Who is THE pilot?

mcrit · Post by **mcrit** » Thu May 20, 2004 7:54 pm

OK, who do people think is THE pilot of all time? (You can't nominate yourself

). I'm going to nominate Bob Hoover. I saw him do his aerobatic routine in the Commander when I was a kid. Anybody that can do that, I bow to!

... · Post by **...** » Thu May 20, 2004 8:23 pm

This guy ain't

flynfiddle · Post by **flynfiddle** » Thu May 20, 2004 10:59 pm

I nominate . Yeager

DA900 · Post by **DA900** » Thu May 20, 2004 11:39 pm

I have to go with Max Ward. After dealing with Air Canada and the Government I can't believe he stayed with aviation that long!

Wasn't Me · Post by **Wasn't Me** » Fri May 21, 2004 4:36 am

Roger Ram Jet is the Man. He had his own song TV show and great uniform. Those other guys were smart but Roger had to do it with no brains lack of class and ignorance much like most of us.

Also thinking of Shy King I still think He and Penny were an Item.

... · Post by **...** » Fri May 21, 2004 5:30 am

2 Votes Roger Ramjet

mysidesdone · Post by **mysidesdone** » Fri May 21, 2004 6:05 am

Capt S&J

Bcn-In-Bnd · Post by **Bcn-In-Bnd** » Fri May 21, 2004 6:10 am

. Yeager?!

I hope you are joking.
Have you read his book(s) or seen seen him talk.
-the trouble with .-ls is HE thinks he is the all time best pilot.

I am Birddog,
where do you get that suff from

CLguy · Post by **CLguy** » Fri May 21, 2004 6:18 am

My vote goes to "I am Birddog" although he is not nearly as good looking as the rest of them, the stuff Bob Hoover does with a Commander, we watch him do that daily over a fire!!!

Of course Hoover's is planned and controlled!!

Cat Driver · Post by **Cat Driver** » Fri May 21, 2004 7:33 am

My vote goes to Bob Hoover.

Bob is smooth and predicitable in all his shows and I can still see him rolling the commander right after take off with the gear still down...impressive, very impressive.

Cat

Kurwa · Post by **Kurwa** » Fri May 21, 2004 8:40 am

When I clicked on this thread, I was expecting to see stuff about when it's a 2 crew operation and either the pax or customs ask: "Which one of you is THE pilot"...I wouldn't have even thought of responding with the likes of . or Bob...but man, what a great response to likely THE most annoying question I get at work! I usually find my self limited to either myself or THE OTHER pilot.

hz2p · Post by **hz2p** » Fri May 21, 2004 8:55 am

Lincoln Beachey (pre-WWI airshow pilot). What a guy. You have to remember how little was known about aviation back then.

Glenn Curtiss (who did a lot more for aviation than the Wright Bros, imho). He didn't die in a plane crash, which is incredible given what he did.

Stuart Harrison (if I recall his name correctly) will almost certainly be unknown to all of you here. However, to the best of my knowledge, he is the only pilot of any nationality that successfully landed a jet deadstick (flamed out) on a carrier, a feat surpassing anything in commercial aviation.

Bob Hoover is almost too easy a pick. A superb pilot, despised and envied by the feds who carried on a lifelong campaign against him.

Delmar Benjamin and Tex Johnston are worthy of mention as well.

Panama Jack · Post by **Panama Jack** » Fri May 21, 2004 9:52 am

Tex Johnson
Antoine St. Exupery
Howard Hughes
Burt Rutan

... · Post by **...** » Fri May 21, 2004 10:05 am

CLguy wrote:My vote goes to "I am Birddog" although he is not nearly as good looking as the rest of them, the stuff Bob Hoover does with a Commander, we watch him do that daily over a fire!!!

Of course Hoover's is planned and controlled!!

You had me at hello...

...until the last line...

We'll see how funny it is!!

jjj · Post by **jjj** » Fri May 21, 2004 12:50 pm

Han solo.

Best FO - Chewbacca

w squared · Post by **w squared** » Fri May 21, 2004 2:48 pm

Rocket Robin Hood

NOBODY can loop an electro-quarterstaff like that guy!

JigglyBus · Post by **JigglyBus** » Fri May 21, 2004 3:08 pm

What's the criteria(sp?)??

My picks

Best airshow pilot (hands on)- Hoover. I fly one of his old planes. Still has g-meters an all. So, I'm a little biased.

Best oldschool dog fighter - Richthofen.

Best middleschool figher - Erich Hartmann.

Best newschool fighter - None. Who did you want me to say?? Maverick??

Best at keeping eyes open. Ed Long. 64,000 hours, and still ticking.

Best salesman pilot - Grant MaConachie (sp?)

Best pilot sitting in this room right now - Me. .... ah crap someone else just walked in.

72 · Post by 72 » Fri May 21, 2004 6:38 pm

Al Haines

DC6driver · Post by **DC6driver** » Fri May 21, 2004 8:43 pm

Chris Bingham of Thompson, MB.

That dude is tight

oldtimer · Post by **oldtimer** » Fri May 21, 2004 10:15 pm

My vote goes to that great Canadian legend, the Airways Master, Master of 50 & 1/8th, the great Ace McCool, Down East International. Moncton, N.B. or more specifically, the Hero's Bar and Grill.