RIP Rob Holland

[Force-1]

Rob Holland (born 30 May 1974, died 24 April 2025) was a highly accomplished aerobatic pilot from the United States. Holland was one of the most decorated aerobatic pilots in U.S. history, with an impressive list of accomplishments that included multiple championship titles and groundbreaking innovations in the field of aerobatics.

Stunt pilot Rob Holland dies in crash at Langley AFB ahead of air show performance.

https://youtu.be/YjUbxF_Y0OA?si=_S6XrPIn-SmyLxoG

https://youtu.be/u9hQRf9QerE?si=JXjCW3TPKblIdxa0

[PLRX]

He wont make that mistake again.

[Chemtrails99]

This is a huge loss. Rob was an innovator and inspiration to so many folks. He went out of his way to help, teach and encourage at every step. The best pilots I know looked forward to flying with him and looked up to him. He used to stop into our race hangar on occasion and was down to earth and a hell of a guy. I first ran into back when he was starting out in the Pitts, and coast to coast most of my aviation circle of friends have worked with and know him.

Only detail is that he crashed while landing from his cross country to attend and perform at the Langley Airshow. Given his clear talent, I suspect that perhaps something medical went wrong. I can't think of any incident that he couldn't handle from weather or airframe issues.

Blue Skies Rob, your being missed by many already...

[PortDawg]

The weather was nice, a bit breezy, as usual coming off the bay. (I work at Langley with the Raptors). He was on the center line and then he wasn't. Runway was closed the rest of the day so the T-birds and other planes were diverted until we reopen. Pretty somber day. I sit in the squadron with the F-22 Demo team/pilot a lot of them knew him and no one, not a single solitary person, had a single bad word to say about him.

RIP RH.

For those interested:

https://www.flightaware.com/live/flight/N530RH/history/20250424/1248Z/KMQY/KLFI/tracklog

[IB4TL]

Sounds like he lived a great life & died doing what he enjoyed. :cool1::angel:

[Frankie the Fink]

When i worked on the flight line at NAS Norfolk the air show pilots and Blue Angels (A-4s at the time) would do their practice routines the day before the show and I could watch it from the hangar and did so for many years. Also did many combo car/air shows at Fun'n'Sun in Lakeland.

Those pilots are part madman and all balls. RIP sir...

[Chiefttp]

Chemtrails99,

A few pilots at my airline posted that it could possibly be structural failure. The MX2 has had some issues. One was a classmate of Holland at College.

From his post about another MXS,
“This was a construction issue that the owner was advised of by the manufacturer (MXS). The builder did his own thing and it failed.”

[Budman]

There are old pilots and there are bold pilots, but very few old bold plots.

:sadangel:

[jw38]

Sad...he was an amazing pilot. That stupid female reporter should have stopped yapping while the National Anthem was being played, most likely for retreat.

[mtnman]

:halfmast::sadangel:

[Vince Clortho]

(VBOT) Someone in the tower was a DEI hire. The ground crew were DEI hires. The fuel truck had a DEI hire in it. (VBOT)

[PortDawg]

Sad...he was an amazing pilot. That stupid female reporter should have stopped yapping while the National Anthem was being played, most likely for retreat.

I work Swing Shift.

1700L - Retreat
2200L - Taps

Every day.

[Chemtrails99]

There are old pilots and there are bold pilots, but very few old bold plots.

:sadangel:

In the conversations I've heard him speak in, he was anything except a bold pilot. He seemed to take great joy in understanding the dynamics of flight and a maneuver and the process of executing it perfectly. There is a breed of pilots who may seem a bit distracted, but once their butts hit the aircraft seat they turn into some sort of purely focused beast, and I'd say he was one of them. Also interested to know about airframe issues, since he was surrounded by and worked with the best in the world for aerobatics.

Aviation sucks, lost count of the friends that I've known who died from it in just the last 20 years. Then again my world was deeply racers and aerobatic flyers ssooo...

[PortDawg]

Update - Prelim Report released.

[69camfrk]

This is a huge loss. Rob was an innovator and inspiration to so many folks. He went out of his way to help, teach and encourage at every step. The best pilots I know looked forward to flying with him and looked up to him. He used to stop into our race hangar on occasion and was down to earth and a hell of a guy. I first ran into back when he was starting out in the Pitts, and coast to coast most of my aviation circle of friends have worked with and know him.

Only detail is that he crashed while landing from his cross country to attend and perform at the Langley Airshow. Given his clear talent, I suspect that perhaps something medical went wrong. I can't think of any incident that he couldn't handle from weather or airframe issues.

Blue Skies Rob, your being missed by many already...

I bet it was something medical too. He had way too much skill to jack up a landing. May he RIP. Just read the report.. mechanical failure it is...:sadangel:

[SnikPlosskin]

He wont make that mistake again.

Do you think that’s funny?

[Aerovette]

Update - Prelim Report released.

Am I interpreting corectly that Loctite may have prevented the entire incident?:(

[PLRX]

Do you think that’s funny?

In here I think EVERYTHING IS FUNNY.