Three granddaughters have completed a “world first” by flying in formation on three aeroplanes in a “powerful” triple wing-walking display.
Vic Norman’s three granddaughters, Flame Brewer, 21, Rose Powell, 20, and Jasmine Norman, 20, took to the skies on Saturday (June 14), flying metres apart on the wings of three aircraft above Rendcomb Airfield in Gloucestershire.
Vic, a 78-year-old pilot who owns AeroSuperBatics at the Rendcomb Airfield, which has welcomed famous people including Elon Musk, said he has the world’s only formation wing-walking display team, and his family have broken several records.
He said Rose and Flame still hold the record for the world’s youngest formation wing-walkers, which they completed aged nine, and Flame’s brother Tiger, now 24, became the youngest to wing-walk with his grandfather, aged eight.
Flame, a TV runner, Rose, an anthropology student, and Jasmine, who studies filmmaking, decided to come together to complete their own challenge with friends and family and they described it as “insane”.
Flying at speeds of around 110mph to 120mph at 500ft (152.4 metres) and below, the three cousins said the wing-walk on the bi-planes was “powerful”.
Jasmine told PA Real Life: “It felt very powerful, having Rose and Flame next to me and all flying up at the same time.
“We’ve all done solo flights before, but actually doing the formation of us three, it was very full circle.”
Vic added: “I’ve had my wing-walking team for getting on for 40 years.
“We’re the oldest civilian aerobatic team in the world, and we’ve done air shows all over the world.
“I can absolutely tell you that there won’t be three granddaughters who have ever flown on the wing of an aeroplane in formation, at the same time.
“It’ll be the first time it’s ever happened in the world.”
Vic started flying on his 17th birthday, in 1964, having been bitten by the bug while travelling on his father’s knee in various aircraft from the age of four.
Married to Anne for more than 50 years, with two daughters, a son and nine grandchildren, Vic later founded AeroSuperBatics and has performed more than 1,500 displays with his wing-walking team worldwide.
Describing wing-walking, Vic said: “It’s open air theatre, it’s a circus, and it’s just a fun thing to do.
“We get people flying from all over the world to come and wing-walk with us, and they just come and have fun, they have a lovely day.
“It’s as near as you can get to being a bird on the wing, because there’s nothing in front of you, it’s just you flying along.”
Vic said he loves being able to take his family wing-walking, and AeroSuperBatics has welcomed celebrities as well.
“We’ve taken famous people – I mean, we took Elon Musk flying, for instance,” Vic said.
“I did not meet Elon, but I was told that he was very nice and loved his flight.
“We’ve taken princesses and princes… and for the new Mission: Impossible film, one of those aeroplanes that I sold to them was one of ours.”
Rose and Flame said they first wing-walked around one day before they broke the record for the world’s youngest formation wing-walkers, aged nine, but for Jasmine, she started in her teenage years.
Jasmine, nicknamed Jazzy, is now working at AeroSuperBatics in her spare time and is training to hopefully become a professional wing-walker one day.
Speaking about the tricks she can do, Jasmine said: “I’m just training, so I can’t do all of them, but I can do a swivel, a sideways move, and a handstand (on the wing).”
With Flame, Rose and Jasmine nearly all 21, the three cousins came together for a “party” to perform a “world first” on Saturday – although it was not an official record attempt.
Flying just metres apart in three bi-planes, with Vic as pilot in one of them, the women completed a triple wing-walk in formation, doing some “co-ordinated moves” in the air and “big waves”.
Around 85 close friends and family were in attendance, with Flame, Rose and Jasmine flying for around six minutes in the air in total.
Thankfully, it only started raining after they landed – with Flame explaining that rain on the wing of the aeroplane can feel like “daggers to the face”.
Vic explained: “We were flying three of my aircraft today (June 14) and we were in formation, whizzing about, and the girls were waving to their friends.”
Jasmine said: “(Waving) might not seem like much, but when you’re up there and you’re going against winds of around 100mph, it’s hard to move your hand even a little bit.”
The three women describe wing-walking as being “thrilling” yet “peaceful”, especially having a bird’s-eye view of the scenery below.
They said they all still get “butterflies” beforehand, but once they are in the sky, they feel “relaxed” on the wing.
Rose said: “We’ve all grown up, coming to granny and granddad’s, and we’ve been around this all our life, and it’s crazy that we haven’t done it altogether.
“It’s so special that we’ve done it together now.”
Although the three granddaughters do not have any other records planned for now, they hope to continue doing more formation wing-walks together in future.
They would advise others to try wing-walking as they “won’t regret it”.
Jasmine said: “We’d like to say a big thank you to granny and granddad.”
Vic added: “I’ve been flying since I was 17, I’m 78 now, and I just love flying so much.
“But to be able to fly these girls, it’s just a real joy and a privilege.
“How lucky am I to be able to do that?”
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