Betty Bromage, a 97-year-old woman from Cheltenham, England, broke her own Guinness World Record as the world’s oldest female wing-walker [1].
The achievement highlights a personal victory over health challenges and serves as a fundraiser for the Cheltenham General Hospital, where Bromage received care.
Bromage performed the record-breaking feat by walking on the wing of an AeroSuperBatics biplane at RFC Rendcomb Airfield in Cirencester, Gloucestershire [2, 3]. During the flight, the aircraft reached speeds of 150 mph [4]. This event marked the sixth time Bromage has walked on a wing in her lifetime [5].
The stunt comes shortly after a significant health setback. Bromage suffered a stroke in 2025 [1], but she used her recovery as motivation to return to the air.
"I’m doing this for the hospital that helped me after my stroke," Bromage said [2].
Her determination to break the record despite her age and medical history reflects a lifelong pursuit of adventure. The biplane flight was coordinated to ensure the record was officially verified by Guinness World Records.
"The word can’t isn’t in my vocabulary," Bromage said [1].
“"The word can’t isn’t in my vocabulary."”
This event demonstrates the intersection of extreme sports and geriatric resilience. By breaking a record just one year after a stroke, Bromage provides a high-profile example of physical recovery and cognitive determination in late adulthood, while leveraging a niche sporting achievement to generate philanthropic support for public health infrastructure.
