EMIRATES - Jetman

Air show attendees expect to be wowed by aerial displays, and Emirates Airline did not disappoint during the opening of this year’s Dubai airshow.

The airline arranged a unique stunt with Jetman Dubai by flying the largest commercial aircraft in the world, the A380, in formation with Jetman Dubai pilots over the Palm Jumeirah district, with the Dubai skyline and the iconic Burj Khalifa in the background.

Jetman pilots Yves Rossy and Vince Reffet joined an Emirates A380 aircraft flying at 4,000 feet in two holding patterns.

“It was absolutely surreal flying alongside the biggest aircraft there is and we felt like mosquitos beside a gigantic eagle,” says Rossy. “I come from a background of piloting commercial aircraft and it was always a dream to fly without the constraints of being inside a cockpit.”

The stunt required careful coordination. During the flight, the Emirates A380 flew at a weight 350 t (the maximum weight of an A380 is 575 t), with wake turbulence the most significant risk to the Jetman duo during the flight. The necessary preparations were made with precision to ensure the stunt was performed with limited complications.

Emirates’ behind-the-scenes YouTube video , which details how this special stunt was coordinated, has generated nearly 1.5 million views so far.