360° Wingwalker – Part 1 | National Geographic

for me when walking is about the
ultimate freedom
and once you’ve tasted that type of
freedom I mean you just can’t ever go
back
it is absolutely liberating
but if you mess up even a little bit
it’s all over
you’ll have to be responsible for
everything you do and everything you
know
extreme responsibility is also the only
way that you get to freedom they go
together there are two different sides
to the same coin
when I get ready to fly it in air show I
kind of go into this mode where I kind
of do this jekyll-hyde thing all of a
sudden I’m Carol and then all of a
sudden I’m Carol but I’m closed
I don’t become somebody else I’m still
the same me I just become simplified I
stopped thinking about everything else
my rental car my taxes it’s ancient
history I just closed down doors on my
life the only thing I am concerned about
is what I have to do it’s time to go and
when it’s go time everything else needs
to stay on the ground it’s something
that most airshow performers have to do
in order to survive what they’re about
to do I get nervous I get a little
frantic I have a little too much energy
you start getting a little adrenaline
going you know it’s kind of like a pony
in a gate getting ready to run it knows
it’s gonna run and it wants to run it’s
just wait for the gate open I think I
actually psych myself into that state
the nervous energy comes with me right
up onto the airplane and I use it I use
it with a vengeance
you have to harness it and it’s what
allows you to actually get through the
routine
make no mistake is physically harrowing
out there so it gets used up
you