On Two Wings and a Prayer

One of my New Years Resolutions for 2019 was to learn how to wing walk. My favorite podcasters told the world that was a bit of a flex. Maybe it was. But I did it, and I’m more alive now than ever. A huge shout out to Mason Wing Walking Academy for making this dream become a reality!

We started class at 9am. By the time the experience finished 10 hours later, the sun was setting. David Mitchell wrote, “You only value something if you know it’ll end.” The thought crossed my mind while doing aerobatics that this was a finite experience, a short-term batch of excitement. But sunset is also a promise of a new day, a new adventure, an opportunity to see what night and darkness and separation can’t prevent tomorrow.

We all have moments of truth, when progress requires us to step into new and/or uncomfortable places. Between you and me, this step out of the cockpit 3,200 feet above the water between Washington and British Columbia was easier for me than steps I need to make in my personal life—conversations I need to have, structure I need to invite, thoughts I need to transcribe. One of the reasons I go on these adventures is to remind myself that I can do hard and scary things. 

On the Functional Movement System test, my body scored a laughable 7 out of 21. I fall over during simple yoga moves. I can’t dance. So doing choreography thousands of feet in the air intimidated me. Because the wings are fabric, only the balls of your feet could be on the skin of the wing and only on those tiny black dots. There’s a sequence to make the traverse efficient. In the hangar, I actually named the moves and said them aloud while practicing. I said them internally, as I did it for real. Overcoming my weakness proved one of my favorite accomplishments of the day.

I was the seventh registrant for a class of six. So, my flight was last—right as low clouds slid over the Salish Sea. So, instead of starting this trek at 5,000 feet ASL in blue skies over blue water, I left the cockpit at 3,200 feet ASL. The pilot slowed the plane down to about 60 knots to make this lower wing journey easier. At that speed, the plane was losing altitude. So, I didn’t want to dilly dally on my walk. It’s more of a balancing act down between the wings than up on the top wing—probably why it was only for those of us who took the advanced class.

I hope this looks as precarious to you as it felt to me. 

On the top wing, foot holds and a locking helicopter-style seat belt assist the safety lanyard in holding you to the plane. On the lower wing, it’s just the tension of your legs, crossed through the cables. I’ve got bruises on my leg and my arm from when I made sure I wasn’t going anywhere, but I smile when I look at them. They’re marks of accomplishment, badges of honor.

I had never been upside down in an aircraft of any kind prior to this flight. I still haven’t been upside from INSIDE a plane. Out on the wing? Now that’s a different answer.

Oh, hey. I don’t know. Feel cute. Might land later.

Oh, man. Where’s the time gone? Sorry, I gotta go.

“YES!” I kept yelling that over and over on this flight. Yes: I conquered my fear. Yes: I overcame my physical inadequacies. Yes: I did something fewer than 2,000 people in the history of the world have ever done. Yes: I can’t believe this is real. Yes: doors opened for me I didn’t deserve. Yes: I’m coming home more of whatever I am.

“The art of fulfillment is the ability to experience not only the thrill of the chase but also the magic of the moment, the unbridled joy of feeling truly alive.” — Tony Robbins

“When we align our lives with spiritual laws, challenges remain, but we can approach them with arms open wide, ready to dance.“ — Dan Millman

You’re probably not going to believe me; but after the aerobatics are done, the ride is actually peaceful. It’s just beauty with some wind in your face. I wouldn’t call it relaxing, but I would say there’s a calmness and a joy that vibrates from head to toe.

All good things must come to an end. One of the challenges of this specific adventure is to not let your relaxed psyche make you careless. With all that euphoria and with all those pumping hormones, you still have to hit all your marks.

I love that the camera (snapping twice a second) caught this moment. Elation. There was a sense of conquest, a feeling of accomplishment. That fulfillment swirled with beauty and joy and exhilaration. I wish this feeling for everyone at least once in your life. I’m drunk on it and ridiculously rich in opportunities to get more. I’m so grateful for all the dominoes that fell and doors that opened that made this possible. For all of you who’ve hired me, prayed for me, confronted me, encouraged me, advised me, or put their arm around my shoulders—THANK YOU!

The famed graphic designer, Tibor Kalman, said, “I’m always trying to turn things upside down and see if they look any better.” I don’t know about looking better, but turning my world upside down makes me more excited to live here.

People tell me that they couldn’t do stuff like this because they’re scared of heights. They always seem shocked that I answer, “Me, too.” But that’s *why* I do them. Fear is a liar and a bully and a thief of adventure. Fear told me I shouldn’t do this. Fear was bleeping wrong. 

