Aero Gatineau - an interview with Carol Pilon

Our teen blogger David has been a fan of the snowbirds ever since he first saw them while visiting his grandparents in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. He is looking forward to seeing both the snowbirds and Carol Pilon perform during Aero Gatineau September 15-17. David is back on the blog with an interview of Canada’s first and only professional wingwalker.

With the annual Aero Gatineau show approaching, many will be watching as planes perform aviation acrobatics. I got to speak to Carol Pilon- a performer at the Gatineau Air Show and Canada’s first and only professional wingwalker- to learn more about her and her craft. Here’s what we talked about.

photo credit Eric Dumigan.

You’ve been a professional wingwalker for over 20 years. How do you become a wingwalker?

Well, for me, it was simple. I was at that point in my life when I did not want to go to college because I had no clear path ahead of me. I took a couple years off to really think about what the next step was, when I saw an ad for my local air show. I saw a wing walker on the screen and at that moment I thought “well that’s gonna be the rest of my life”. From that point on, I educated myself about the wingwalking industry and spent the next 7 years harassing all the teams in North America until they finally gave me the chance, and the rest is history. There are no wingwalking courses, it's all about independently getting a good mentor and joining an established team.

What all goes into the preparation and performance of wingwalking?

Really, it's as simple as attaching yourself to a harness and walking on the plane. I can teach you any number of theoretical tips and tricks on the ground, but as soon as you're up in the air, you’re on your own. The biggest safety protocol we have, believe it or not, is the pilot. Their job is to make the flight as smooth and suitable for your performance as possible. Getting the right pilot is 95% of the preparation.

You’ve been to many places, done many things as a wingwalker. What was the most memorable experience you’ve had in your career as a wingwalker?

How do you pick one? I’ve had many great shows, met many great people, and realistically, any day I get to go wing walking is an absolutely fantastic day for me. 

With all your travels, how does it feel to be performing at the Aero Gatineau show two weeks from now so close to where you grew up in Masham, Quebec?

This is a little known fact, but as an air show professional, you’re always warned about doing hometown shows. There will always be increased attention from the audience because of friends and family member’s being there, and it can be a distraction from the task at hand. I’m really excited to be back home, but I gotta balance that with being able to say “hey guys, I gotta go work now”. 

Finally, what does the future look like for you? Any goals, is retirement on the horizon?

You will see at this show that I have developed a new routine in order to hire and incorporate two new wingwalkers. My goal right now is really to educate and mentor the next generation of wingwalkers to carry on the craft. In fact, we will be hosting one young lady to try out wingwalking at this air show to see if she likes it and possibly have her join the team. I’m really focused on growing the field right now. As for retirement, that's not happening any time soon. 

Carol Pilon will be performing at the Aero Gatineau Legends of the Sky show from September 15-17. Tickets must be bought online and are $35 for adults and $15 for kids. For more information, visit Aero Gatineau Ottawa.