Daredevil pilots to hold full dress rehearsal today

Al Ain: Daredevil pilots will provide a thrilling curtain-raiser for the Al Ain Aerobatics Show 2007 with a full dress rehearsal today.

The formal opening of the show is on Friday.

The rehearsal will start at 12 noon and Shaikh Sultan Bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Economic Authority, and a number of senior government officials will attend the display at Al Ain International Airport.

The five-day international event is being jointly organised by Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority and the UAE Air Force and Air Defence.

The organisers of the show yesterday launched a dedicated website (www.alainaerobaticshow.com) to give more information about the event.

The website contains information for both participants and visitors and provides answers to all queries of interested people, sponsors and media, said an official of the authority.

"This would help us attract more visitors from all over the country and the region," he said.

The show has attracted hundreds of pilots, soloists and teams, and experts from around the world. The participants include famous aerobatic teams from Russia, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and a number of other countries.

This year the Pakistani team has brought 10 aircraft, eight of them are T37 and two are K8. Royal Jordanian Falcons will perform with four aircraft, and the Saudi Hawks return to the show with their world- famous team.

The official said Russians also have a strong presence in the show and will be participating in the aviation science display as well as the aerobatic display.

The dazzling display of Russian Knights on Sukhoi fighter jets and SWIFTS team on MiG-29 fighter aircraft are among the most-watched events.

Red Arrows, the famous British aerobatics display team, will also participate in the show with a flight simulator.

"Visitors will have a rare opportunity to experience flying the Red Arrows' Hawk aircraft," the official said, adding that it would be against a minimal charge.