bertie the Bunyip wrote:
Matt Whiting wrote in
:

Dudley Henriques wrote:
Matt Whiting wrote:
I've constantly tried to
increase my smoothness to better emulate Bob, knowing full well it
simply isn't possible to even get close. However, it is fun trying
and it was fun seeing what near perfection looked like.

Actually it is possible to approach the smoothness of Bob Hoover.
Although Bob is one of the finest pure stick drivers I've ever seen,
there is nothing magical or even difficult about the way Hoover
handles an airplane. What Bob does is based on a solid knowledge of
control dynamics and an ability to predict based on hundreds of hours
of concentrated practice.
Bob would be the first to tell you that after all the fan fare about
his flying ability has been considered, what it all boils down to is
using the simple basics correctly.
It's as simple as that. ANY pilot possessing normal coordination
skills and the desire to learn how to do things correctly coupled
with a mind set that is geared to practice can fly an airplane every
bit as smoothly and expertly as a Bob Hoover.
I don't dispute that, but I also think there is some natural
coordination and sensory skills that must be possessed also. I've
seen many different aerobatic pilots fly and have seen none that
seemed the equal of Bob. If anyone truly could do it, it seems like
more would have.

There have been many over the years. He's that little bit better than
mmost, but there are others out there as good. They don't do the sort of
fying he does and you reall need to be into aerobatics to appreciate
what they're doing, but I still maintain that Duane Cole was at least as
good.
Hoover's also been lucky, as I'm sure he would tell you himself. He's
rolled an awful lot of airplanes into litle balls over the years. that's
al part of his experience, of course.


Bertie


I actually arranged to loan him "Miss America" at Transpo in 72 after he
put his own 51 down on one foot when his gear malfunctioned on him
during a practice flight. He hardly dinged the prop when he landed it.
Damn good job!
Howie only had one restriction that we put on Bob. No one wheel
landings! No matter how good you are, putting a 51 down on one strut and
then the other might very well require a Rockwell expense account to get
the oleos straightened out again if the wind is just right. :-))
Anyway, Hoover's one hell of a pilot, but I agree with you that Duane
was extremely smooth as well.......as are many other professionals
including one my wife knows quite well :-))
D



--
Dudley Henriques