AeroSuperBatics

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

AeroSuperBatics
pilots, 6 wing walkers
Base & registered officeRFC Rendcomb Aerodrome, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, England, GL7 7DF
WebsiteAeroSuperBatics.com
Aircraft flown
Boeing–Stearman Model 75 biplane – x4
Breitling Wingwalkers four-ship display, July 2011.
Utterly Butterly
wing walkers, 2004.
Breitling wing walkers, 2013.

AeroSuperBatics Limited, legally known as Aero-Super-Batics Limited,

Utterly Butterly' (performing as The Utterly Butterlys, 1999 to 2007),[2] Cadbury's 'Crunchie' (performing as the 'Crunchie Flying Circus', 1992 to 1998),[2] and Yugo Cars,[4][5] according to their commercial sponsors at the time. Their display options currently consist of either a solo aircraft, or two-ship formation pair, or three-ship display,[6] and previously included a four-ship formation, and during the 2008 display season, a five-ship formation.[7] They are the world's only formation wingwalking team.[7][8][9][10][11]

History and operation

The AeroSuperBatics display team (as it was later to be known by) was founded in 1982; 42 years ago (1982), by veteran

kilowatts) Boeing Stearman newly owned by Ray Hanna; Vic subsequently purchased the Stearman from Hanna.[4] A wing walking rig for the Stearman had been created and certified in the USA by Art Scholl, though Scholl was reluctant to allow others to use his rig, due to fears of getting hurt whilst using it.[4] After Scholl was killed in 1985 during filming backdrop scenes for the film Top Gun, his widow gave the wing walking rig plans to Norman, thus allowing Norman to replicate a wing walking rig on his own recently acquired Stearman. As Norman was still displaying his Zlin, Norman persuaded Bob Thomson to fly his Stearman, with Lesley Gail becoming their first wing walker.[4]

In the early stages of the company,

Cadbury's in 1989, and this enabled Norman to expand his fleet to two Stearmans. Successive sponsors included St Ivel, Guinot from France, and latterly Breitling from Switzerland. The team expanded to display up to five Stearman aircraft simultaneously at one airshow programme in 2008, and the five-ship performing a wing walking display in their new big V 'Vulcan' formation, as a homage to the return to flight of a former Royal Air Force (RAF) Avro Vulcan XH558 as restored by the Vulcan To The Sky Trust.[7] In 1992, Norman became a full time wing walking pilot for the team.[4]

AeroSuperBatics currently operates four modified

pilots[14] and six female wing walkers.[8][15][16]

The team currently offer the following display show options; consisting of either one aircraft (solo), two (formation pair), or a three-ship display, (and previously offered a four and five aircraft option). The display consists of

World War 1 training aerodrome of the Royal Flying Corps (RFC), and now private airfield near Cirencester, Gloucestershire,[8][1] which is also owned by Vic Norman and two business partners (which include Nick Mason, drummer of Pink Floyd).[17][18] Although UK based and regular participants at some of the UKs leading airshows, the team are also regular visitors to many European airshows, along with performances in Asia and the Middle East;[9] its furthest displays being performed in Japan, the Philippines,[3][19] and Australia.[20]

AeroSuperBatics also offer the opportunity for members of the public to experience wing walking, and can also be used for

reverend.[22]

Accidents and incidents

On 4 September 2021, as part of a two-ship formation wing walking display at the

ditching into the sea. In the aftermath of this crash and the findings by the AAIB, AeroSuperBatics modified another engine that had the same design, and developed a new set of hand signal communications between pilot and wing walker, to advise of any mechanical issues and additional emergency procedures.[12][28][29]

Pilot controversy

In April 2022, AeroSuperBatics pilot Andy Cubin pleaded guilty at Swindon Magistrates' Court to possession of incident images of children, including images in the 'most serious category',[30] and he was committed to Crown Court for sentencing. In September 2021, while on bail before sentencing, he flew a AeroSuperBatics biplanes without notifying AeroSuperBatics, and took part in a two-ship wing walking formation display at the Bournemouth Air Festival, when the other AeroSuperBatics biplane crashed into the sea. In response to his criminal conviction, AeroSuperBatics stated that they had "immediately terminated any association with him".[31]

Gallery

AeroSuperBatics evolution of liveries
  • Yugo Cars livery, 1989
    Yugo Cars livery, 1989
  • Crunchie livery, June 1991.
    Crunchie livery, June 1991.
  • Utterly Butterly livery, September 2006.
    Utterly Butterly
    livery, September 2006.
  • Team Guinot livery, July 2008.
    Team Guinot livery, July 2008.
  • Breitling livery, June 2012.
    Breitling livery, June 2012.
  • The Flying Circus livery, May 2018
    The Flying Circus livery, May 2018
  • Unsponsored current livery, August 2021.
    Unsponsored current livery, August 2021.

