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...
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...