Danielle Hughes

Team Nickname:    BIRD
Wingwalking for:    4 years

Danielle has been dreaming of becoming a wing lady from the tender age of 6 after her parents took her to a local airshow for the first time. It was there, she experienced the sheer spectacle of the glamorous wing walkers in action on top of their colourful vintage biplane aircraft. This greatly inspired her and she now had a burning ambition to wing walk that she was determined to achieve.

She has always been an active person and she really likes a challenge in life, especially if there is a competitive element to it. At the age of 14, she became the then national Tae Kwon Do Black belt second dan British Champion! For this reason alone, her team mates try not to upset her to often… She likes to keep her fitness up in her spare time by jogging and going to the gym.

Danielle loves every aspect of the wing walking display routine. She particularly enjoys the thrill of climbing around the aircraft in flight though as it helps her maintain her strength and fitness levels. These position changes happen a various points during the display and require a lot of physical strength to achieve. As if this wasn’t difficult enough, she is often working against a 100 mph winds at the same time as the aeroplane is moving through the air! Her favourite manouevre of this type, is known as the 'Arabesque'. This is where she will stand on the rear aeroplane cockpit and face the crowd waving at the same time! This happens at the end of the show just as she returns into the aircraft for landing.

Just when you thought there was no end to her talents, Danielle has recently gained her flying licence herself! Her next goal is to join the RAF and fly the Typhoon fighter jet! Watch this space … The team pilots are now quaking in their boots as they’re convinced she’s eventually going to be after their jobs!