Customer Reviews

Forever Flying

5 star:		(29)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I greatly enjoyed this candid autobiography by one of the great pilots of all time. The writing style may not be great art, but the authentic, gritty stories gave you a clear sense of some of the most exciting adventures you could imagine. I gained great respect for the man and found myself laughing out loud at many of his tales. I recommend it highly, and not just for pilots or aviation enthusiasts.

R.A. "Bob" Hoover is a Living Legend of Aviation and a true American hero! His greatest contribution to the world of aviation has most likely been as a test pilot. Test pilots are a rare and brave breed. They are paid to put their lives on the line so that pilots who follow them, as well as passengers, do not.

There is an saying that "There are old pilots and there are bold pilots, but there are no old, bold pilots." Hoover comes very close to disproving that piece of wisdom, but in fact what appears to be boldness on his part is usually the result of careful analysis and planning. He understands the limitations of what he can accomplish and he does not accept what he considers to be an unacceptable risk. Because of that he has lived into his eighties and become a legend among those of us who revere the world of flight.

His is a life well lived and he has seen them all at one time or another from Charles Lindberg, Roscoe Turner, and Amelia Earhart to Jimmy Doolittle, Chuck Yeagar, Neil Armstrong, Wally Schirrah and a host of other well known aviation names.

His autobiography is somewhat unassuming, although there is certainly an element of pride and awe in his description of what he has accomplished, not the least of which was a very trying and near fatal experience as a prisoner of war, during WW2 which had nothing to do with flying and everything to do with being a man of integrity.

Oh, does he have stories to tell and he does it with the same enthusiasm he brought to his profession. He is simply an American icon and this book is a real treasure.

I never realized how connected Bob Hoover was to the fabric of aviation as well as the United States. This was a book I could not put down. The stories of his early test pilot days, WWII and later test piloting were rivoting. It was amazing how he was remarkably able to recover some from very nasty situations. He has crashed more planes than I have flown.

I AM AN AUSTRALIAN AND I VISITED OSHKOSH IN 1997 WITH MY WIFE AND HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF SEEING BOB HOOVER FLY.I HEARD BOB AND CHUCK YEAGER TALK AND RIB EACH OTHER, AS ONLY GOOD FRIENDS AND PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE GREATEST RESPECT
FOR EACH OTHER CAN DO.THIS BOOK IS A REAL TREASURE.IT REVEALS THE SKILL AND BRAVERY OF THIS VERY SPECIAL MAN.IT ALSO SHOWS THE CHARACTER ,FORTITUDE AND STRENGTH OF BOB HOOVER,COUPLED WITH HIS LOVE FOR HIS COUNTRY; AS INDICATED WHEN HE TOLD TWO YOUNG BOYS ,WHO WERE SEATED, TO STAND WHEN THE NATIONAL ANTHEM WAS BEING PLAYED...SOMETHING PEOPLE TODAY NEED TO VALUE.I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO EVERY PERSON WHO LOVES FLYING ,BECAUSE BOB REALLY COVERED IT ALL.

I've been a big fan of Bob Hoover for years and think that he is a remarkable aviator. Unfortunately Mr. Hoovers aeronautical skills don't carry over to his writing. This book is a quick and enjoyable read but it suffers from poor editing. Hoover and his ghost writer repeat themselves through out the book and the writing has more choppiness and air turbulence than a J-3 Cub flying in the wake of a 747. In spite of these short comings I enjoyed Mr. Hoover's literary effort and am awed by his accomplishments.

Written in a direct, interesting manner, this was a very intriguing book. I grew up around the largest Air Force base in the U.S., so I know how cocky fly boys can be, but Bob is the most humble of men. Then again, those whose work speaks for itself don't have to brag. I saw him fly at an airshow when I was about 7, and I still remember it vividly. The spins and turns, the soundless moments when he'd turn off the engine, the tall man with the great hat! Even though the book is engaging, I wish he would have included more stories about his wife and children. Bob is an important person in American History, and it is amazing to think of all of the aviators he has known. What a life!

Hoover, called by Chuck Yeager "The greatest pilot I ever saw", in his incredible career barnstormed in an E-2 Taylor Cub, escaped from the Nazis in a stolen Focke-Wulf 190, flew combat over North Korea, test-flew supersonic jets, and was regarded by Jimmy Doolittle as "the greatest stick-and-ruddr man who ever lived".
The winner of practically every flying award, Hoover also knew everyone from Orville Wright to Neil Armstrong and has been seen by millions in his aerobatic careen at all the major air shows.
His story, entertainingly told here, is not only his personal history, but also the history of American aviation for the last sixty years. Highly recommended for aviation buffs and lovers of tales of true personal adventure.

(The numerical rating above is a default setting within Amazon's format. This reviewer does not employ numerical ratings.)

As a retired jet fighter pilot, I think this book could have used a fact checker and a good proof reader. The author was wrong about too many things, including aircraft carrier landings, dive bombing, getting shot down and the Navy pushing an aircraft over the side so that he could land. He wrote "Once I recovered from the anxiety of the first landing [on the carrier], I completed eight or ten more that day." Any pilot who has ever made a carrier landing, including me, will tell you that anxiety is routine on every landing, especially the night landings. He wrote "...I dropped at least a hundred bombs from the F-86 over the Edwards Air Force Base bombing range. Using the new sighting system, I put most of them squarely in the center of the target." Any pilot who has dropped bombs from a diving jet would be extremely happy with 50% of them "squarely in the center of the target." And it would probably be a World Record. During WWII, the Navy pushed many combat-damaged aircraft over the side of the carrier in order to clear the deck for landing the other planes, but I know that they didn't push one over in peacetime in the Gulf of Mexico. I also have trouble with his repetitious boasting that he was never bested in a friendly dogfight by anyone, yet he was shot down on the first mission he encountered enemy fighters. Maybe it's true but hard to believe. Also, I'm sure the Czechs would be surprised to learn Bob Hoover invented the Lomcevak. He even spelled it wrong.
Bob Hoover didn't need to embellish his life story. The truth should impress almost any reader, but for some reason he decided to add a few things that he thought would make his history more interesting. Not a wise choice in my view.

This book isn't a masterpiece, but it does tell the story of one of america's best pilots. It tells the life of Bob Hoover from his eyes. The stories he tells are almost unbelievable! It was a very entertaining book, i could hardly put it down, and i would recommend it for anyone who is interested in aviation, especially those who like to hear great stories of how aviation has changed over the years.

Great read for a pilot, especially if you have seen him fly. Might not be as enjoyable for a non pilot.