References

  1. ^ a b "Aero-Super-Batics Limited - overview". Find and update company information - GOV.UK. United Kingdom: Companies House. n.d. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  2. ^
    VOA News. 9 February 2018. Retrieved 4 August 2023. A female member of the British AeroSuperBatics Wingwalkers is performing for the first time in the Philippines at the 22nd AeroSuperBatics Wingwalkers. Four days at Clark in Pampanga
    province, north of Manila, Philippines.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Goodwin, Colin (15 October 2021). "Pilot profile: Vic Norman 'Mr Wingwalking'". PilotWeb.aero. Pilot Magazine, Kelsey Media Ltd. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  4. ^ a b "Founder". AeroSuperBatics. RFC Rendcomb Aerodrome: AeroSuperBatics. n.d. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  5. ^ "display options". AeroSuperBatics. RFC Rendcomb Aerodrome: AeroSuperBatics. n.d. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  6. ^ a b c "Five-ship formation for Team Guinot". PilotWeb.aero. Pilot Magazine, Kelsey Media Ltd. 6 March 2008. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  7. ^ a b c Shaitly, Shahesta (23 May 2010). "The art of aerobatic wing walking". TheGuardian.com. The Guardian, Guardian News & Media Limited. Retrieved 4 August 2023. They are the world's only formation aerobatic team. They perform death-defying stunts to 6 million spectators every year. They are all women… and they are looking for a new recruit. Have you got what it takes?
  8. ^ a b Harding, Nick (20 November 2018). "AeroSuperBatics seek new wingwalker for 2019". UKAviation.news. UK Aviation News, Max Thrust Digital Production. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  9. ^ a b Wood, Daniel (5 September 2021). "Plane from wingwalker group crashes at Bournemouth Air Festival". WiltsGlosStandard.co.uk. Wilts and Glos Standard. Archived from the original on 5 September 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  10. ^ "Wing walkers wow crowds at this year's Midlands Air Festival at Ragley Hall". Stratford-Herald.com. Stratford-upon-Avon, England: Stratford Herald, Stratford News and Media Limited. 8 June 2023. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  11. ^ a b AAIB Bulletin: N707TJ, AAIB-27642 (PDF). GOV.UK (Report). Air Accidents Investigation Branch. 20 October 2022. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  12. ^ "our aircraft". AeroSuperBatics. RFC Rendcomb Aerodrome: AeroSuperBatics. n.d. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  13. ^ "our pilots". AeroSuperBatics. RFC Rendcomb Aerodrome: AeroSuperBatics. n.d. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  14. ^ "our wingwalkers". AeroSuperBatics. RFC Rendcomb Aerodrome: AeroSuperBatics. n.d. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  15. ^ "10 Foto aksi cewek cantik di sayap pesawat yang sedang terbang, ngeri" [10 action photos of beautiful girls on the wings of airplanes that are flying, horrified]. Brilio.net (in Indonesian). Brilio, KLY KapanLagi Youniverse. 14 June 2017. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  16. ^ a b c Wheeler, Sara (10 March 2007). "Walking in the air". Telegraph.co.uk. London, England: The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 27 August 2009. Retrieved 18 June 2011.
  17. ^ "RFC Rendcomb Airfield". AeroSuperBatics. RFC Rendcomb Aerodrome: AeroSuperBatics. n.d. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  18. ^ "A 'Weekend of everything that flies' at the 22nd Philippine International Balloon Fiesta". FAI.org. Fédération Aéronautique Internationale / World Air Sports Federation. 5 February 2018. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  19. ^ "airshows". AeroSuperBatics. RFC Rendcomb Aerodrome: AeroSuperBatics. n.d. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  20. ^ a b "UK Wingwalking Experiences". Go Wingwalking. RFC Rendcomb Aerodrome: AeroSuperBatics. n.d. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  21. ^ a b c "Walk of Fame". Go Wingwalking. RFC Rendcomb Aerodrome: AeroSuperBatics. n.d. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  22. ^ Kay, Jon (21 August 2013). "Wing-walking schoolgirls fly into the record books". BBC News. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  23. Press Association
    . 21 August 2013. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  24. Aviation Safety Network
  25. ^ "Two injured after plane crashes into sea near Bournemouth". BBC News. 4 September 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  26. ^ "Bournemouth Air Festival crash pilot and wing-walker 'returning to work'". BBC News. 7 September 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  27. ^ "Bournemouth Air Festival: Biplane crash caused by failed oil pipe". BBC.co.uk. Dorset, England: BBC News. 20 October 2022. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  28. ^ "AAIB investigation to Boeing A75N1(PT17) Stearman, N707TJ. Loss of power during flying display and ditching off Sandbanks, Poole, Dorset, 4 September 2021". GOV.UK. Air Accidents Investigation Branch. 20 October 2022. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  29. ^ Jae Webb, Daniel (5 April 2022). "Former Red Arrows pilot with MBE admits possessing dozens of vile child abuse images". Wiltshire999s.co.uk. Wiltshire 999s. Archived from the original on 7 April 2022. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  30. ^ Jae Webb, Daniel (6 April 2022). "'Shocked' Cirencester aerobatics group cut ties with sex offender pilot Andy Cubin MBE". Wiltshire999s.co.uk. Wiltshire 999s. Archived from the original on 4 August 2023. Retrieved 4 August 2023.

External links

Media related to AeroSuperBatics Ltd at Wikimedia Commons

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