Al Ain Aerobatic Show 2006

Thousands of spectators will be watching the world's most famous pilots performing on their aircraft the most spectacular breathtaking aerobatic displays. All that will take place during the "Al Ain Aerobatic Show 2006", which will be held under the patronage of His Highness Lieutenant General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of UAE Armed Forces, from 11 to 15 January 2006 (Second day of Al Adha Holiday), organized jointly by the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority, the UAE Air Force and Air Defence.

Over the last three years "Al Ain Aerobatic Show" attracted unprecedented attendance; tens of thousands of visitors had come to Abu Dhabi emirate from all over the world. It also activated the local family tourism as a lot of UAE nationals and expatriates converged on the charming city of Al Ain. This encouraged the Organizing Committee, represented by the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority, the UAE Air Force and Air Defence, to make more efforts to attract more than 125 thousand visitors from all over the world for the new round of the Show (January 2006). Believing in the major role that local media play in showing the country's prosperous present and promising future, and also believing in the importance of communicating with international media for maintaining the civilized humanitarian image of the UAE worldwide, the efforts of the Organizing Committee will include a big advertising and marketing campaign, which has recently started with advertisements in local and international media appearing in print and on broadcast channels.

With the massive preparations for hosting this global event again, the Organizing Committee, willing to associate with international experiences in organizing and presenting exciting aerobatic displays, has managed to modify its objectives for the forthcoming round to include making an essential organizational development and emulating the most famous world competitions and teams growing year after year, thanks to the hard work of the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority, the UAE Air Force and Air Defence, in complete cooperation and coordination with Al Ain Municipality, Khalifa bin Zayed Air College, Emirates Media, Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Company, Al Ain Police and Al Ain International Airport.

After the great success of "Al Ain Aerobatic Show 2004", the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority hosted "Al Ain Aerobatic Show 2005", which concurred with the first centennial anniversary of the International Air Sports Federation (FAI), and was the biggest and most spectacular competition of all, as the world's best civilian and military pilots presented their breathtaking aerobatic displays to thousands of spectators.

During the event Al Ain had turned into a vast airbase with about 100 aircraft and 500 pilots and professional technicians. The quality of pilots and performances was obviously better than before, more countries participated, and the event had more accompanying activities with a higher organizational level.

The competition was opened with 15 stunning air shows that included a spectacular display from the UAE parachute team and another on Mirage 2000-9 aircraft, in addition to three remote-controlled aircraft shows. Aerobatic teams from Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Morocco, Pakistan, India and Russia participated in the opening shows.

The Jordanian team presented an impressive display dedicated to the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, in which they used four Extra 400 aircraft, accompanied with sad music and commentary highlighting the achievements of the late great leader and builder of the Emirates' prosperity.

In addition to the aerobatic displays, the UAE Air Force exhibited on land the aircraft used in Air Force and Air Defence, including the fighter Mirage 2000, the training aircraft Hawk Mk.63 and many others.

The exhibition also included the latest production of training aircraft with a turbine engine from Pilatus Company; Pilatus PC-21, the latest of its kind in the world, besides its well-known PC-12 executive businessmen aircraft. Horizon International Aviation Academy also participated with its helicopter Jet Ranger.

In the 2005 round participated two famous Russian military teams; the Russian Knights on Su-27 and the Swifts on MiG-29 aircraft. Each team consisted of two aircraft, but both teams presented together for the first time a four-aircraft special formation for the Aerobatic Show 2005.

The Royal Jordanian Air Force Falcons also participated with four Extra 400 aircraft, in addition to the Air Force Royal Maroc La Marche Vert, which is the only team in the world that performs aerobatic shows with eight CAP-232 propeller aircraft, and the solo displays of K-8 and Super Mushshak aircraft from the Pakistani Air Force.

Eight of the world's best solo aerobatic pilots participated in the 2005 competition, and excitement stepped up with the participation of five of the top civilian aerobatic teams; the Matadors, Flying Bulls, Ultimate High, Spice Knights and Hawks of Romania. On the first day of the competition each pilot participated in the unique and stunning Air Musical Show 'Theatre in the Sky'.

Other exciting displays included the 'Flying Jet Man' for the Swiss Yves Rossy, 'Conference of the Birds' for the French Christian Moullec who presented a unique show on his ultralight aircraft in one formation with 12 Branta leucposis geese, and the Dutch Ultralight Aircraft team 'MAT Aero'. Champion pilots from France, UK, USA and Japan presented in front of the audience skilful remote-controlled aircraft displays, and the new surprise was the participation of the 'Paraddax Team' with a formation of three paramotors.

The peak of excitement was when the Austrian adventurer Felix Baumgartner, World Champion in BASE jumping, jumped from a Casa-235 aircraft at a less than 1000 meter height. In this dangerous show the adventurer races against time for 30 seconds and opens his parachute just 3 seconds before reaching the ground.

The 2005 round also included the aerobatic play 'Hope of Flying' presented with a narrator and live music. Pilots moved their aircraft in harmony with the effects, telling the story of a handicapped boy dreaming of overcoming his disability to live the flying experience.

On the third day of the event the World Grand Prix - Al Ain 2005 started and lasted for three days. A number of distinguished international arbiters in this sport made up the arbitration committee that worked according to several criteria, such as the aerobatic moves, speed, and all-team performance proficiency, as well as solo shows and group flying. The World Grand Prix also included a solo and group display competition for teams of jet and propeller aircraft, and an aerobatic display competition for remote-controlled aircraft. The aerobatic show program also included a musical aerobatic play entitled 'Call of the Sky' specially prepared for this international event, and a number of aircraft took part in it.

The 2004 Achievement:
Engineer Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan had expected that the "Al Ain Aerobatic Show 2004", which was held in February 2004, would push forward the tourism activity in Al Ain City, and would be the start of an annual international aerobatic festivity, especially that it concurred for the first time in the Middle East with hosting the World Aerobatic Show Grand Prix in Al Ain with participation of the best world champion pilots.

"Al Ain Aerobatic Show 2004" gathered a number of the top aerobatic world champion pilots, and around 60 military, civilian, jet and propeller aircraft, which presented solo and group displays. Music also accompanied some aerobatic displays.

Thousands of Al Ain residents and visitors attended the activities, which started with military music performances. Then, Al Ain Amateur Club presented distinguished remote-controlled aircraft displays with participation of 12 aircraft, followed by other remote-controlled aircraft displays. The UAE Armed Force parachute team also performed free jump displays, and various formations of Mirage aircraft were presented by the UAE Air Force and Air Defence. Spectators also enjoyed the distinguished formations and displays performed by Khalifa bin Zayed Air College team on the German Group, the Swiss PC-7, the British Hawk and the Italian Airmaki aircraft.

The Saudi Hawks team performed various breathtaking displays, and the dream team presented solo and group shows with participation of world champions. 16 aircraft also took part in an aerobatic play about a dolphin dreaming of being a skilful pilot to perform creative aerobatic displays. Multi-colored smoke columns characterized the aerobatic displays accompanied with live music.

It is worth mentioning that the first aerobatic show, held in Al Ain City from 5 to 14 March 2003, was successful and admired by the audience and concerned parties, as it was a new idea in the region, and through building up on this first experience "Al Ain Aerobatic Show" of 2004 and 2005 achieved a great success that exceeded all expectations.