The aviation world will assemble Feb. 21 at Paramount Studios in Hollywood to honor Bob Hoover, the legendary pilot who was called the “greatest stick and rudder pilot who ever lived,” by Jimmy Doolittle.
Some individual tickets are still available for the celebration of Hoover’s legacy, according to organizers.
By MATT FERRARI
This summer at Oshkosh, I was walking along with my daughter Kate, listening to her explain the layout of the AirVenture grounds along with the “have to dos” and the “must sees” to her cousin Nate, who was a first-timer at Oshkosh. The heat that day was almost overwhelming and I was feeling the tops of my ears, flying a loose formation just outside my ball cap, searing in the mid-day sun. I was having visions of a Bob Hoover style big-brimmed straw hat and the shaded relief that it would provide when I noticed a golf cart coming our way.
Next thing I know, I’m eyeball to eyeball with Bob Hoover himself! As he approached, I waved and yelled “Hi ya, Mr. Hoover!” Either out of shock or just curiosity, he decided to stop and say hello. I asked him if I could get a picture of the kids with him. He smiled that Bob Hoover smile and said, “Why sure, I’d be glad to.”
Distinguished as one of the most versatile pilots in the history of powered flight, aviation icon Clay Lacy will be honored by the Aero Club of Southern California with its prestigious Howard Hughes Memorial Award on Wednesday, Feb. 8. Famed test and aerobatic pilot Bob Hoover will present the award in recognition of Lacy’s achievements spanning over six decades.
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