The Breitling Wingwalkers: The World’s Only Aerobatic Wingwalking Team
Think your job is stressful? Imagine if you had to do it strapped to the wings of a propellor plane. The Breitling Wingwalkers are a squadron of pilots and dancers based in the UK who dabble in a unique brand of aerial spectacle.
The first wingwalkers were part of the many flying circuses that date back nearly one-hundred years. The Breitling group today is one of Europe’s most famous wingwalking acts and specializes in synchronized performances by its seven pilots and six wingwalkers.
From the official Breitling Wingwalkers website:
“Our wingwalkers are seen live by over 6 million spectators each year in the UK alone. They perform a breathtaking sequence of acrobatic manoeuvres and handstands whilst strapped to the top wings of the team’s beautiful Boeing Stearman biplanes. The team pilots fly the aircraft through a well rehearsed energetic routine of dazzling aerobatics and close formation flypasts as the wingwalkers wave at the crowd. These manoeuvres include, loops, rolls, stall turns and even inverted flight! During all of this, the wingwalkers experience speeds of up to 150 mph and ‘G’ forces of up to 4G!”
And here’s a video of them in action:
I suddenly feel a lot better about being on the ground.
Photos credit: Agnn Foon / Flickr