23rd December 2008 – The Swift Team and Twister Aerobatics are very proud to announce their invitation to the Middle East’s premier airshow, Al Ain Aerobatic Show 2009.

There is a fairly well trodden path of the best British flying acts taking some winter sun in the Middle East. In recent years The Matodors, The Blades, Team Guinot, Mark Jefferies and  Will Curtis have shipped their aerobatic aircraft out to the area, but it remains a significant logistic hurdle to deal with packing the containers, customs, marine freight insurance,  engineering and spares provisioning.

Our brief from Will Curtis was to expect a hangar to assemble the team’s aircraft, some fuel – everything else we bring with us or buy in Dubai. The 40ft long ‘high cube’ container was delivered to RAF Halton Airfield, and in 2 weeks we carefully packed the Team’s S1 Swift glider, PA25 Pawnee towplane and the SA180 Twister.

The first casualty of the Container was the bespoke glider wingtip smoke, as dangerous goods are not permitted in Containerised freight or by UAE customs without elaborate permissions and licences. We were permitted to ship our eco-friendly engine smoke-oil however as Shell Ondina is marketed as a food safe machine lubricant.

The container started its Month long sea journey this week, next stop Jabel Ali port and Al Ain mid January. Thanks go to Pete Wells, for his expert fabrication of the many fittings  required to safely secure the derigged aircraft parts in the container.