When Rob Holland takes to the skies above Columbus Airport on April 16 and 17, Thunder in the Valley attendees will witness one of the air show circuit’s most exciting and innovative performers.
“One of my goals is to take aerobatics to the next level,” says Holland, winner of more than a dozen national and world aerobatic championships. “I want to push the limits of what can be done.”
Indeed, Holland – now in his 14th year as a full-time airshow pilot – has distinguished himself by developing maneuvers never before seen at airshows.
Holland’s rise to the top started as a young air show fan in his native New England. Earning his pilot’s license while still a teenager, he began flying aerobatics almost immediately, all while building valuable flight time and experience as a corporate pilot, commuter pilot, banner tower, flight instructor and ferry pilot, and operating his own aerobatic flight school.
He won four consecutive U.S. National Aerobatic Championships – a run accomplished by only two other pilots in history – as well as three World Freestyle Aerobatic Championships and six U.S. National Freestyle Championships. In 2008 he was the World Advanced Aerobatic Champion and in 2012, the International Council of Airshows (ICAS) honored Holland with the prestigious Art Scholl Award for Showmanship, the highest honor any airshow pilot can receive.
Holland’s remarkable skills at the controls of his Window World-sponsored MXS-RH are matched by a humble and approachable demeanor that has forged a unique connection with countless fans the world over. You can connect with him on social media by following @robholland5150 on Twitter, robholland5150 on Instagram and inverted5150 on YouTube.
