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Rob Holland is upside down again, a few thousand feet over downtown Nashua, N.H.

Gray smoke plumes trail his plane; the nose points straight into the sky, gaining thousands of feet in altitude before stopping in midair, then falling back. It spins quickly over itself in free fall.

Despite G-forces seven times the regular pull of gravity, Holland rights his plane in spectacular fashion, which is his job, his love and his life.

Norton native Holland, 34, a 1992 graduate of Coyle and Cassidy High School in Taunton and Daniel Webster College's Aviation School, worked for a number of years as a commercial pilot in order to fund his own flying school.

He then got a second bachelor's degree in aviation flight operations. He is living the dream still emblazoned in his mind after his father took him to his first air show some 27 years ago. Holland now lives in Nashua, where he runs Rob Holland Ultimate Airshows. A typical day in the office might include a 330-mile-an-hour nose dive or barrel-rolling 500 degrees a second.

"People use the word 'stunt flying' all the time, but I don't do stunts," Holland said. "To me, a stunt is trying something for the first time when you are not quite sure what the results are going to be, and that's not what we do. We do aerobatics. It's a safe sport and takes a lot of discipline."

His MX-2 airplane is specially designed, using carbon fiber materials to weigh less than quarter of an average car while packing 385 horsepower.

Pilot Holland placed first in final combined overall results at the Eighth Advanced World Aerobatic Championships, held earlier this month in Pendleton, Ore. Pilots from Hungary and Ireland placed second and third, respectively.

Holland also has led Team USA to a gold medal in the final combined-team results. Holland and Team USA had won silver medals at the 2006 world championships, which were held in Radom, Poland.

SUN CHRONICLE: How old were you when you became enthralled with flying? Where were you?

ROB HOLLAND: I was young! My folks brought me to an air show. I was hooked from that point on.

SC: Was this always your dream and path? Did your parents try to talk you out of it?

HOLLAND: It has always been my dream - flying, and especially, aerobatic flying has always been my focus. My parents have ALWAYS been very supportive.

SC: Why do you love it so much? HOLLAND: It's the ultimate freedom and a whole lot of fun. I enjoy the discipline of it and the challenge of always trying to better myself. It's the best way to see the world - an office with a view!

SC: What is the difference between what you do and stunt flying? Do people confuse it?

HOLLAND: I don't really care for the term "stunt" flying. I fly aerobatics. To me, a stunt is trying something where you're not really sure what the result is going to be. That is definitely NOT what I do.

I practice hard, so I do know what the result is going to be...every time. Safety is always the first priority. There is a lot of thought and practice that goes into aerobatics.

SC: Can you describe your most difficult maneuvers in layman's terms? How far do you drop? How much G force do you sustain in the loops, drops or spins?

HOLLAND: I will experience anywhere from positive 11 Gs to negative 7 Gs. I'll get the plane I fly up to 300 miles per hour and at some points will actually be going backwards.

It's hard to say what is the most "difficult." In my air show, nothing seems all that difficult anymore. It is practiced so much and the show is always the same. Competition can be difficult. Making everything as precise and perfect as possible.

SC: How long does it take you to plan a new maneuver? Can you perfect it at the table or in a model setting before you actually do it?

HOLLAND: It really depends on the maneuver. If it is something based off a figure I already fly, then it's a bit easier. If it is something completely new, I'll just think about it for weeks, analyze it, think about the dynamics involved, safety issues, outs (if something doesn't go as planned) altitudes, air speeds, etc.

Once I have dissected it as much as I can, I'll "fly" the maneuver in my mind a few hundred times trying to really think it through. When I finally fly it in the plane, I will practice it really high till I have it down 100 percent.

Then, I'll move it down low for an air show. In competition flying, there are no "new" maneuvers. Just combinations of maneuver may be new.

SC: Is your plane specially designed?

HOLLAND: I fly an all Carbon Fiber MX2 aerobatic airplane. It is specially build by MX Aircraft in Wilkboro, N.C., for aerobatic flying. I'm biased, but I feel it is the best aerobatic plane in the world.

It is very light. Only 1,279 pounds (empty) and has 385 horsepower. It has a roll rate of almost 500 degrees a second and is very, very strong. It is rated to plus and minus 16 Gs.

SC: Is this an easy life? Has it met your expectations?

HOLLAND: It is a lot of work, a lot of time away from home. But, I wouldn't trade it for any other job. It is so much fun and you get to meet so many nice people. I'm living my dream.

SC: Do family members cringe when they watch you? Do they urge you to stop?

HOLLAND: No, not at all. They understand what I do and understand the safety that is involved. They have never asked me to stop.

I think the big issue is that, in general, people fear what they don't understand. Aviation, and specifically aerobatic flying, is a concept most people don't have an understanding of... and they fear it.

The same people that say it is "dangerous" have no problem driving down the road with people they don't know passing them in other cars, 5 feet away in the oncoming lane with a 100 miles per hour closer rate. It's all what you're used to, I guess.