Latest news with #RobHollandAerosports
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Famed stunt pilot Rob Holland dies in plane crash days before airshow
Airshow pilot Rob Holland, 50, died in a plane crash Thursday at Langley Air Force Base in Virginia, according to authorities and his social media accounts. The flyer was scheduled to perform Saturday and Sunday in the Air Power Over Hampton Roads airshow. An MX Aircraft MXS crashed Thursday morning while attempting to land at the base in Hampton, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said in a preliminary statement. Only the pilot was on board. Although the FAA did not identify the victim, Rob Holland Aerosports confirmed it was Holland on Facebook. "It is with the heaviest of hearts that I am sharing that Rob Holland lost his life today, 24 April 2025, in an accident at Langley AFB, VA," the social media post said. Rob Holland Aerosports did not respond to request for additional comment Friday. The cause of the crash is unknown, and the National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation. The plane was descending for a routine landing and not performing any acrobatic maneuvers when it crashed, NTSB air safety investigator Dan Boggs said. Although NTSB and Air Force officials did not identify Holland as the victim, Boggs did offer condolences to the family and friends of the "well-known pilot." "The world of aviation has truly lost a legend, a hero and even more so, a great human being," Col. Matthew Altman said at Friday's news conference. Holland was an award-winning airshow performer with a career spanning two decades. He held a record 12 consecutive U.S. National Aerobatic Championships and was the defending, five-time World Freestyle Aerobatic Champion, his biography said. He was bestowed the highest honor among airshow pilots, the Art Scholl Award for Showmanship, in 2012 by the International Council of Airshows. A native of New England, Holland's website states he first obtained his pilot's license and started flying acrobatics as a teenager. He graduated from Daniel Webster College in 1997 with degrees in aviation/airway management and aviation flight operations. Holland spent more than 15,000 hours in the air in more than 180 types of aircraft. "One of my goals is to take aerobatics to the next level," Holland was quoted saying on his website. "I want to push the limits of what can be done." Holland flew an MXS-RH aircraft in performances, described as a "state-of- the-art aerobatic masterpiece" on his website. The plane was built by MX aircraft in North Carolina with Holland's suggested design modifications, including a cockpit laid out to his exact specifications. Altman said the base is proceeding with the airshow, after consulting with the NTSB. "We do hope that it is also a tribute to his legacy and really his wizardry in the air," Altman said. This article was originally published on
NBC News
25-04-2025
- General
- NBC News
Famed stunt pilot Rob Holland dies in plane crash days before airshow
Airshow pilot Rob Holland, 50, died in a plane crash Thursday at Langley Air Force Base in Virginia, according to authorities and his social media accounts. The flyer was scheduled to perform Saturday and Sunday in the Air Power Over Hampton Roads airshow. An MX Aircraft MXS crashed Thursday morning while attempting to land at the base in Hampton, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said in a preliminary statement. Only the pilot was on board. Although the FAA did not identify the victim, Rob Holland Aerosports confirmed it was Holland on Facebook. "It is with the heaviest of hearts that I am sharing that Rob Holland lost his life today, 24 April 2025, in an accident at Langley AFB, VA," the social media post said. Rob Holland Aerosports did not respond to request for additional comment Friday. The cause of the crash is unknown, and the National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation. The plane was descending for a routine landing and not performing any acrobatic maneuvers when it crashed, NTSB air safety investigator Dan Boggs said. Although NTSB and Air Force officials did not identify Holland as the victim, Boggs did offer condolences to the family and friends of the "well-known pilot." "The world of aviation has truly lost a legend, a hero and even more so, a great human being," Col. Matthew Altman said at Friday's news conference. Holland was an award-winning airshow performer with a career spanning two decades. He held a record 12 consecutive U.S. National Aerobatic Championships and was the defending, five-time World Freestyle Aerobatic Champion, his biography said. He was bestowed the highest honor among airshow pilots, the Art Scholl Award for Showmanship, in 2012 by the International Council of Airshows. A native of New England, Holland's website states he first obtained his pilot's license and started flying acrobatics as a teenager. He graduated from Daniel Webster College in 1997 with degrees in aviation/airway management and aviation flight operations. Holland spent more than 15,000 hours in the air in more than 180 types of aircraft. "One of my goals is to take aerobatics to the next level," Holland was quoted saying on his website. "I want to push the limits of what can be done." Holland flew an MXS-RH aircraft in performances, described as a "state-of- the-art aerobatic masterpiece" on his website. The plane was built by MX aircraft in North Carolina with Holland's suggested design modifications, including a cockpit laid out to his exact specifications. Altman said the base is proceeding with the airshow, after consulting with the NTSB. "We do hope that it is also a tribute to his legacy and really his wizardry in the air," Altman said.
