Coming in on a wing and a prayer at the Al Ain Airshow ... almost

When the Breitling Wingwalkers asked The National for volunteers to join them in their preparations for the Al Ain Aerobatic Show, one hand in the newsroom reached for the sky quicker than all the others.

The Breitling Wingwalkers thrilled fans on the first day of the Al Ain Aerobatic Show yesterday – but our reporter was grounded.

AL AIN // Every child's dream is to fly through the air, free of constraint – and for me such a dream was about to come true.

Since volunteering to learn the art of wing walking I had experienced no second thoughts or nerves whatsoever. That’s because I was too busy thinking what moves I would pull off at 160kph, 200 metres above ground, and what prayers I would use to give thanks for the spiritual view I was anticipating.

Yet little did I know that the challenge would start while I was still on the ground.

I was asked to climb on to the lower wing of the Second World War-era Boeing Stearman aircraft, walk along it and make my way up to the top wing. This is what the professionals do in the air – but, as I found, it’s hard enough to perfect while you are on the ground.

I have never had a fear of heights and have taken part in many air-based extreme sports, but when taking part in such activities the adventurer is usually tied or harnessed and has little control over their movement. This time, the fact that I was in full control and untethered scared me a tiny bit.

Danielle Hughes, the professional wing walker assisting me, let it slip that she had been practising Taekwondo since she was a child, so she was flexible enough to start wing walking when she turned 18.

And while I wouldn’t be performing stunts, I was grateful for my regular workout routines that have kept me in shape and able to climb.

After constantly checking with Danielle that I was taking the right steps, I finally made it up to the top wing.

And to my disappointment, that was the closest I got to true wing walking, because the pilots decided it would be unsafe for me to climb out of the cockpit while wearing my hijab.

“It is like a hurricane up there,” I was told. The fear was that my hijab would wrap around my neck and strangle me, or get stuck somewhere on the aircraft.

I was desperate to find a solution, such as wearing a pilot’s cap or taping my hijab on to my forehead and neck. I even volunteered to keep it in place with my hands – for take-off wing walkers sit in a chair to which they are strapped, and therefore have their hands free.

But the pilots worried that the wind would be too forceful to tape the hijab on and that it would be physically impossible for me to keep my hands up for the whole flight.

I was devastated, but things brightened up when the Breitling team promised me they would design some suitable headwear for me to wear another time. Until then, I would have to be content with going up in the front cockpit.

I soon saw what they meant. Even sat in the cockpit my hijab was going crazy from the wind – and we were still on the ground.

As the engine started I had the feeling of being in an old war movie.

Boeing Stearmans such as the 1935-1945 model I was riding in were used as training aircrafts in the Second World War. They have no windows to shield you from the wind. You are completely exposed to the elements.

As we started to climb I moved my head right and left to catch a view of the surrounding dunes. I held my phone up to take photos but the pilot started his first stunt turns and my arm was thrown back by the force of the wind.

The aircraft dived to the left, then the right, then down to the front and into a loop. I experienced the same adrenalin rush I get on roller coasters, except this took longer and I had nothing to hold on to except my mobile phone, which I feared would go flying. Luckily, I was strapped in with three seatbelts.

The eight minutes we spent in the air passed so quickly I did not want to return to land, but as the wheels touched the ground I noticed the beautiful sunset, heard engines roaring in my ear and looked up to see aircrafts dotting the horizon. I realised I was living in the perfect movie setting.

As disappointed as I was that I did not walk on the wing, I was thankful for a joyful experience and a safe return.

They told me I would have been the first woman to wear a hijab while wing walking, and while it wasn’t meant to be, I’m looking forward to seeing if the Breitling gang can find a way round the problem.

The child in me still wants to fly, unconstrained. Wing walking and a hijab ... who knows, the idea might just take off.