Breitling Wingwalkers: Out on the wing

Aerial acrobats, or wingwalkers, follow a stringent fitness regime to be able to perform at air flow speeds of 150 mph

The clear blue skies over Bengaluru became a playground for aircraft like the HAL Tejas, F-15C Eagle, F-16C Fighting Falcon and the Boeing KC-135 Tanker at the 10th edition of Aero India held recently. But it was the three young women performing mind-boggling aerial stunts atop two Boeing-Stearman craft while being airborne, who drew a thunderous ovation from the crowd.

They shifted positions from a handstand to windrider pass and then to a cockpit lady with fluidity.

Nikita Salmon, Danielle Hughes and Freya Paterson are part of the Breitling Wingwalkers, the world’s only formation wingwalking team. Put together by UK-based AeroSuperBatics, the team has performed at over 2,500 events across the world. Every measure is put in place to ensure their safety during the performance.

“We are secured to the wingwalking rig on the top wing by a five-point military-style harness,” says Hughes, who first attended a wingwalking performance as a little girl and knew right then that it was something she wanted to do in the future. “We also have a safety harness around the waist with a wire that connects with the aircraft.”

Besides these, the wingwalkers also wear goggles to protect them from bugs, rain and watery eyes. They also have earplugs, gloves and “of course, a smile,” says Hughes. The tight suits help minimise the drag, while flat rubber-soled boots maximise grip, especially when battling 100 mph winds while climbing up and down the cockpit.  

The planes that they perform on are just as interesting as their aerobatics. “The Boeing-Stearman planes were used to train pilots during World War II,” says Martyn Carrington, one of the pilots with the Breitling team who is considered one of the most experienced show pilots in Europe. “These planes became redundant after the war.

UK's AeroSuperBatics team Breitling Wingwalkers performs during the 3rd day of the Aero India 2015 at Yelahanka Air Base, in Bengaluru on Friday Picture by PTI

They were used as crop dusters till the 1970s,” he says. But when the tractors took over the job of spraying pesticides on crops, the aircraft faced redundancy again. It was then that people like Vic Norman, founder of AeroSuperBatics, realised that the Boeing-Stearmans, when fitted with bigger engines and responsive flying controls, were capable of doing standard aerobatics. Elsewhere in the world, a single plane is used in aerobatics, whereas the Breitling Wingwalkers work with four.

The wingwalkers follow a strict training regime to stay fit. “All of us have a fitness background,” says Paterson who used to be a gymnast. “When we first start as wingwalkers, we have month-long intensive training, starting on the ground and then eventually in the sky.” Salmon, a school teacher, makes it a point to visit the gym everyday and has a personal trainer to help with the weight exercises, which build up her strength.

“I do yoga and Pilates as well to keep myself flexible,” says Salmon.

The challenges are numerous —mainly related to the airflow during the display. It is imperative for the pilots and the wingwalkers to be perfectly in sync with each other. “The airflow varies between 60 mph and 150 mph in a matter of seconds, depending on the manoeuvre being flown by the pilot. The wingwalkers deal with this by designing their routine in a way that the more complex parts such as swivelling, arm and leg movement are undertaken during the slower speeds,” says Carrington.

The team, which performs 80 to 100 shows a year, has had some memorable performances in Australia, China, the United Arab Emirates and now in India. “I was amazed at the public’s reaction in India. The weather made it even better. A big highlight for me was performing for the prime minister of India,” says Salmon.