Dubai Airshow 2019:
Patrouille de France is Back
Dubai | Thursday, 21 November 2019
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French Air Force Patrouille de France with Al Fursan of the UAE pose together for a picture at the Dubai Airshow 2019
Over the duration of the five days of the Dubai Airshow, military jets, helicopters and civil aircrafts could be seen flying and performing spectacular aerobatic displays over the Dubai Airshow site at the Dubai World Central.
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For the first time since 2011, the French Air Force Patrouille de France returned to the Dubai Airshow. Captain Michael Jost of the Patrouille de France said: “Dubai is fantastic and the air show is remarkable. It is a real pleasure for us to be here.
We have been invited by the UAE so it’s a real honour for France and us French pilots to come here and perform our display as well as to speak about the friendship between UAE and France.”
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The Dubai Airshow, held biennially at the Dubai World Central, opened on Sunday, 17 November and was inaugurated by H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Ruler of Dubai, and H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of UAE Armed Forces. The Crown Prince of Dubai, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, was also in attendance.
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The air show ran from 17-21 November and held over 1,288 exhibitors and 161 static displays of aircrafts. It was the busiest programme in the show’s history with over 84,000 attendants. The sales of the on-site order book reached $54.5 billion by the closing of the event.
Captain Michael Jost
The purpose of the flying display is a significant part of the event as it allows manufacturers to demonstrate the technical capabilities of their aircraft to the exhibitors of the aerospace industry as well as the attendees of the event.
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Some of the world’s most renowned aerial teams performed the aerobatic displays. Among them were the UAE’s Al Fursan team, the French Air Force Patrouille de France, and performing for the first time in the UAE, the “world’s only aerobatic airline” and full-time civilian team from the United Kingdom - The Blades.
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Captain Jost is number 8 and the outer-right wingman of the Patrouille de France. Among the various formations, the team’s flying display included the “Concorde”, “Rafale”, “Dard”, “Flèche” and “Diamant” formations: “Most of these formations have French names.
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For example, if you know Concorde – like the supersonic airliner – or, Flèche, which is a big arrow, or Dard, which is like a dart. We’ve got a formation called ‘Rafale’ which is a French fighter and is also displayed here at the Dubai Airshow,” Captain Jost explained.
The flying display of the French Air Force Patrouille de France at the Dubai Airshow 2019
Referring to the rainy and cloudy November weather, he said, “We are some lucky guys – we got to see some rain and clouds in the middle east and it’s pretty nice to see it.”
He added: “This was a great experience in the pilot life. I really want to come back here because it was such a pleasure to meet and know the different people living and working here in the UAE.”
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Besides the aerial teams, an Airbus A330neo and a Boeing B787-9 also flew at the display along with several helicopters which included a Motor Sich Mi-2MSB-1, an Mi38 and an ANSAT from Russian Helicopters.
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Beyond this, for defence demonstrations, the UAE Ministry of Defence display included a Mirage 2000 and an F16, the French Air Force demonstrated a Dassault Rafale and the Royal Air Force from the United Kingdom displayed with a Eurofighter Typhoon.
The flying displays took place every afternoon from 2 pm to 5 pm during the duration of the show. The Dubai Airshow will return in 2021 and will run from 14– 18 November.