National Post
25-04-2025
- General
- National Post
Famed aerobatic pilot dies in crash before Virginia airshow
Rob Holland, a famed aerobatic pilot who wowed airshow crowds and championship judges with tight spirals, meticulous loops and inventive sequences in the sky, has died in a plane crash. He was 50. Article content Article content Holland died Thursday while landing his custom-built, single-seat aircraft at Joint-Base Langley-Eustis in Hampton, Virginia, in preparation for an upcoming airshow at the military installation. The crash remains under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board. Article content Holland's death was confirmed by his official Facebook page, Rob Holland Aerosports, and by Jim Bourke, president of the International Aerobatic Club, for which Holland served as vice president. Bourke said Holland was flying a non-aerobatic flight and was landing at the base. Article content Holland was probably the best-known airshow pilot and the winningest competitor in aerobatic contests, Bourke said. The airborne competitions could be compared to figure skating for the required grace, precision and discipline, but with punishing gravitational forces. Article content Article content 'I flew against him many times, and, like a lot of people, I couldn't beat him,' said Bourke, who was Holland's friend, rival and teammate on the U.S. Unlimited Aerobatic Team. 'They didn't have anyone who could beat him. He was just that good.' Article content Holland won 12 consecutive U.S. National Aerobatic Championships, which was a record, according to his website. He also racked up five world Freestyle Aerobatic Championships and a prestigious award for showmanship from the International Council of Airshows. Article content Holland was known for inventing new maneuvers that no one saw before, Bourke said. One of them was his famous 'frisbee' that rotated his 1,200-pound (540-kilogram) plane horizontally, while the 'inverted frisbee' pulled off the same maneuver upside down. Article content Article content 'A lot of people expect an airplane to fly like an arrow, it's moving very fast in one direction,' Bourke said. 'With Rob, the airplane would be pointed in some crazy direction. It wouldn't be pointed the way it's traveling. It would be flipping on an axis that would be unexpected.' Article content Videos from Holland's YouTube channel show his red-and-black MXS streaking through the sky with a stream of billowing white smoke. A video from Holland's cockpit presents a nausea-inducing blur of sky and farmland. Article content Holland was a big guy whose body could handle the gravitational forces of aerobatic flight more than most pilots, Bourke said. It allowed him to spend more time practicing. Article content 'Rob would fly figures faster than we would because the g-forces weren't as much as a concern for him,' Bourke said. 'And he developed an airshow style of flying that no one else has. People have copied it, but it was his.' Article content Holland told the Press of Atlantic City in 2016 that he wasn't a stuntman, because a stunt is trying something for the first time without knowing the results.
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Rob Holland, famed aerobatic pilot, dies in crash before Virginia airshow
NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — Rob Holland, a famed aerobatic pilot who wowed airshow crowds and championship judges with tight spirals, meticulous loops and inventive sequences in the sky, has died in a plane crash. He was 50. Holland died Thursday while landing his custom-built, single-seat aircraft at Joint-Base Langley-Eustis in Hampton, Virginia, in preparation for an upcoming airshow at the military installation. The crash remains under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board. Holland's death was confirmed by his official Facebook page, Rob Holland Aerosports, and by Jim Bourke, president of the International Aerobatic Club, for which Holland served as vice president. Bourke said Holland was flying a non-aerobatic flight and was landing at the base. Holland was probably the best-known airshow pilot and the winningest competitor in aerobatic contests, Bourke said. The airborne competitions could be compared to figure skating for the required grace, precision and discipline, but with punishing gravitational forces. 'I flew against him many times, and, like a lot of people, I couldn't beat him,' said Bourke, who was Holland's friend, rival and teammate on the U.S. Unlimited Aerobatic Team. 'They didn't have anyone who could beat him. He was just that good.' Holland won 12 consecutive U.S. National Aerobatic Championships, which was a record, according to his website. He also racked up five world Freestyle Aerobatic Championships and a prestigious award for showmanship from the International Council of Airshows. Holland was known for inventing new maneuvers that no one saw before, Bourke said. One of them was his famous 'frisbee' that rotated his 1,200-pound (540-kilogram) plane horizontally, while the 'inverted frisbee' pulled off the same maneuver upside down. 'A lot of people expect an airplane to fly like an arrow, it's moving very fast in one direction,' Bourke said. 'With Rob, the airplane would be pointed in some crazy direction. It wouldn't be pointed the way it's traveling. It would be flipping on an axis that would be unexpected.' Videos from Holland's YouTube channel show his red-and-black MXS streaking through the sky with a stream of billowing white smoke. A video from Holland's cockpit presents a nausea-inducing blur of sky and farmland. Holland was a big guy whose body could handle the gravitational forces of aerobatic flight more than most pilots, Bourke said. It allowed him to spend more time practicing. 'Rob would fly figures faster than we would because the g-forces weren't as much as a concern for him,' Bourke said. 'And he developed an airshow style of flying that no one else has. People have copied it, but it was his.' Holland told the Press of Atlantic City in 2016 that he wasn't a stuntman, because a stunt is trying something for the first time without knowing the results. 'I know the results of everything that is in my show,' he told the New Jersey newspaper. 'It is very well practiced and analyzed for safety and consistency. Nothing will be added to my routine unless it has perfect results 100% of the time.' John Cudahy, president of the International Council of Air Shows, said Holland would practice a maneuver 'hundreds and hundreds of times to make sure that it is not dangerous.' 'He started at a higher altitude and gradually brought it down as he perfected it,' Cudahy said. 'He always was looking for something to go wrong and figure out how to keep that from happening.' Holland inspired hundreds of thousands of people, maybe even millions, at airshows over the decades, Cudahy said. And it was about aviation as much as it was hard work. 'Every weekend, Rob went out there and demonstrated what the end of the road for a pursuit of excellence looks like,' Cudahy said. Information on survivors was not immediately available. Holland's website states that he's a New England native who got his pilot's license while still a teenager. He later graduated from Daniel Webster College in New Hampshire with degrees that included aviation.
