Learn how the Emirates Airbus A380 and Jetman Dubai flew together in a breathtaking formation flight over Dubai to make aviation history, in this exclusive behind the scenes video.
The Emirates A380 and the Jetman Dubai duo recently took to the skies of Dubai for an extraordinary formation flight which showcased just how far aviation has come. The formations were conducted over the Palm Jumeirah and Dubai skyline with Burj Khalifa in the background.
While the formation flight looked effortless on film, painstaking planning and meticulous collaboration with an intense focus on safety drove all efforts. Click here to watch what went into making the Emirates A380 and Jetman Dubai team formation happen.
The carefully choreographed aerial showcase involved the world’s largest passenger aircraft flying at 4,000 feet in two holding patterns. The A380 aircraft was then joined by the Jetmen Dubai duo, experienced pilots and operators of the smallest jet propelled wing, who were deployed from a helicopter that hovered above the aircraft at 5,500 feet. The duo conducted formations on both sides of the aircraft and joined to one side thereafter before breaking away.
During the formation flight, the Emirates A380 flew at a weight of just 350 tonnes (the maximum weight of an A380 is 575 tonnes). As the largest passenger aircraft in the world, wake turbulence was the most significant risk to Jetman during the flight.
To mitigate the risk, the duo’s formation positions were carefully selected to avoid the areas of wake turbulence and jet efflux from the Emirates A380. During the planning stages, Emirates ensured the Jetman duo had proper visual reference points of the A380 so that both Jetmen could safely join and hold their choreographed positions. The Jetman team’s reference points were confirmed with flight simulation along with using visual orientations using actual A380 aircraft at the Emirates Engineering Centre. These helped to confirm that the proposed formations would work seamlessly from the first flight.
A practice flight was done on 12 October 2015 to ensure that the formation positions worked, and the final formation flight and filming were conducted on 13 October 2015.
To ensure precision of the Emirates and Jetman Dubai display, the Emirates pilots, Flight Operation managers, and Air Traffic Controllers worked together to discuss the smallest details of the mission at hand, taking into account air traffic, areas over flown, potential wind and weather. The Emirates A380 flew at a conservative altitude of 4,000 feet above sea level in two holding patterns that were away from the arrival and departure traffic flows of both Dubai airports (DXB and DWC). The Jetman Dubai duo launched from a helicopter well above the A380’s flying altitude and all activity was protected within a Temporary Restricted Area controlled by Dubai ATC.
Emirates is the largest operator of the A380 double-decker aircraft with 68 in its fleet and a further 72 on order. The A380 is Emirates’ flagship aircraft and has been setting benchmarks in the industry for its operational efficiencies, state of the art technological advancements and reduced noise and environmental footprint. The aircraft continues to be extremely popular with Emirates passengers with strong customer interest and demand wherever it is deployed. The Emirates A380 currently flies to 34 destinations from Dubai.