FAZZA SKY TEAM DROPS IN TO SAY HI IN AL AIN

The world’s number one skydiving and aerobatics team - the Fazza Sky Team - added a royal touch to this weekend’s Al Ain Aerobatic Show. Their spectacular display concluded with the unfurling of a massive banner of team sponsor, HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, in front of huge crowds at the Al Ain International Airport.

The team unveiled two new members at this year’s show, but it was their brand new routine that left spectators gasping, as the brightly coloured MXS aircraft looped around the parachute jumpers as it escorted them to the ground, before sliding sideways just above the dunes surrounding the Oasis City.

Making their debuts for the Fazza Sky Team were famous Hungarian pilot Veres Zoltan, who has accumulated more than 10,000 flying hours in over 80 different types of aircraft, and Spaniard Rodrigo Sanchez, who has racked up 1,000 flying hours in Pilatus planes. They join a team that last year set a new world record for the highest BASE jump executed from a building when Nasser Al Reyadi leapt from the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.

“We are honoured to represent HH Sheikh Hamdan at the Al Ain Aerobatic Show. Team Fazza is considered to be the world number one in skydiving, and we wanted to come here today to demonstrate the high level of professionalism that exists in this field in the UAE,” said Nasser Al Reyadi, Fazza Sky Team’s general manager.

The ninth edition of the show featured more than 25 aircraft, including some of the planet’s best aerobatic and formation teams. Taking centre-stage was the multi-discipline FAI Desert Challenge, which saw six of the world’s best pilots flying in classic and free-style competition formats. They were joined by fighters from the UAE Air Force, aerobatic squadrons from the Turkish Air Force and Royal Saudi Air Force, Team Viper’s Hawker Hunter supersonic fighter jets, and many of the world’s best solo pilots, including Abu Dhabi ambassador Hannes Arch.

The Al Ain Aerobatic Show, which concluded yesterday (Saturday), 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 organised by the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) in conjunction with the UAE Armed Forces.