At an age when many people prefer to keep their feet firmly on the ground, Helga Duffy strapped herself to the wing of a plane and took to the skies. The 99-year-old set a Guinness World Records title for the oldest female wing-walker after completing the daring flight at RFC Rendcomb Airfield in Cirencester, Gloucestershire, on October 16, 2026. Inspired by another woman who performed the same stunt at 97, Duffy decided to pursue the extraordinary challenge herself. But her achievement was about more than breaking a record. The German-born woman also raised more than £1,300 for Wiltshire and Bath Air Ambulance, turning her adventurous flight into a fundraising effort for a service with a deeply personal connection to her family.
97-year-old inspired Helga Duffy to break a wing-walking record
Duffy’s decision to attempt the record was inspired by Elizabeth “Betty” Bromage, who had made headlines after performing a wing walk at the age of 97. Bromage had regained the Guinness World Records title for the oldest female wing-walker following a flight on August 4, 2026, when she was 97 years and 145 days old.After seeing coverage of Bromage’s achievement, Duffy decided she wanted to try the stunt herself. Her attempt was originally planned for September 23, her 99th birthday, but was postponed until October 16.A Guinness World Records adjudicator attended the flight at RFC Rendcomb Airfield to verify the achievement and present Duffy with an official certificate. She was 99 years and 21 days old when she completed the attempt, establishing a new record in the female category.Bromage congratulated Duffy but suggested the competition might not be over. The BBC reported that she hoped to attempt the feat again when she turned 100, potentially reclaiming the title. Her response added another chapter to the unusual story of two women pushing the boundaries of what is possible at an advanced age.
‘I wasn’t frightened because I was so excited’
Duffy described the experience of being strapped to the top of a small aircraft as “peculiar”, but said excitement had kept fear at bay.“I wasn’t frightened because I was so excited,” she said, according to the BBC.Wing-walking involves being securely harnessed to the outside of an aircraft, usually on its upper wing, while the plane is in flight. The activity requires specialist equipment, an experienced pilot and careful preparation.For Duffy, however, the challenge was also a chance to demonstrate that reaching an advanced age did not mean she had lost her appetite for trying something different.Her nieces, Jackie Rose and Julie Preece, watched the flight. They described her as an independent and forthright woman who had wanted to do something different for a long time.Rose said Duffy wanted to show that, despite being 99, she was still the person she had always been. The achievement was therefore about more than the record itself. It reflected her determination to pursue a personal ambition rather than let her age define what she could attempt.
Raising more than £1,300 for an air ambulance
Alongside the record attempt, Duffy raised more than £1,300 for Wiltshire and Bath Air Ambulance, a charity that provides emergency medical care to people across the region.The fundraising carried particular meaning for her family. Rose and Preece told the BBC that their mother had made her final journey in an air ambulance, giving them a personal connection to the service Duffy chose to support.The charitable purpose gave the flight an additional dimension. Duffy was not simply attempting to establish an unusual record. She was using the attention surrounding her achievement to support a service that can be critical when patients need urgent medical assistance.The reported fundraising total of more than £1,300 added a practical outcome to the challenge, allowing Duffy to turn a personal milestone into support for an organisation serving people in medical emergencies.
A family memory behind the achievement
Duffy’s achievement also prompted reflection on her late father. She was the eldest of seven children and said she believed he would have been proud of her accomplishment.“He expected the best of us. So I always tried,” she said, adding that she hoped her father would be proud of his firstborn if he were still somewhere watching over her.The remark offered a glimpse into the personal significance of the milestone. While the world-record certificate recognised the flight itself, Duffy’s comments suggested that the achievement also connected her present-day adventure with the expectations and memories of her childhood.Duffy lives in a care home in Devizes, Wiltshire, and previously lived in Frome, Somerset, for many years. Her nieces’ support during the record attempt reflected the family encouragement surrounding the challenge.
The record may not stand unchallenged
Duffy’s achievement has put her name in the record books, but Bromage has suggested that she may try to take the title back when she turns 100.Bromage had completed several wing walks by the time of the BBC report and had also used her stunts to raise money for charitable causes. Her determination to return to the skies means Duffy’s record could face another challenge if Bromage follows through on her plans.At 99 years and 21 days old, Helga Duffy has set a Guinness World Records title as the oldest female wing-walker, proving that age has not stopped her from taking on extraordinary challenges.Her achievement combines an extraordinary physical feat with personal determination and charitable fundraising. Inspired by another woman who showed what was possible at 97, Duffy took her own turn in the skies at 99, supporting an air ambulance service along the way. If Bromage attempts to reclaim the title at 100, the record could become the next chapter in an unusual rivalry between two women determined to keep flying.