This candid moment is what it feels like inside my ribs. When I go back through my pictures, my grin almost reaches my ears. It’s laughable. “I DID THAT!”

“I can’t stand to fly.”
I’m not that naive.”
I’m just out to find.”
The better part of me.”
— Five for Fighting

Big stretch. In rock climbing, this’d be called the crux move. Your left foot has to go from the top of the seat to the wood handle behind the fuel tank. You have to be careful not to let your heel touch the pilot’s windshield. When you pop your head up over that wing, the prop blast greets you with a hearty hello.

You feel like an action movie hero during this move, working through the support wires. I take great pride that I’ve done something The Rock and Jason Statham have never attempted. Lee Majors would be proud of me. Now, I just need his smirk.

Here’s that move from the other camera. I joked with my instructor that it felt like one of those heist movies where the thief has to dance around all of those security lasers. 

Over decades of air travel, I’ve had clouds under my feet quite a bit. This was my first time for that to be true—while under the clouds.

“The reason birds can fly and we can’t is simply because they have perfect faith, for to have faith is to have wings.” ― J.M. Barrie

This is about as close to a Mario jump as I could pull. Ha.

“You can’t change who you are, but you can change what you have in your head, you can refresh what you’re thinking about, you can put some fresh air in your brain.” — Ernesto Bertarelli

For practical reasons, we didn’t stay upside down. It was always during the transition of a loop, a roll, or a stall. Between you and me, sometimes, I’m not sure I could’ve pointed right side up. Ha.

“Dear God, I am so afraid to open my clenched fists! Who will I be when I have nothing left to hold on to? Who will I be when I stand before you with empty hands? Please help me to gradually open my hands and to discover that I am not what I own, but what you want to give me.” — Henri Nouwen

“Now do it all exactly backwards.” Keith dipped the wings back and forth to signal for my attention. (All communication is through signals.) Then he pointed down. That meant it was time to take a breather before heading out on the lower wing.

Halfway there. I knew in this moment, even if for some reason I didn’t get to do the advanced stuff on the lower wing, that I was now a wing walker. This smile is what happens when you realize a truth like that.

I’m not going to apologize for another upside-down picture. You’d post too many, too.

I’d just like to simply point out the angle of the horizon in this picture.

This was the moment right after I buckled in. I looked to the sky and surrendered. I’ve had these moments in church gatherings, on dusty trails, and in my office. I’ve learned that I don’t grow unless I relinquish something. Whatever is added to my life by this experience only blooms because I let go of fear, insecurity, and skepticism.

In Keith’s stunt plane, he pulls up to 10 positive Gs and 9 negative Gs. This retired Air Force pilot flashed a dry sense of humor and an infectious humility. He calmly rolled and looped and stalled us. “It’s like a Sunday drive for me,” he conceded.

This is Marilyn, our instructor. This mother of six taught with the sweetness of Caroline Ingalls. Through my 10 hours of training, flying, and waiting, this Sunday school teacher spoke only through a smile. She and her husband train 150 wing walkers a year. Such humility! She fed off our excitement and wonder yet always spoke in quiet, level tones. She’s a hero to me, and I’m grateful God poured our lives into the same bucket.

Johnny and Timmy are brothers, and Erin is their cousin. Timmy actually did his wing walking barefoot—so impressive. After Erin’s flight she told me, “I feel at such peace.” You wouldn’t think adrenaline rushes would lead to that kind of emotion, but I have found—after the euphoric energy burns off—that a wave of contentedness and optimism wash over the soul. There’ll still be Monday morning. Stress doesn’t run and hide. But the recharge renews more than just internal batteries; it rinses the soul for the next push.

Mason Wing Walking Academy uses two 1943 Boeing Stearman biplanes for their lessons. They’re both beautiful. Oh, the stories they must have!

These adrenaline rush moments are a mirror into the soul. You ask yourself good questions. I don’t know about other adventurers, but I usually don’t get the answers until later—usually not until I’m blogging or talking to my counselor.

Four GoPro cameras captured this experience: two on the wing mount and two on the tail mount. One in each location snapped photos, while the other grabbed video evidence. The lenses must be wiped after each wing walker’s flight because of the oil splatters from the 450hp Pratt & Whitney engine. Our plane has a dry sump oil system because it isn’t meant for extended time upside down. Their other plane has a special oil system for sustained inversions.

You know you’re at the right place, when they commemorate the experience with LEGOs. Actually, Mason Wing Walking Academy is the only wing walking school in the world. There’s a place in Great Britain where you can ride on the top wing, but you take off and land up there. Here, we had to learn how to get out of the cockpit and to harness ourselves while in flight. Also, we got to play on the lower wing, too.