Latest news with #WorldFreestyleAerobaticChampion
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.
Daily Mirror
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Famous stunt pilot Rob Holland dies in horror plane crash at Langley Air Force Base
A famous stunt pilot has died in a horrific plane crash. Rob Holland, who has been World Freestyle Aerobatic Champion six times and been crowned US National Aerobatic Champion on 13 occasions, lost his life in an accident on Thursday at Langley Air Force Base in Hampton, Virginia. He was to perform at an air show there this weekend. Tributes have poured in to the 50-year-old man, described as "one of the most respected and inspiring aerobatic pilots in aviation history". Rob, well known for his wild aerobatic routine at air shows all over the world, launched his own airshow career in 2002, flying planes like the Pitts S-2C, Ultimate 20-300S, MX2, and eventually his custom-designed MXS-RH. Circumstances around the accident at the US Air Force hub remain unclear but the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Department of Defence (DOD) are investigating. A statement posted to Holland's official Facebook page confirmed his passing. It read: "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 cause of the crash is not known at this time, and is under investigation by the FAA, NTSB, and DOD. "Rob was one of the most respected and inspiring aerobatic pilots in aviation history. Even with an absolutely impressive list of accomplishments, both in classical competition aerobatics and within the air show world, Rob was the most humble person with a singular goal to simply be better than he was yesterday. We would greatly appreciate your respect to the privacy of his family and friends. And remember…. Never ever give up on your dreams. Blue skies." The pilot, who had amassed more than 15,000 flight hours in more than 180 types of aircraft, won several accolades over the years, including US National Freestyle Champion 14 times. Incredibly, he was US National Aerobatic Champion 13 consecutive times from 2011. Pete Muntean, a journalist for CNN who knew Rob personally, tweeted: "Very sad to report champion aerobatic pilot Rob Holland was killed during landing at Langley Air Force Base where he was to perform at this weekend's air show, according posts from his verified social media accounts. Rob was a good man, incredible pilot, and friend. RIP." The stunt pilot, born in New England, learned to fly as a teenager and then studied Aviation Flight Operations and Aviation Management from Daniel Webster College in the mid 1990s. He also held an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate, but decided to launch his own air shows in 2002 when, at 28, he was already an experienced aviator.
