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Miss Demeanour to make Mideast debut in Al Ain

Miss Demeanour, a vintage Hawker Hunter aircraft, looks set to be the ‘belle of the ball’ as she makes her Middle Eastern debut at this month’s Al Ain Aerobatic Show.

Miss Demeanour’s owner Jonathon Whaley, an ex-Royal Navy and Fleet Air Arm pilot, will be showing off the single seat, high-speed civilianised jet fighter to crowds at the show — the Middle East’s premier aerobatics event — when it takes to the skies over Al Ain International Airport from January 27 to January 30.

“The standard Hawker Hunter was operated by many countries in the Gulf area,” said Whaley, a veteran pilot who started flying in 1965. “Although Miss Demeanour has been modified she is, if you like, bringing her family back to a familiar territory,” he added.

Miss Demeanour’s flight routine will remain under wraps until Whaley inspects the Al Ain site.

“My displays are only planned ahead in a broad brush aspect, unless I have flown the display site regularly. I have a selection of manoeuvres that I link together depending on the display site, but my routines will also change depending on whether or not the display starts on take-off and ends on landing, or an overhead arrival and then departing after the display,” he explained.

Miss Demeanour’s name, said Whaley, “came out of the blue many years ago when I promised myself my first warbird would have a name and I enjoyed the double meaning. It’s not a felony to paint a Hunter so colourfully — it’s just a ‘Miss Demeanour’.”

Whaley believes his warbird will be a bit hit with Al Ain crowds – particularly her routine spectacular – a jet fighter flying past with the canopy open and the pilot waving.

“She’s a classic British Jet Fighter in a paint scheme that I designed to show off the beautiful lines of this historic aircraft marque. I will fly her with gusto and, I hope, demonstrate just how much I enjoy flying her. I hope that my level of enjoyment is matched by the audience,” said Whaley.

Miss Demeanour will feature on all four days of the show – the eighth in the series, flying against a backdrop of one of the world’s oldest desert oasis settlements. She will join the biggest ever line-up in the history of the event with 23 international teams taking part.

“The diversity of the show this time around is truly impressive. The mix of military and civil aircraft – a unique selling point of this event – will provide an intriguing snapshot of aviation 
down the ages,” said Faisal Al Sheikh, manager Major Events, Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA), which presents the event.

Spectators will also feature host of activities, both on the ground and in the air. They will be able to get up close to inspect a number of aircraft used by Al Ain’s Aviation Academy.

olivia@khaleejtimes.com