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Forever Flying an Autobiography of R. A. "Bob" Hoover
Barnstormer, World War II fighter, test pilot, aerobatic genius -- Bob Hoover is a living aviation legend, the man General James "Jimmy" Doolittle called "the greatest stick and rudder pilot who ever lived." Hoover's career spans the history of American aviation, and now he tells his amazing story with all the flat-out honesty and gusto that have made his life an extraordinary adventure.
At twenty-two, Hoover was a decorated World War II fighter pilot, already famous both for his aerobatic abilities -- including looping under a bridge in Tunisia -- and for surviving seventeen equipment-failure crash landings as a test pilot. Then the Germans knocked his Mark V Spitfire out of the sky. He made three attempts to escape en route to the infamous Stalag I prison camp, and after sixteen brutal months, finally escaped by stealing a German plane and flying it to Holland.
After the war, Hoover tested the first jets at Wright Field, dogfighting Chuck Yeager, the man who'd come to call him "Pard." In the quest to break the sound barrier in the Bell X-1, Hoover endured every step of the grueling G-force training along with Yeager. But soon after Yeager's historic flight, Hoover broke both his legs in a desperate bailout from a blazing F-84 Thunderjet -- dashing his dreams of flying the X-1 himself.
In Forever Flying, we relive the thrills and danger Hoover continued to face as a civilian test pilot: testing the first jets to take off and land aboard aircraft carriers; flying bombing runs over North Korea; and demonstrating new planes for fighter pilots, who had to be warned not to attempt to duplicate Hoover's spectacular spins, stalls, and rolls. He became an adviser to engineering on the X-15 rocket, and rose through the corporate ranks, famed for flying his daring aerobatics routines in a business suit and straw hat instead of a pilot's "G suit."
Bob Hoover has flown more than 300 types of aircraft, dazzled crowds at more than 2,000 air shows all over the world, and is still flying today. He's set both transcontinental and "time to climb" speed records, and known such great aviators as Orville Wright, Eddie Rickenbacker, Charles Lindbergh, Jacqueline Cochran, Neil Armstrong, and Yuri Gagarin, who saved Hoover from the KGB at an international aerobatics competition in Moscow during the height of the Cold War.
Spiced by reminiscences from fellow fliers, friends, and his wife, all of whom recount Hoover's devilish practical jokes as well as his death-defying flights, Forever Flying reveals the magnificent true story of a great American hero.
291 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1996
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February 16, 2023 This autobiography was written by Bob Hoover with Mark Shaw. Or maybe it would be more accurate to say Mark Shaw wrote it from information and input from Bob Hoover. Either way, it is a fascinating look into the life of pilot Bob Hoover who’s flying career encompassed a wide range. He was a World War II combat pilot, a test pilot, and an airshow pilot. “Bob Hoover is the greatest pilot I ever saw,” said Chuck Yeager. And he may have been. He certainly was talented and had a feel for handling an airplane that only a few people have. It was as if he and the machine were one.
Though he possessed an uncanny talent, he was also lucky. Some of the things he pulled in his younger days, despite the talent, were dangerous, maybe reckless. He did get shot down in his first dogfight as a result of overconfidence and a bit of arrogance and recklessness. He eventually escaped from the German POW camp after several attempts.
He worked a number of years as a test pilot during the days when test flying was extremely hazardous. Again, talent and luck helped him survive.
His airshow routine was one of grace and beauty. He is probably most famous for his “energy management” routine in the Aero Commander Shrike, a twin-engine executive aircraft that was never intended for aerobatics. I was fortunate enough to see him perform this routine and it indeed was amazing.
The saying “there are bold pilots and old pilots but there are no old bold pilots” did not apply to Hoover.
The book offers a glimpse into Hoover’s life, but there certainly is much more to have been said. Some of the book relies on accounts written or spoken by others. These accounts are nice, but more of Hoover’s own words would have been good. He apparently was a modest person and let his flying speak for itself, so he may have been reluctant to talk too much about himself. Despite this it is a good read for any aviation enthusiast, and it does offer a glimpse into the life of Bob Hoover.
