"What’s There to Be Afraid of at 97?"... UK Woman Stands Tall on Airplane Wing

Guinness World Record for 'Oldest Female Wing Walker'

Breaks Her Own Record Set Four Years Ago

A 97-year-old woman from the UK has made headlines by breaking her own Guinness World Record as the oldest female wing walker.

According to the US entertainment outlet People, Betty Bromage, who is originally from Cheltenham, UK, attempted to set a new Guinness World Record as the oldest female wing walker at an airfield in Gloucestershire, England, on August 4 (local time). A wing walker is someone who climbs onto the top or side of an airplane while it is in flight, securing themselves to the aircraft as it flies.

Betty Bromage (97) from the UK, who broke her own Guinness World Record as the oldest female wing walker. Screenshot from social media.

In order to surpass the record she set four years ago, Bromage was required to stay airborne for at least five minutes, including takeoff and landing. She climbed atop the wing, approximately 4.6 meters high, secured herself, and then the plane took off, even performing a loop in the air. She successfully endured the five-minute flight, setting a new Guinness World Record as the oldest female wing walker.

Bromage said, "Life would be too boring if you don’t take on challenges," adding, "I can't drive, and my eyesight isn’t great, so sometimes I feel restricted, which makes me want to try the things I can." She continued, "If I’m still alive a few years from now, maybe I’ll try it again. What’s there to be afraid of when you’re 97?"

Bromage first attempted wing walking ten years ago at the age of 87. She has attempted wing walking six times in total. For this latest challenge, she raised funds for Cheltenham General Hospital, where she received treatment for a stroke in August 2025. She remarked, "The word 'can't' isn't in my dictionary. People say 'I can't do that,' but when I saw wing walking at 87, I thought, 'Maybe I could give that a try.' If it’s meant to be, it will happen."

Meanwhile, the record for the oldest male wing walker was set by 98-year-old Harry Hiseman from the UK this past May. A World War II veteran, Hiseman stood atop an airplane wing and flew for about nine minutes at Duxford Airfield in Cambridge, England, on May 24. The altitude at that time was reportedly over 1,000 feet (around 305 meters).

To prepare for the attempt, he trained for about 11 months with a professional trainer to build both his physical and mental strength. Hiseman took on the challenge to raise funds for children battling cancer and also in memory of his wife and son, both of whom passed away from cancer.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.