The UAE skies have been rather noisy of late with the celebrations for the 44th National Day, the World Air Games in Dubai and next week the Al Ain Air Championships fly into town.
Chances are one of those fighter jets whizzing above your head, performing awe-inspiring stunts at breakneck speed was piloted by Lieutenant Colonel Nasser Al Obaidli.
Al Obaidli is a member of the UAE Air Force and team leader for Al Fursan Al Emara, the UAE’s very own national aerobatic team.
Al Obaidli and his crew will be showcasing their skills in Al Ain, over three days between December 17-19, alongside teams from Belgum, Saudi Arabia, United States, Great Britain and China.
The supremely-skilled pilot took time out from performing barrel and canopy rolls to speak to Sport360.
What inspired you to become an aviator?
The inspiration comes from my childhood. I have been a speed enthusiast since I was a child. Our house was close to the Dubai Airport and seeing these flights in action intrigued me and I wanted to become a pilot and specifically a fighter jet pilot. I had my solo flying license before my driving license.
In fact, after learning to fly, I even decided to become a car rally driver as well. As you can tell, I love the adrenalin rush.
Tell us in your own words about the history of Al Fursan
The first official show done by Al Fursan was in 2011 in the Dubai Air Show with seven jet aircrafts.
The team represents UAE as a nation and is part of the Air Force. Its mission is to do the nation proud and to be nation’s ambassadors represent our beloved country locally and internationally while engaging and exciting people with its high-adrenalin stunts.
Why the team is called Al Fursan Al Emarat?
The team’s name has been chosen under the guidance of H.H Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, to show the nobility, superiority and supremacy of the tasks assigned by the squadron. Al Fursan means The Knights.
In the Arab world, knights are considered heroic and their qualities such as nobility, courage, perfection and grace. The team identified with these qualities and hence chose this as our team’s name.
How proud are you of your achievements with Al Fursan? How important is Al Ain Airshow in terms of demonstrating the UAE’s flying skills to the nation?
Yes, I am very proud of all my and the team’s achievements at Al Fursan. I’ve been with the team for five years and still look forward to going up in the skies every time. We’ve represented UAE worldwide and continue to soar to new heights.
How do you plan to engage aspiring young pilots or aviators?
We are part of the UAE Air force and representing one’s own country is an aspiration for many young nationals. All of our team have been selected from the UAE Air force and are highly-skilled fighter jet pilots. Hence, the inspiration for the young pilot usually comes from the pride to fly for their nation.
How fast do the aircrafts fly?
Al Fursan Aircrafts fly at 500-600 kmph and during maneuvers, we slow down to zero
How excited are you to participate this year in a championship as a new format in contrast to other previous editions?
Thrilled to be part of the championship and it will be fun to see all the other acts from around the world.
How do you rate Al Fursan versus the Red Arrows? Do you ever train together?
There is no way to rate one team against another. Each has their own unique style and format. No, we haven’t trained ever with the Red Arrows.
How many display pilots are there? Do you have opportunities for female pilots?
We have seven pilots and one spare pilot. Yes, we do have opportunities for female pilots and we hope for some to be part of our team in the near future.
What qualifications are needed to join the team as a pilot?
Firstly, the pilots must be UAE nationals and part of the UAE Air force and specifically, fighter jet pilots. They have to be the best pilots of their squadron. Aerobatic flying is different from commercial or military flying.
How are the pilots selected?
We pick the ones with the best skills and most experience from the UAE Air Force.
Should spectators look out for anything new and exciting in terms of stunts?
Of course, there will be many exciting things at the show in addition to the thrilling performances. There are activities for families that they can enjoy in the evenings with several food varieties that will be on offer. The entire city of Al Ain will be buzzing with the championship’s excitement.
The Al Ain Air Championship takes place at Al Ain Airport from December 17-19. For information visit www.alainairchampionship.ae
