Royal Jordanian Falcons hunting top honours at Al Ain Int'l Aerobatics Championship

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, the four-day event is the biggest spectacle on the Al Ain calendar.

The Royal Jordanian Falcons - which display four-plane formations such as the 'Box,' 'T,' 'Vic,' 'Echelon,' 'Line Abreast' and 'Concord' - were formed in 1976 at the request of His Majesty, the late, King Hussein Bin Talal, and are one of the world's oldest, most respected teams.

King Hussein believed the team would globally promote Jordan through the art and science of aviation, and the team's competition history - which has seen them take to the skies of countries ranging from the UK, America, Indonesia and Italy - justifies the King's vision.

Operating a quartet of Textron Lycoming engine powered EXTRA-300LP aircraft, appearing for the first time in Al Ain, the four-man team is made up of Jordan Airforce volunteer pilots who usually fly with the team for a period of three to four years before they return to their specialist fighter squadrons.

"The whole team is thrilled to be returning to Al Ain. We have a special bond with the Garden Oasis which can be seen by our annual participation at what is a truly global aerobatics event," said Lieutenant Colonel Mohammed Al Momani, Team Leader, Royal Jordanian Falcons.

Great skill, mind-blowing manoeuvres, and various eye-catching formations make the Falcons a crowd favourite all around the world, and they have twice won the coveted 'Best International Show Award' at England's Fairford Aerobatic Show (1995, 2002).

"We would like to thank our sponsors, Aqaba Development Corporation (ADC), Royal Jordanian Airlines, and Royal Jordanian Airforce for their enduring commitment to upholding the virtues of what the Falcons stand for: respect, entertainment, peace and of course, professionalism."

"Through their support we have been performing to between three to five million people annually for over two and a half decades," added Al Momani.

The Al Ain International Aerobatics Championship 2008 has attracted a high-profile sponsorship line-up including Etihad Airways and ADNOC Distribution as Platinum sponsors; Pilatus, Etisalat, Al Ain Mineral Water and Abu Dhabi National Hotels as Gold sponsors, and Al Ain Mall, BAE Systems and Rolls-Royce as Silver sponsors.