Wing Walking at Airshows

[Dave Homewood]

Back in 1990 at the Ardmore Airshow I watched Rusty Butterworth break a world record standing atop of Tony Renouf's Tiger Moth. This was the first time I'd seen wing-walking, and from memory the last time was 1991 at the Hamilton airshow.

I haven't seen any reference to windwalkers these days at airshows, and i just wondered has the practice been banned (possibly following the fatal crash of a wingwalking Tiger Moth in Aussie in the early 1990's)?

Or is it still alllowed in NZ but there's just no-one doing it?

[Bruce]

The practice is still going strong overseas, in the U.K the "utterly Butterly" team do wingwalking on Stearmans. In the US a Waco with an underslung jet engine (!) is used! In NZ the practice has apparently died out as the Wing walking frame that used to be attached to Tony Renouf's tiger has gone missing!. To replace it one would need drawings (which apparently dont exist) and CAA modification approval, which is expensive. I cant see any reason why it shouldnt be do-able though - just needs the right airshow invitation (and we know how rare Tigers are at airshows now). Unfortunately for structural and airflow reasons I think the practice would be limited to older, sturdier and lower performance machines like Tigers and Stearmans - I'd say an Ag Cat would be O.K though....

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks Bruce. I just wondered if CAA had had a rethink after that Tiger Moth stalled in Oz and killed both people in front of a group of school kids

[corsair67]

This father and daughter combination was photographed at Avalon last year:

www.airliners.net/open.file/0864545/L/

www.airliners.net/open.file/0839179/L/

www.airliners.net/open.file/0808433/L/

Bloody mad if you ask me!

[Simonjg]

Rusty Butterworth is currently having a new stand built for Graham Woods Tiger based at Ardmore. So she will be back on the wing shortly. I have donated $500.00 towards building the stand, I know Rusty would appreciate any donations as she is not that financial at present.

[Dave Homewood]

Cool.

Do wing-walkers keep log-books for their flying hours?

[Barry Tempest]

Thought you might like the URL for Aerosuperbatics who operate the "Utterly Butterly" wingwalking team in the UK. My daughter, Helen, is their operations manager and she has been wingwalking since she was 15, some 24 years ago. She is taking a years sabbatical at present due to the arrival last month of our gorgeous first grand daughter, Molly.
Here it is -
www.aerosuperbatics.com/
Hope you enjoy it.
Cheers,
Trapper 69

[Dave Homewoods]

Hi Dave, I don't think I have met you, thank you very much for donating the money towards the new wingstand, very kind of you, I really appreciate it. Will be good to get back on a Tiger Moth again after a long time. I have Graeme Woods to thank, without him coming forward this would not be happening. I don't know the progress of the stand but will find out this week. How did you hear about this? Will be in touch, but don't have your email. Regards Rusty

[Dave Homewood]

Hi Rusty,

No, we have not met, though I have seen your act a few times in years gone by.

If you look at the posts above again, it was Simon who has kindly donated money towards your stand. I am afraid I'm skint so cannot offer any, as I have nothing to offer. I'd like to, but simply cannot. I'm a struggling unemployed student right now.

I do look forward to seeing or at least hearing that your wing-walking act is once again aloft. It was great to see you break that record back at the 1990 Ardmore Airshow.

Please feel free to log in under a (better) username and join us. You'd be very welcome here, as would any friends in aviation you have. Please spread the word about us.

[Rusty Butterworth]

I am the wing walker who first flew onTiger Moth CDU flown by Tony Renouf in 1986 to 1995 which was my last flight at Hamilton Air Show. Sadly Tony passed away due to illness in1996. The original wingstand can not be found due to a lot of searching, so thanks to Graeme Woods and some kind people,we are in the process getting a new stand built using the original approved drawings.As far as I know the practice has not been banned in NZ, we won't go there. I look forward to taking to the skies again sometime this year, so will be all geared up before the next Air Show season. Someone asked if we keep logbooks, no I haven't , but can recall every flight have a record of them. One of the early person to fly on the wingstand in the 70's was Ron Alexander who flew across Cook Strait.

[Rusty Butterworth]

HI Dave, sorry to get you mixed up with Simon. since Tony's passing there has been no one doing it, time went by then got the urge to get back into it, but no pilot came forward until Graeme, then the search began for the stand to no avail, so hence the new one being made. only hope CAA appove it then it's all go. I only pick the best pilots. My World Record I held in 1990 was broken later that year by Roy Castle(entertainer)in the UK.

[Dave Homewood]

Hi Rusty,

Thanks for all this info, it's most interesting. I'm sorry to hear of Tony Renouf's passing, I hadn't heard that before. The great Roy Castle is also no longer with us, as you probablyu know. I had no idea he was a wing walker. He was a very funny comedian, and when in the UK in 1993 I did catch a couple of episodes of his excellent Record Breakers show, which I'm sure had a hand in him breaking your record.

Good luck for the upcoming return to the air as a wing walker. It will be a welcome return to the airshow scene.

[Dave Homewood]

I have just found this photo I took back in 1995 at the big Easter airshow at Hamilton Airport. Sorry the quality isn't the best.

[magic]

Thanks for posting the photo, the one I have only has 2 Tigers in it, I would like a copy of it if that's possible.

[Dave Homewood]

You would be welcome to a copy, but I haven't a clue where the negative would be. It was only be chance I found the print which I scanned.

I could do a higher resolution scan though and send it to you by email or disc. Than you could get it printed. My printer isn't good enough I'm afraid. Now, I'll see if I can find the print again...

[magic]

Hi Dave, any luck with doing a higher resolution scan on that photo, on disc or email is fine. Be nice to have it framed or in my scrapbook. Probably may not get the chance to fly with two other tigers again but who knows, would be good. See you at Omaka.

[Dave Homewood]

Sorry Rusty, I had forgotten all about this. I have a better scan now and will email it through to you.

[Dave Homewood]

Revitalising an old thread with an older article, from The Press, 29th of October 1974.

THE 'DIPPING BITS’ ARE BEST

This 76-year-old Christchurch grandmother says it is “just fun” flying aloft on the wing of a Tiger Moth, with the icy wind whipping her at 75 miles an hour.

She held the interest of many hundreds of patrons at the annual Hinds gymkhana yesterday.

The daring old lady who is not content to come down to earth is Mrs H. Alexander, who forms an improbable stunt team with her son, Mr R. Alexander, a pilot with the Safe-Air Company, in Blenheim.

Mr Alexander is also president of the Golden Age Flying Society, based in Blenheim, but with members throughout New Zealand. The society’s objects are to promote an interest in and preserve vintage aircraft, and to promote interest in aviation history.

Mrs Alexander, strapped on the wing to a safety harness, has gone aloft with her son to perform at dozens of pageants and carnivals in the last few years. She prefers the vintage aircraft to modern, enclosed air travel, “because I like to see all the countryside.”

She says she enjoys the sensation of the aircraft dipping as she stands in the harness in circuits of the carnival grounds.