28th-31st January 2009 – Al Ain’s 6th Aerobatic Air Show is over for another year. Swift Aerobatic Display Team pilots Guy Westgate, Paul Moslin and Peter Wells flew the displays, aided by Ian Gallacher, Mike Newman and Paul Johnson.

The best of the best get to display at Al Ain, shipped in from around the World. This year was no exception with performers from USA, Italy, UK, Hungary, Sweden, Russia and Saudi Arabia.

The flying acts were all superb, the highlights being Zoltan Veres in his Extra300 and brand new MXS, so new it was still in grey primer fresh from the factory, Will Curtis back in his 525Hp Sukhoi 26, The Scandinavian Airshow team lead by Jacob Hollander, with 2 lycra clad “sky cats” walking on the wings of a mighty Grumman Ag Cat and a Pitts Python.

The red desert sand on the Oman border proved to be the most spectacular backdrop for the Twister and the deep blue skies showed up the engine smoke magnificently.

The Twister drew admiration from everybody who watched Pete put it through its paces, but the warm 27C temperature and 870ft airfield elevation knocked the performance slightly.

Pete was sent out on several photo missions including the Swift glider and formations with the Scandinavian airshow flight and Will Curtis’ Su26

The team achieved two unofficial World Records at the show, with Guy performing first 12, then 14 consecutive aileron rolls on aerotow along the crowd line. The team would  particularly like to thank Yousif Hassan Al Hammadi, president of the Emirates Aviation Association and MarieLouise of the Abu Dhabi Tourist Authority who organised the show, also Leon and Paul, the air traffic controllers who kept us on the straight and narrow. Finally Will Curtis who invited us and Mike Wood, who smoothly directed both the Aero GP and the Airshow.