71,000 Visit 2011 Al Ain Aerobatic Show

Friday Sets New One-Day Record

This year’s Al Ain Aerobatic Show ended Saturday evening having more than lived up to its billing as the biggest and best ever with 71,000 spectators pouring through the gates over the two days of the event. Friday saw a show day visitor record with some 39,000 spectators attending.

The crowded weekend came as a boost to organisers, Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) and the UAE Armed Forces, who had been forced to cancel the show on Wednesday and Thursday due to un-seasonally inclement weather.

“When the sun came out, so did the spectators, and in their thousands!” said Faisal Al Sheikh, Events Manager, ADTA, “And it was fantastic to see so many families enjoying themselves in what was an expansive and highly entertaining visitor village .Our ‘Meet The Pilot’ sessions proved particularly popular with kids and adults with queues forming to get close to the stars of the aerobatic displays.”

The Al Ain community was out in force with crowds being supplemented by visitors from Oman, Abu Dhabi, Dubai and the Northern Emirates.

“This is the beauty of Al Ain – it is so close to so many other places,” said Al Sheikh. “It makes the Oasis City a fabulous weekend retreat and we intend to work closely with the local hotels, attractions and travel trade to ensure weekend stay packages are in place for the next show.

“We are also investigating the feasibility of shortening the show next year by a day as this year’s enforced cancellation suggests we could be as equally successful with a three-day event as a four-day event.”

Touring the static park was a show highlight for 17-year-old Emirati electrical engineering student Mohammed Ali of Sharjah.

“I have been to other flying events but this is really fantastic. The organisers have given us a great experience, and to be able to touch and feel the Apache helicopter and other aircraft in the static display is superb,” he said.

Ten-year-old Raj Parekh from Abu Dhabi was making his first visit to the show, and particularly enjoyed the meet-the-pilot sessions. “I was very excited and managed to collect six autographed pictures. My favourite is Skip Stewart because the plane and bike stunts are really well co-ordinated and look absolutely awesome,” he said.

Thirty-one-year-old Tunisian, Huda Al Noori was at the show with her family. “It’s an extremely exciting show, especially for the kids. The family area is so well set up and has plenty of activities to keep them entertained,” she said.

Staged at the Al Ain International Airport, the show featured a wide range of acts and aircraft, including a flypast by some of the UAE Air Force’s most advanced fighter jets and breathtaking formation flying by the national air force squadrons from Saudi Arabia and Turkey in the form of The Saudi Hawks and Turkish Stars. “It is our first time in Al Ain, and was simply amazing,” said Major Ergin Dinc of the Turkish Stars.

Team Viper, the world’s only Hawker Hunter supersonic fighter jet display squadron thrilled the crowds with its amazing mock ground formation attack, and Middle East debutants, the Baltic Bees, put on superb display of lightning-quick precision flying. There was a mind-boggling array of aerobatics Skip Stewart, Otto the Helicopter and the wing-walkers from the Scandinavian Airshow before the show concluded each evening with skydiving from the Fazza Sky Team and a unique performance from flying ace Hannes Arch, which combined aerobatics, music and dance.

One of the show highlights was the first ever staging of the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI)-sanctioned Desert Challenge. Six of the world’s top aerobatic pilots battled it out with Spaniard Castor Fantoba narrowly claiming the title. Speaking afterwards, Mariusz Adamski, FAI Desert Challenge media manager, said: “As show newcomers, we felt that the organisation and traffic directions were very well-prepared, making it easier for us to concentrate on what we’re here for – flying. We were particularly impressed by the on-ground activities and the effort put in by the organisers to accommodate all age groups, especially children.”

The Al Ain Aerobatic Show was held under the patronage of HH General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and was carried out in partnership with Al Ain Municipality and Al Ain Police.

It was backed by a high-profile sponsorship line-up that included Gold Sponsors Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB), Abu Dhabi National Hotels, Al Ain Water and Etisalat. Mubadala Aerospace, TDIC, Abu Dhabi Aircraft Technologies and Pilatus Aircraft were Silver Sponsors, while Emirates Motor Company was the Official Supplier and ADAC the Host Sponsor.
 

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