UAE | Leisure
Wing-walker shocks crowd as she 'falls' off aircraft
South African wing-walker Bernice Esther Joyce yesterday shocked thousands of spectators at the final day of the Al Ain Aerobatic Show 2006, when she appeared to fall off the wing of an aircraft.
- By Aftab Kazmi, Bureau Chief
- Published: 23:31 May 3, 2009
Al Ain: South African wing-walker Bernice Esther Joyce yesterday shocked thousands of spectators at the final day of the Al Ain Aerobatic Show 2006, when she appeared to fall off the wing of an aircraft.
The show commentator's words that "she has fallen down into the desert" stunned spectators. Many of them jumped up from their seats to look at the aircraft circling above the desert.
36-year old Joyce had actually fallen inside the aircraft, a Boeing Stearman. Seconds later, she reappeared and completed the display.
A giant television screen had showed Joyce struggling with a supporting belt and then attempting to enter the aircraft. The plane then flipped to the other side and nobody could see her falling inside the plane.
Will Curtis, a British pilot, yesterday set another world record by cutting 11 ribbons with the propeller of his aircraft, flying as low as five metres from the ground.
He had already set a record of cutting eight ribbons on the second day of the Al Ain 2006 show. The 11 ribbons were mounted on poles that were held by 22 people in front of the VIP pavilion.
He also set another world record on the final day of the show with a successful limbo run by flying underneath 11 ribbons at a speed of 150 miles per hour in crosswinds.
Curtis is a member of the British Honda Dream Team and flies a Sukhoi Su-26.
Share this article
Popular in UAE
-
Your pictures
Readers' pictures
The best reader pictures from around the UAE this week
Latest news
- Unveiling the human face of technology to help the helpers
- Full text of Shaikh Mohammad's speech
- flydubai starts service to Sudanese capital
- Shaikh Mohammad tells Dubai doubters to shut up
- Global crisis won't deter Dubai's ambition: Mohammad
- Reinforce the positive to fight the negative
- UAE-Pakistan Friendship Festival in Abu Dhabi
- Khalifa congratulates Karzai on re-election
- Khalifa receives congratulatory call from Talabani
- Camel in RAK gives birth to twins
- Saif is appointed Emiratisation chief
- Pavement parking irks pedestrians
- Man jailed 3 years in fatal assault of colleague
- Murder: Mother gets stiffer sentence
- Traffic Prosecution adopts humanitarian step
Community Reports
-
Pavement parking irks pedestrians
Gulf News reader calls on authorities to step in and stop car owners from invading pathways meant for safe walking
-
Faded parking lines pose a problem
Motorists could be fined for parking incorrectly even though they can hardly see the boundaries in the designated areas
-
School buses block residential parking
Commercial vehicles taking up free parking facilities in Al Wuheida, inconveniencing residents in surrounding villas
-
Community report: Doing their bit for poor children
A group of students takes concrete action to raise funds for Dubai Cares
