The People News, a free newspaper serving Cleveland Tennessee (TN) and Bradley County Tennessee (Tn).





Of Bradley County Tn.

MAY  2013
                            The People News, a free newspaper serving Cleveland and Bradley County Tn.

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Wing Walking - Jane Wicker

by Alexandra Edwards

Anyone who attends an air show will not only appreciate the fantastic workmanship in the aircraft of the golden age of aviation, but also be amazed at the skills and showmanship of their pilots.

Watching a pilot do aerobatics in the sky is a thrilling experience, but imagine if that pilot had a woman balancing on the wing of the aircraft.


Shortly after receiving her pilots license in 1989, Jane Wicker decided she wanted to go a step further and learn aerobatics. After seeing an ad for a Wing Walker at the Flying Circus Airshow, in Bealton, Virginia, she decided maybe that would be a fun and exciting way to enter the airshow business. Jane met and married Kirk Wicker and they performed as the main attraction at the Flying Circus Airshow, and later all over North America for 12 years, he as the pilot and she as wing walker.

Alexandra Edwards

After her marriage dissolved in 2002, Jane took a rest from wing walking, as she no longer had a pilot, but was kept busy with her full time job at the FAA while raising her two children. In addition to being a working single mother, she is a freelance writer, a singer and had returned to college for a degree in Finance.

However, her love for flying and the passion she had for wing walking did not diminish. By 2010 she had saved enough money to purchase  a 1941 450hp Stearman bi-plane she named Aurora, and managed to find a qualified aerobatics pilot to fly it.

Now featured in numerous airshows across the nation, Jane's "Swing Time" Wing Walking is performed just as it was in the 20s and 30s by the early barnstormers, with the sound of big band music in the background. Spectators will witness Jane climbing and walking untethered all across the aircraft, between the wings, on top of, even holding on by just her legs beneath the airplane from the N strut. Then, she will continue to hang as the airplane rolls inverted leaving her sitting upright on the bottom of the airplane. Throughout her maneuvers she takes time to cheerfully wave to the crowds below. Once back on the ground she likes to taxi up on the airplane and greet the crowd.

Although her own children prefer not to attend their mother's courageous performances for obvious reasons, it is said that Wicker loves to interact with children in the audience. "Her dream is to give everyone an insight into what airshow performers did to Wow the crowds in those early days of aviation."

Performing at airshows across the country Jane Wicker  remains the only female wing walker in North America that not only hangs from the N strut, but also sits on the bottom of the airplane during the inverted pass. She is also one of just a few wing walkers in the world who transitions across the wings without benefit of a safety line or harness.

In addition to being a wing walker, Jane holds a surface level waiver from the FAA and is an accomplished competition aerobatics pilot, so not only does she walk the wings of the Stearman, but flies it too.

Airshows are not only for aviation enthusiasts but make for a very entertaining day out for the entire family. Most not only have fascinating aircraft exhibits but also include carnival rides for the kids, various merchant stands, selling anything from T-shirts, memorabilia and all kinds of refreshments.

For this year's schedule of Airshows featuring the amazing Jane Wicker, plus great videos of her daring performances, go to  www.wingwalk.org
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