I have wanted to be a wingwalker for as long as I can remember. When I saw the Breitling Wingwalker display for the first time the excitement I felt was indescribable – the girls looked so graceful, the aircraft engines roaring and the biplanes looping and rolling through the sky; it gave me goosebumps and a burning ambition to be part of the team.
Everything about wing walking appealed to me as I adored gymnastics when I was younger and couldn’t think of anything better than doing a handstand on the wing of a Boeing Stearman biplane! I had a fitness background and I was always told I was strong for my size which I would soon learn would come in handy. Most of all I wanted to perform and entertain the crowd and the audience due to my love of performing arts.
I persevered with my dream and eventually my dream came true last year when I was selected to join the team. I was on cloud nine!! I started my training in April and realised how hard the girls work to look as graceful as they do against winds of up to 160mph. I have never felt more alive climbing up onto the wing for the first time in flight, I loved it! My first display was in France and it was an amazing feeling achieving my dream of performing to an audience on the wing.
Working as part of the team is so rewarding, I particularly enjoy dancing in formation with Danielle Hughes while the pilots are also performing their routine. My favourite manoeuvre is the ‘Mirror’, when myself and Martyn the pilot fly inverted above the other plane and Danielle and I try to touch hands!
[vimeo 62712720 w=500&h=280]
I had a wonderful season last year travelling and displaying in countries I had never been to before; China, Australia and Switzerland were particularly amazing. If I had to pick a highlight from last season it would be the Farnborough International Airshow when I wing walked in my first ever four ship display.
I am really looking forward to my second season and especially displaying at the Airshow at the National Museum of Flight, East Fortune ! It will be my first display in Scotland and being half Scottish I might even wear a tartan wing walking suit!
Take a look at some of the fantastic images on the air display and on the ground activity that were taken of Scotland’s National Airshow in our Flickr Group.