Though he possessed an uncanny talent, he was also lucky. Some of the things he pulled in his younger days, despite the talent, were dangerous, maybe reckless. He did get shot down in his first dogfight as a result of overconfidence and a bit of arrogance and recklessness. He eventually escaped from the German POW camp after several attempts.
He worked a number of years as a test pilot during the days when test flying was extremely hazardous. Again, talent and luck helped him survive.
His airshow routine was one of grace and beauty. He is probably most famous for his “energy management” routine in the Aero Commander Shrike, a twin-engine executive aircraft that was never intended for aerobatics. I was fortunate enough to see him perform this routine and it indeed was amazing.
The saying “there are bold pilots and old pilots but there are no old bold pilots” did not apply to Hoover.
The book offers a glimpse into Hoover’s life, but there certainly is much more to have been said. Some of the book relies on accounts written or spoken by others. These accounts are nice, but more of Hoover’s own words would have been good. He apparently was a modest person and let his flying speak for itself, so he may have been reluctant to talk too much about himself. Despite this it is a good read for any aviation enthusiast, and it does offer a glimpse into the life of Bob Hoover.
October 8, 2012
According to Jimmy Doolittle Bob Hoover was the greatest stick and rudder pilot who ever lived.
That is a pretty good endorsement from a man who probably knew what he was talking about.
I really enjoyed the content of this book, there were many parts that were amazing, like crash landing in the rockies and a myriad of other close calls.
unfortunately I could never really get used to the writing style of this book, it was not to my tastes.
I enjoyed the story of the mechanic who I think filled Bob Hoovers plane up with the wrong fuel and Hoover was almost killed as a result. Yet despite that event or even because of that event he choose that mechanic to be the only one who touched his plane at that airport. Saying something like "That is one mistake you will never make again".
Also it is quite incredible that Hoover met Orville Wright and Neil Armstrong, in his lifetime Hoover was a witness to and active participant in the history of flight.
If I was training to be a pilot this book would be fantastic for me Im sure as I would understand the degree of difficulty involved in some of the things that Hoover did, along with some of the technical jargon.
I am very happy that I have been fortunate that I saw Bob Hoover do his energy effiency thing at an airshow in Brisbane as a child. I have seen possibly the best stick and rudder pilot of all time fly.
June 27, 2020
I think it's safe to say that most everyone who is interested in aviation has heard of Bob Hoover and has seen the incredible films of his engine out aerobatics in his Shrike Commander.
He had a very interesting life but unfortunately this book goes the same route as Chuck Yeagers autobiography - oral interviews put together by a ghost writer into a narrative of sorts. That worked pretty well for Yeagers book but in this case its not as polished and the ghost writer clearly has no background in aviation which hurts the books authenticity at times..
An early example in the book has Bob attending the international aerobatic competition in 1966 at Tushino, Moscow as part of the American team.
He has a secret task from the American government to try and get Sergei Mikoyan a top Soviet test pilot to defect if he can or at the very least get as much information on the new Soviet E-266 interceptor as possible.
The problem with all this is in reality there was no Sergei Mikoyan test pilot.. There was a Sergo Mikoyan who was a historian and his brother Stepan Mikoyan who was a test pilot.
OK, a typo perhaps... No big deal. But they happen a lot throughout the whole book. Also some of the story is not really credible. To continue with that section of the book Bob escapes from his KGB tails with the help of the American military attache in Moscow and they go around various airfields in the Moscow District taking pictures of aircraft.
Anyone who has been to a communist or even former communist/soviet country would know to try that at an active military base would be very difficult and would land you in jail and an "interview" with the secret police very fast.
As it happens Bob gets in hot water with the Soviets for other reasons later and gets deported after being put under house arrest yet nobody in the paranoid Soviet security system checks his camera...?
I'm not saying all of this is a lie as I wasn't there so I don't know but coupled with the frequent errors unfortunately it red flagged a lot of the stories in the book to me perhaps unfairly.
So I found the book frustrating and the writing style staid but what can't be denied is Bob Hoover was a brilliant pilot and his record speaks for itself.
He had a very interesting life but unfortunately this book goes the same route as Chuck Yeagers autobiography - oral interviews put together by a ghost writer into a narrative of sorts. That worked pretty well for Yeagers book but in this case its not as polished and the ghost writer clearly has no background in aviation which hurts the books authenticity at times..
