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Air show postponed again

AL AIN — With adverse weather conditions continuing to affect the UAE, Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) and the UAE Armed Forces, organisers of the Al Ain Aerobatic Show, have postponed the opening of the show to tomorrow.

According to a media statement from ADTA, the show will go ahead on Friday and Saturday and will be open from 10am to 6.30pm, with gates opening from 9am. More than 20 aircraft will take to the sky daily with their gravity-defying stunts at the 
Oasis City.

The unfavourable weather condition across the UAE the whole week has forced the organisers to postpone the show from Wednesday.

Breathtaking manoeuvres

In its ninth year, the aerobatic show, described as the largest ever in its history will feature more than 15 aerobatic and display teams from four continents and is expected to attract over 130,000 visitors to watch the world’s top pilots manoeuvre their agile aircraft in these two days. Taking centre-stage at this year’s event is the unique, multi-discipline Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) Desert Challenge. This breathtaking performance will see six of the world’s best pilots flying CAP232, Sukhoi26 and Xtreme aircraft, in a classic and free-style competition formats.

Team Viper, the world’s only Hawker Hunter fighter jet display squadron, is also on the headline. Serving and former members of the British Royal Air Force will be seen piloting four supersonic jets in dazzling formations.

Chris Heames, captain of the Team Viper squadron, promised a “high energy performance, featuring both high speed and low level passes, formation loops and barrel rolls, as well as our stunning mock ground formation attack scenario, which we will be performing for the first time in the 
Middle East.” The line up of stellar display teams also include the ever-popular Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) Aerobatic Team – The Saudi Hawks – with a new display boasting 23 exhilarating formations and moves, including their world record breaking largest ever aerial drawing, and climaxing with an unforgettable ‘bomb-burst’ manoeuvre.

Debuting at the show are the Turkish Air Force’s aerobatic team—the Turkish Stars—which will demonstrate its amazing airborne skills for the very first time in the UAE, and Abu Dhabi’s Red Bull Air Race dare devil ‘Flying Falcon’ Hannes Arch, one of the world’s foremost aerobatic stars with his dazzling new ‘Rhythm and Air’ routine—a stunning display with live music, dancers and moving images, all built around the four elements of air, fire, earth and water.

“I am really excited about being able to perform my new display, and doing it in the UAE for the first time makes it even more special. For me this is a departure from my home territory of racing. So I hope everyone will enjoy it,” said Arch.Also making its Middle East debut is the Baltic Bees from Latvia, flying L-39C Albatros twin-shaft jets at speeds topping 900 km/hr.

Other spectacular acts include a unique aerial ‘ballet’ by Blue Voltige, Skycats’ famous wing-walking extravaganza, and Jacob Hollander’s pine-tingling Pitts Python and Wasp routines.

Miss Demeanour, a vintage 1956 Hawker Hunter jet, will be showing off her colours at a stunning ‘atmospheric re-entry paint scheme while ‘OTTO the Helicopter’, the clown-faced Hughes TH-55 Osageone helicopter, will showcase a full set of antics, from blowing bubbles to playing with a giant yo-yo and racing around barrels.

While the skies are dazzling with remarkable action, the ground will be packed with thrilling adventures which include meet-the-pilot sessions, hot air balloon rides, go-karting, bungee trampolines, crazy golf, model aircraft displays and face-painting for children. Visitors will also have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to win a flight with one of the world-class pilots at the aerobatic show by taking part in an online competition at www.alainaerobaticshow.com.