Gould has been flying small airplanes straight and level since the age of 12, but finds it more exciting to do loops, rolls and hammerhead turns that make it appear as though he's being chased by the Red Baron.
Why would Gould perform stunts that look risky? Because it's fun, challenging, and performing the maneuvers makes him a better pilot. Gould and other aerobatic pilots say they are among the select group that has learned how to come out of an accidental spin, for example.
Gould recognizes his hair-raising hobby isn't for everyone.
"If you continue to feel sick, you may want to think about landing," is the caveat about queasiness on the International Aerobatic Club (IAC) Web site (acro.harvard.edu/IAC/faq_aerobatics.html#iac).
"My wife is a good sport," Gould says of the one time she flew while he performed maneuvers. "She didn't express any alarm but I could tell this was not her idea of a good time."
Gould can't get enough. He wants more practice time and plans to compete next month at the New England regional competition to be held in Orange, Mass. He is also training to become a judge of competitions.
The professor is one of 85 members of the IAC chapter in Mansfield, Mass., which includes business executives, student pilots and anyone with nerve and a bit of cash. (Renting a sturdy aerobatic plane ranges from $60 to $90 per hour.)
"If you fly, it's a challenging way to open the envelope, if you will," says chapter president Hans Bok. "It's invigorating and sometimes frustrating."
At competitions, judges assign points according to the difficulty of maneuvers and watch whether pilots stay inside the box - 3,300 feet by 3,300 feet by 3,280 feet at the top. The bottom of the box varies, with superior pilots permitted to zoom as close as 328 feet to the ground. Pilots at Gould's level are allowed to fly no closer than 1,500 feet.
Gould's love affair with the sky began when he was a boy spending summers on Cape Cod. He did chores at a small airport near Falmouth in exchange for flying lessons. Later, while earning his pilot's license, he asked for spin training, not a part of the curriculum.
"Spins are not bad. They're rather fun," he says.
He bought a plane last year, a Citabria, a two-seater that is fine for flying straight and level, but also recognized for its ability to perform aerobatics. "Citabria is aerobatics spelled backwards," he says with delight.
Though Gould has an adventurous spirit, there are some things he won't do. Rules require him to wear a parachute when performing maneuvers with a passenger, but Gould has no desire to take parachuting lessons.
"Why would anyone want to jump out of a perfectly good airplane?" he asked. - Janet Kerlin