An early example in the book has Bob attending the international aerobatic competition in 1966 at Tushino, Moscow as part of the American team.
He has a secret task from the American government to try and get Sergei Mikoyan a top Soviet test pilot to defect if he can or at the very least get as much information on the new Soviet E-266 interceptor as possible.
The problem with all this is in reality there was no Sergei Mikoyan test pilot.. There was a Sergo Mikoyan who was a historian and his brother Stepan Mikoyan who was a test pilot.
OK, a typo perhaps... No big deal. But they happen a lot throughout the whole book. Also some of the story is not really credible. To continue with that section of the book Bob escapes from his KGB tails with the help of the American military attache in Moscow and they go around various airfields in the Moscow District taking pictures of aircraft.
Anyone who has been to a communist or even former communist/soviet country would know to try that at an active military base would be very difficult and would land you in jail and an "interview" with the secret police very fast.
As it happens Bob gets in hot water with the Soviets for other reasons later and gets deported after being put under house arrest yet nobody in the paranoid Soviet security system checks his camera...?
I'm not saying all of this is a lie as I wasn't there so I don't know but coupled with the frequent errors unfortunately it red flagged a lot of the stories in the book to me perhaps unfairly.
So I found the book frustrating and the writing style staid but what can't be denied is Bob Hoover was a brilliant pilot and his record speaks for itself.
January 22, 2025
Hoover's dedication to flying and pushing the limits of flight is amazing, and his World War II anecdotes (including his capture by the Nazis and repeated escape attempts) are fascinating to hear.
As a book, this suffers from a lack of organization - I'm wondering if Hoover's coauthor just wrote down the stories Hoover told him without imposing chronology. Also, as a book, his postwar life feels anticlimactic. But if I imagine myself listening to this elderly man talking about his life, everything perfectly fits and it's fun to sit back and figuratively listen to this man's interesting life. Hoover only died in 2016, so it would've been theoretically possible to literally talk with him... and I wish that'd somehow happened.
As a book, this suffers from a lack of organization - I'm wondering if Hoover's coauthor just wrote down the stories Hoover told him without imposing chronology. Also, as a book, his postwar life feels anticlimactic. But if I imagine myself listening to this elderly man talking about his life, everything perfectly fits and it's fun to sit back and figuratively listen to this man's interesting life. Hoover only died in 2016, so it would've been theoretically possible to literally talk with him... and I wish that'd somehow happened.
March 10, 2025
I mean...it's Bob Hoover!
Great book that feels like you are sitting down and talking with Bob about his long and stories flying career. That being said, the stories are mostly chronological, but not always and occasionally he talks about a guy dying and then in the next chapter he tells more stories where he was flying with him.
That being said, his stories are often fascinating and sometimes hilarious. His personality really comes out in the writing. We miss you Bob!
Great book that feels like you are sitting down and talking with Bob about his long and stories flying career. That being said, the stories are mostly chronological, but not always and occasionally he talks about a guy dying and then in the next chapter he tells more stories where he was flying with him.
That being said, his stories are often fascinating and sometimes hilarious. His personality really comes out in the writing. We miss you Bob!
January 20, 2025
If you want to know everything about one of the greatest pilots who ever lived this book is for you. I saw Bob perform in the early 70's at Opa Locka Florida Airport. What a great show. I had admired him ever since that show and was pleased when I found and read his biography. There is a DVD, Flying the Feathered Edge, which you need to see.
December 16, 2020
A decent read...I finished it, but will not read it again. On the other hand, Hoover's close friend Chuck Yeager's memoirs are a fascinating read. Read both of them and I am sure you will agree. Probably most of the faults are due to the co-author....
July 28, 2022
Very different from Yeager in the writing style but interesting to any of us aviation nerds. Hoover seemed to know everyone, and it was interesting to get what seemed to be his very honest take on them.
September 11, 2025
How they haven’t made this into a blockbuster movie is beyond me. Written by the man himself, a fantastic, incredible life story. Bob Hoover is truly a national treasure. I cannot recommend this book enough!
January 22, 2019
First half is more interesting with POW and WWII accounts. Not as polished as Yeager's book.
