It might look like AI, but this incredible video of Emirates Airbus A380 and Jetman Dubai in a jet suit flying together back in 2015 is simply breathtaking
The formation flight took place over Dubai, making aviation history
One of the Jetman Dubai team, the late Vincent Reffet, was wearing a jet suit and Kevlar wing with four engines flying close to the enormous Emirates Airbus A380.
While initially thought to be “madness” with the task likened to “mosquitoes flying next to an eagle or condor”, it was soon seen as a challenge and an opportunity to showcase skills.
Intensive preparation involved minimizing risks through maintaining minimum separation and choreographing every sequence meticulously.
“We place the event inside the bubble then we say to the event: ‘Do not go outside of that piece of airspace’,” said head of aviation regulations and safety for the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Michael Rudolph.
Communication between the Jetman and the aircraft captain was crucial for safety to understand each other’s movements.
With Jetman’s endurance only 10 minutes maximum, he had to use “very high power settings to maintain formation”.
Despite challenges, the operation was a stunning success – check it out in the video above.
Sadly Reffet was killed during training in Dubai in 2020.