San Francisco Chronicle
25-04-2025
- General
- San Francisco Chronicle
Rob Holland, famed aerobatic pilot, dies in crash before Virginia airshow
NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — Rob Holland, a famed aerobatic pilot who wowed airshow crowds and championship judges with tight spirals, meticulous loops and inventive sequences in the sky, has died in a plane crash. He was 50. Holland died Thursday while landing his custom-built, single-seat aircraft at Joint-Base Langley-Eustis in Hampton, Virginia, in preparation for an upcoming airshow at the military installation. The crash remains under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board. Holland's death was confirmed by his official Facebook page, Rob Holland Aerosports, and by Jim Bourke, president of the International Aerobatic Club, for which Holland served as vice president. Bourke said Holland was flying a non-aerobatic flight and was landing at the base. Holland was probably the best-known airshow pilot and the winningest competitor in aerobatic contests, Bourke said. The airborne competitions could be compared to figure skating for the required grace, precision and discipline, but with punishing gravitational forces. 'I flew against him many times, and, like a lot of people, I couldn't beat him,' said Bourke, who was Holland's friend, rival and teammate on the U.S. Unlimited Aerobatic Team. 'They didn't have anyone who could beat him. He was just that good.' Holland won 12 consecutive U.S. National Aerobatic Championships, which was a record, according to his website. He also racked up five world Freestyle Aerobatic Championships and a prestigious award for showmanship from the International Council of Airshows. Holland was known for inventing new maneuvers that no one saw before, Bourke said. One of them was his famous 'frisbee' that rotated his 1,200-pound (540-kilogram) plane horizontally, while the 'inverted frisbee' pulled off the same maneuver upside down. 'A lot of people expect an airplane to fly like an arrow, it's moving very fast in one direction,' Bourke said. 'With Rob, the airplane would be pointed in some crazy direction. It wouldn't be pointed the way it's traveling. It would be flipping on an axis that would be unexpected.' Videos from Holland's YouTube channel show his red-and-black MXS streaking through the sky with a stream of billowing white smoke. A video from Holland's cockpit presents a nausea-inducing blur of sky and farmland. Holland was a big guy whose body could handle the gravitational forces of aerobatic flight more than most pilots, Bourke said. It allowed him to spend more time practicing. 'Rob would fly figures faster than we would because the g-forces weren't as much as a concern for him,' Bourke said. 'And he developed an airshow style of flying that no one else has. People have copied it, but it was his.' Holland told the Press of Atlantic City in 2016 that he wasn't a stuntman, because a stunt is trying something for the first time without knowing the results. 'I know the results of everything that is in my show,' he told the New Jersey newspaper. 'It is very well practiced and analyzed for safety and consistency. Nothing will be added to my routine unless it has perfect results 100% of the time.' John Cudahy, president of the International Council of Air Shows, said Holland would practice a maneuver 'hundreds and hundreds of times to make sure that it is not dangerous.' 'He started at a higher altitude and gradually brought it down as he perfected it,' Cudahy said. 'He always was looking for something to go wrong and figure out how to keep that from happening.' Holland inspired hundreds of thousands of people, maybe even millions, at airshows over the decades, Cudahy said. And it was about aviation as much as it was hard work. 'Every weekend, Rob went out there and demonstrated what the end of the road for a pursuit of excellence looks like,' Cudahy said.