May 20, 2020
Interesting, but not gripping. Hoover is obviously one hell of a flier, and he's cheated death more frequently than a cat, but his cool, deadpan delivery left me wanting more.
October 30, 2020
Essential reading for anyone who's read & enjoyed Yeager.
November 27, 2020
What an incredible book full of amazing flying stories. You will love this book whether you fly or not. Very inspiring book from an amazing US hero!
January 3, 2023
Excellent book. Very well written and keeps your attention to the end.
October 21, 2025
Incredible stories and wisdoms but this book is terribly written. Needed a few ghostwriters
November 18, 2016
Many would assert that Bob Hoover is the most technically proficient flyer that ever lived. His Spitfire was shot down by a FW-190 in WWII and he spent 16 months in a German POW camp. It took him 16 months and three attempts to escape from Stalag 1, which he accomplished (fittingly) by stealing an FW-190 and flying it back to Holland.
He served for many years a test pilot flying all of the new jets including the X-15 rocket. Perhaps he is best known for his many performances at air shows flying his favorite P-51 and a variety of Rockwell business aircraft including the Shrike Commander where he was famous for his "energy management maneuver" which consisted of flying loops and rolls with both engines shut down.
He continued to perform his aerobatics routines at air shows until age 77 (and only stopped because he could no longer obtain insurance). His Shrike Commander can be seen at the National Air and Space Museum at Dulles Airport.
Bob died three weeks ago at the age of 94.
He served for many years a test pilot flying all of the new jets including the X-15 rocket. Perhaps he is best known for his many performances at air shows flying his favorite P-51 and a variety of Rockwell business aircraft including the Shrike Commander where he was famous for his "energy management maneuver" which consisted of flying loops and rolls with both engines shut down.
He continued to perform his aerobatics routines at air shows until age 77 (and only stopped because he could no longer obtain insurance). His Shrike Commander can be seen at the National Air and Space Museum at Dulles Airport.
Bob died three weeks ago at the age of 94.
May 31, 2011
Much like Yeager, this autobiography follows one of the greatest pilots of all time. The pacing and writing is very different from Yeager, but the stories are just as exciting. Hoover is one othe greatest avitators and pioneers of flying of all time. I am not sure if anyone has had as many crash landings and engine failures as Hoover, and it makes for great story telling. I would highly recommend this book to any aviation enhusiast.
March 23, 2009
Fun stories. Its amazing he has lived and its fun to read his exploits. I think in some cases he is a little modest and it would be fun to have all the details of his flights. I saw him perform at Oshkosh 20 years ago and he was wonderful. I think we are past the time for a grass roots pilot like that - we are too regulated and restricted now. Overall a quick fun read.
January 17, 2023
The Greatest Stick and Rudder Man to Ever Live. Incredible book. Hoover is a legend and these countless antidotes just prove it. Almost just as cool as the stories is appreciating the time Hoover lived. A golden age of aviation. From Orville to Armstrong; Bob met and flew it all. Great book.
March 4, 2009
This book is about Bob Hoover and his lifetime experience as a test pilot.I liked this book because he is one of my favorite pilots. This book was very interesting.
February 10, 2011
A semi-biographical account of one of the world's greatest aerobatic pilots, this might be a 4-star to some readers, but a 'must read' to aviation fans.
January 13, 2013
R.A. Bob Hoover certainly deserves credit for all his a accomplishments. What a career!
January 9, 2013
Goodreads just ate my review. I'll rewrite it later when I get over my irritation.
August 25, 2013
Fascinating read from start to finish. Some knowledge of flying is needed....
October 16, 2015
The amazing adventures of an amazing legend, mr. Bob Hoover..
I take my straw hat off for you Sir.
I take my straw hat off for you Sir.
February 26, 2016
Fun read. Bob Hoover was a pilots - pilot. He met every historical aviator of the 20th century and was good friends with most of them. Incredible life!
August 22, 2016
There's so enormously much to the life of Bob Hoover that a definitive biography will probably be a few decades away. Until then, this is a very good placeholder.
December 31, 2010
A portrait of a modern adventurer, daredevil and hero you may never have heard of!
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews