Bob Essell Airshows -- 6420 Pioneer Trail, Hiram, OH 44234 -- (330) 612-2561
Bob Essell
Bob grew up in Twinsburg, Ohio. He learned to fly in the mid 1960s in an Aeronca L-3 with his dad, Albert. Flying has been a part of the Essell family tradition for a few generations. Bob's grandfather, Theodore, performed in front of crowds parachuting from hot air balloons. Theodore also built his own bi-plane which resembled a Curtis. Albert learned to fly in the early 1950s on the GI Bill and he owned several classic tail-dragger aircraft.
Bob is now a commercial pilot, Flight Instructor, and a member of the U.S. World Microlight Team. He began doing airshows in the early 1980s, at first doing flight demonstrations, then moving on to solo aerobatics, and after 4500 hours of flying, added wingwalking in 1990. When not performing at air shows, Bob is building, selling, and giving flight instruction for light aircraft in Hiram, Ohio (Liberty AirSports).
His flying experience and credentials include level 1 unrestricted, solo aerobatics, and comedy wingwalking. Bob also holds second class medical.
Bob’s other interests are flying antique and classic planes (he owns a 1948 Piper Vagabond), fishing and traveling.
Bob's wife, Bonnie Bertel, also is an integral part of the team and has been involved with the flying business since 1982.
More About our Wingwalking Team...
How Jenny and Bob met - Jenny's Adoption Story
You may find yourself wondering why Jenny was just recently introduced to airshows considering her father’s extensive experience as a flight instructor, a former member of the U.S. World Microlight Team, an air show flight and aerobatics demonstrator, and most recently, a wingwalking team pilot. The reason for this is that Jenny just joined the Essell family in July of 1997. Jenny was adopted as an infant into the Forsythe family in 1970 and was raised in a suburb of Cleveland, OH. Her parents, David and Mary, were always honest with Jenny, and so she does not recall a time when she did not know that she was adopted. She admits that although she was a very quiet and shy young girl, she also was extremely curious. As she grew older, her dad – the only one she knew at the time – would give her more information about the few details he knew about her biological parents. By the time 1996 rolled around, Jenny was extremely curious about her biological history and finally had the tool she needed to find what she was looking for: the internet. About a year after posting her information to an adoption database, she was contacted by her biological mother. Just ten days later, she found her biological father.
“It was like looking into the depths of my own soul when I gazed into his deep blue eyes for the very first time,” Jenny explains. “I never felt that anything was missing in my life as I grew up, but at that moment, I somehow felt more complete.” Upon finding her bio-dad (as she likes to refer to Bob), several curiosities were addressed. Leading them was her interest in flying. Neither of her adoptive parents had any interest in flying, they only took planes when absolutely necessary. Jenny, on the other hand, always was intrigued by flight and jumped at the chance to fly every time the opportunity arose. So, it was only appropriate that it was at an air park (owned at that time by Bob and his wife Bonnie) that Jenny and Bob first met. More recently, she learned that she is the fourth generation of Essells to take to the skies – her great-grandfather used to parachute from hot air balloons!
Although Jenny ended up following her career to northern New Mexico where she worked at Los Alamos National Laboratory for four and a half years, she remained in close contact with her bio-dad and other newly found relatives. In July of 2002, Jenny moved back to the Midwest and the family ties began to grow that much tighter. She started accompanying Bob and her predecessor, Jon Falkner, to various air shows and helped out with everything from public relations to announcing (e.g., for their act in front of the nearly one million spectators at the 2003 Thunder Over Louisville show).
It was at the 2003 Tupelo Airfest that Jenny’s passion really came alive. She admits she had been tossing the idea around in her head for a few years already, but it wasn’t until this show that she had started mentioning her desire to become the next wingwalker to other people affiliated with the airshow industry. And when she realized how enthusiastic other performers and operations personnel were about that idea, she decided it was time to pitch the idea to Bob and Bonnie. Upon returning home from the show, Jenny sent an email to Bonnie letting her know she finally found her passion in life and she would like her bio-dad’s help in making it happen. Bonnie seemed thrilled by the idea at first, but Bob – the protective dad he’s come to be – was not as excited by the thought of his daughter standing on top of the ultralight-type aircraft. Over the course of the next few weeks, the discussions continued until Bob finally saw the light and agreed to give it a try.
Now a very vivacious, personable, motivated young woman, Jenny has completed a rigorous training program. She is now completely immersed in the air show business. Not only is she ready for the physically demanding act of wingwalking itself, but she has insisted on being involved with the logistics, the PR, the accounting, and all the other facets of this now family business. If you were present at ICAS 2003, you probably took notice of her.
At a height of nearly 5’9”, she towers over Jon Falkner (previous team wingwalker). While some people believed this would be a hinderance to being a wingwalker, Jenny uses her height and long limbs to turn wingwalking into wind-dancing. She has training in ballet and other dance genres and is pleased to put it to use now.
What does Jenny think of the view from up top? “It gives me a perspective on life like none other I’ve experienced on Earth.” Jenny has a deep appreciation for the support she has received from all of her family members – adopted and biological. “I’ve never resented being adopted, but I also never fully appreciated it like I do today.”
Jenny’s first flight with her dad, August 1997
History of "Ultralight" Wingwalking
Many people often ask Bob how he got involved in an ultralight-type aircraft wingwalking act. The concept began in the early 1980s when Bob envisioned his son, Tim, flying on top of the aircraft at the age of 12. Like most ideas, however, this one got put on the backburner for several more years. Finally, in 1989, at Sun N Fun, as he watched Gene and Cheryl Littlefield performing, the idea started materializing. After returning home and spending many days speaking with the engineers at Quicksilver, no reasons were found for why it would not be possible to carry a wingwalker on the ultralight-type aircraft. The engineers reinforced the fact that the aircraft is structurally suitable for such a feat. Bob was performing aerobatics at numerous shows already, and added in the wingwalking. From there, the idea caught on and the act has been performed (as Essell and Falkner Wingwalking Team) for 14 years.
How it all began...
