A 99-year-old former nurse just spent five minutes strapped to the top wing of a flying biplane — and walked away with a Guinness World Record.

Helga Duffy set the title of oldest wing-walker (female) this month at Rendcomb Airfield in Gloucestershire, England, flying with AeroSuperBatics Wingwalkers. She broke the record just three months after it had been set by a 97-year-old woman named Betty Bromage.

  • 99 years old at the time of the record-breaking flight
  • 5+ minutes spent strapped to the top of the biplane in the air
  • 3 months between the previous record and Helga's new one
  • £1,600+ ($2,000) raised for the regional Air Ambulance charity through the stunt

How a care home conversation turned into a world record

Helga had never heard of wing-walking until her niece, Jackie Rose, saw news coverage of Betty Bromage setting the record earlier this year and realized the same thing might be possible for her aunt. Staff at Helga's assisted-living facility encouraged her to give it a try, and despite arthritis and a bad right knee, she said yes.

"I had no idea what it was," Helga said of the aviation stunt, according to Good News Network. She had been telling people it would be "the last time" she could try something new — and once she saw what wing-walking involved, she was determined to do it.

What the flight was actually like

Strapped tightly to the top wing of the small plane and dressed in specialized flight clothing, Helga spent more than five minutes airborne, reaching an altitude of roughly 1,000 meters.

"Once we did the round and we were up a thousand meters, I took three deep breaths; the air up there is so pure you wouldn't believe it," Helga said. "I felt so good, I thought, 'is this like if you take drugs?' I'm sure it is."

After landing, she was presented with an official certificate by a Guinness World Records adjudicator. Her niece, who watched from the ground, described the atmosphere as "wonderful," adding that everybody was clapping and that she had enormous admiration for Helga given how painful the experience was on her knee.

A record that keeps getting passed along

What makes this story land harder than a typical stunt record is the chain reaction behind it: one 97-year-old's record inspired a niece to think it was possible for her 99-year-old aunt, who then broke it herself — all within a single year. Betty Bromage, the previous title-holder, reportedly congratulated Helga on the achievement while joking that she's looking forward to turning 100 and reclaiming the record.

Helga's certificate is now on display at her senior care facility, a visible reminder to other residents that age doesn't have to be a ceiling. Her own takeaway was characteristically direct: "Try anything. Don't ever say, 'I can't do it.' You can't 'see' until you've tried... It's my motto."

Full coverage of the record flight is available from Good News Network and Guinness World Records.