For immediate release:    June 20, 2010
For further information: Robert Ragozzino at SOS2now@hotmail.com or 405-205-7041

WING WALK WORLD RECORD SET OVER SAN FRANCISCO BAY

June 20, San Francisco

Aviation history was made on Saturday, June 19, 2010, when wing walker Ashley Battles and pilot Robert Ragozzino set a new world record for the longest wing walk ever.

At 4 hours and 2 minutes, Ragozzino and Battles shattered the old record of 3 hours 23 minutes. After enduring hurricane force winds and chilling temperatures on the wing, Battles slowly made her way back into the security of the cockpit for landing. Battles and Ragozzino know at the ‘The AX Team’ for Air Extreme Team, were welcomed back by an enthusiastic group of supports with Champagne in hand.

Battles broke out in tears of joy, pain, and unbridled excitement, as she climbed from the the big red and yellow Stearman biplane.  “I have been talking about breaking the record, but actually doing it was completely an over the top experience.”  

The world record attempt was sponsored by the Spirit of St. Louis 2 Project. The Spirit 2 project is building an exact replica of Charles Lindbergh’s Spirit of St. Louis to reenact his 1927 epic solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean from New York to Paris. 

Visit wingwalkworldrecord.com for more information, pictures, and video down loads.

Contact Robert Ragozzino and Ashley Battles at 405-205-7041 directly for interviews and information.

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For immediate release:    June 17, 2010
For further information: Robert Ragozzino at SOS2now@hotmail.com or 405-205-7041

Air EXtreme Team to Set New World Record for Wing Walking

June 19, San Francisco

SAN FRANCISCO -- Legendary air show wing walking performer Ashley Battles, Tulsa, Okla., and world record pilot Robert Ragozzino, Sausalito, California, will team up June 19 in San Francisco to attempt a new Guinness World Record™ for endurance wing walking. The attempt will take place at noon over San Francisco Bay in the shadow of The Golden Gate Bridge.

Battles, a 27-year-old known for her nerves of steel, will climb up and out of her seat and up on the wing. She will attempt a five-hour wing walk atop Ragozzino’s Super 450 Stearman biplane. The current record, set in France, now stands at 3 hours 23 minutes.

“Ashley is an amazingly courageous and talented woman. We are optimistic that she will be able to overcome the pain and set this record,” Ragozzino said. “Standing on the wing of an airplane moving at 100 miles per hour requires tremendous concentration and determination.”

He adds that conditions, such as the weather and mechanical perfection must be in order to set the new record.

Battles and Ragozzino will be using the same 450 Super Stearman Ragozzino flew around the world in 2000.

He became the first to fly around the world solo open cockpit.

We call our team ‘The AX Team, for Air Extreme Team. “We are the ones setting aviation records in the 21st Century,” said Ragozzino. “We have a slogan, ‘Records Falling From the Air’. We aren’t going to stop till we break a dozen great aviation records, period.”

Ragozzino already has his eye on the next aviation record he plans to break. The AX Team already has a half finished exact replica of the Charles Lindbergh’s Spirit of St. Louis. Ragozzino will fly solo from New York to Paris as a re-enactment of the flight that launched the development of commercial aviation. The Spirit of St. Louis 2 flight is scheduled for takeoff May 20, 2012. The Spirit of St. Louis 2 Project is actively seeking sponsorship.

“We need more visionary sponsors and partners to keep making aviation history happen!” said Ragozzino.

Track the AX Team’s progress on www.wingwalkworldrecord.com and CharlesLindbergh.com or contact Ragozzino at SOS2now@hotmail.com.