A day with the team in Dubai

A day with strong wind and sand so all flights was cancelled. So the whole team went to Dubai for sightseeing together with Skip Stewart team. A really nice day for all and wehope that the weather will be better tomorrow.

A kind of a crazy day.

Intresting day! The royalty (VIP) was landed at the base today when we were refueling the military told us that all have to walk into the hangar and wait for security reason.

Well later I did fly Wasp very basic and soft and Sus flew Catwalk and I was suppose to fly Python I was taxing down to holding and waited there for about 30 min for a jet team to complete there show. 30 min in really hot temperature is no good- finally the fuel get to hot I got vapor lock so the engine quit I decided to pull it back to the hangar and cool it down after lunch i restarted it and everything was working great. I learned to use the elec fuel pump when running for a long time on the ground in hot climate.

After lunch I had a new slot and I flew Python it worked great and it felt good. Started to push same G today it works and feel fine.

Nice dinner tonight with friends and tomorrow we fly again :-)

Mounted the pyro tubes and test flew I flew with the Pitts in formation with Sus & Catwalk to check that all looked good and it did. Sus vent up for same practise of aerobatic and I did training flight with Python and tomorrow it starts!!

Tomorrow Rehearsal/Validation flights and I will start with Wasp and then one hour later with Python with the Catwalk between, it will be fun.

All aircraft work ok.

Sandstorm today!!

The day started very good -Claes started to work with the installation of the pyro tubes and the girls worked to install their kit on the wing. I flew 2 flights with the Wasp with Hella and Emma to demostrate the force of - G, they liked it a lot. We headed for lunch and when we came back you could see a wall in the horizon, one of the technician from the other team said it was a sandstorm heading our way so we packed everything in the hangar and just when we got the Catwalk in the storm and sand was rolling in over the airbase, really amazing!! The L-39 was up training when the storm came and they just made it to land before it came.The visibility became around 50 m, well hope the storm will end over night so we can continue work & fly tomorrow.

Blue sky- no vind- 3 aerobatic aircraft- 2 technician- oil and a fueltruck what more do you need

;-)..made a testflight with Wasp with Magnus in front seat he was happy. We took it easy today just maintain the aircraft checked the container cleaned up the hangar and i made a flight with Python before sunset I enjoy it very much. It is very inspiering to watch the other aerobatic pilot make there routines and it makes you try and make your manouver better. Today 2 Hawker Hunter arrived and 4 L-39. Well tomorrow the whole them except Edit is here. Will get Sus and the girls up over the dessert tomorrow :-).

Having our own bus to the airbase today :-) we took care of the smoke barrels which arrived yesterday and packed 2 of them in one of the container, prepered Python for engine run and run it before lunch, everything worked perfect. After lunch same small adjustment and I test flew it. It was a bit heavy on right wing so we will do same adjustment tomorrow otherwise I´m happy. Really nice to see the other them practise with there SU26/31, nice people and I learn a lot. So beutyful in the sunset, everybody talked about yesterday when I made some loops and barrel rools with the catwalk with heavy smoke in the sunset over the dessert- it looked nice.

Well tomorrow I´ll continiue to fly Python and Wasp and we are waiting for the rest of the team to arrive tomorrow night! it will be nice to see them. Another nice thing today is that the shipment with the Pyro is on its way!! :-)

Prop was put on Catwalk during the morning & Benny & Magnus change the right wheel on the Catwalk the wheel started to close in to limit so it was changed. Test flights after lunch on both Wasp and Catwalk and they worked great so no adjustment needed on the rigging?! :-).. what a beutyful weather today- blue sky no wind and +25C really nice to fly over the dessert..so cool!. We filled up Python with full tank no lekeage so tomorrow will ground run to check the engine is ok and after I´m planning to make 2 flights with Python and one with Wasp. Today my smokeoil arrived from Sweden- 800L 4 barrels :-). Well working hard to get my pyrotechnic smoke I´ll be send as DGR by Emirates from GOT, it have been packed in Märsta outside Stockholm one paper clerance to go and it ready to ship by air cargo.

Catwalk almost ready

Very nice weather today-blue sky. The dessert looks so nice during sunrise and sunset. We find a lekeage on the left break on Catwalk but we had new spare parts so its fixed, Benny & Magnus make a great job. Well prop, fillets and belly tank to go and the aircrafts is ready for test flights tomorrow :-).

We cleaned up after Python & Wasp and started with Catwalk. Tail section is installed but waiting for a forklift which we have been promised to get tomorrow morning so we can get up the center section, lower wing and top wing... more teams arrived today from USA and Spain its nice to meet new people and share experiences.

Python is ready- as soon we got fuel we will check for lekage in the new fueltank installation and it´s ready to start. We also change tailwheel. Wasp is also ready so we´ll start with Catwalk tomorrow. All three of us was a bit tired today so dinner and a good night sleep will help. It have been raining the whole day but it seems that the sun is back now. We got a ride in a Hummer H2 today for lunch..cool car for fun..:)

Pick up at 08:00 and went to the airbase. Today friday is weekend in UAE, people have there weekend friday and saturday and start to work sunday- as we start to work monday so it was not many people in the hangar. Have been raining today and temperature around +20C perfect weather condition to work in the hangar. Python is almost ready, wheel pants, change tailwheel (it was really worn out since china)we have 4 spare :) and fillet to go, worked on Wasp tail section lot of work took many hours. On the way from the airbase to the hotel we could see many 4 WD cars and buggy driving in the dessert looked fun, also that have been raining the sand get more solid and its more easy to drive "I think";) Well hope to complete both aircraft tomorrow to get started with Catwalk on monday..

More pictures from today

New fuel tank installed in Python

Pick up at 08:00- it´s about 15 drive from the Hotel to the airbase. Me and Magnus finish the tail section on Python. Benny put in the new fuel tank and together we installed the top wing and a new oil scavage pump. A good day. We eat at the base, really nice food there as well. Back at the Hotel at 17:30 and jumped in the pool- a nice way to finish a working day :)

Tomorrow we´ll finish Python and start with Wasp.

Today we went to the airbase and open the containers. They have been traveling on bumpy roads from middle of China to Shanghai port then by boat to Dubai port and by ground transport to Al Ain...like always it´s breathtaking to open them..but nothing was damage..pfiiii what a relief! :) But you can see inside the container that have been lot of movement and force. So Python and Wasp was offloaded and we cleaned up and made the container pretty inside. Really nice and helpful people on the airbase. Tomorrow the plan is to start with the Python since we have same extra work, like the new fuel tank. Whether is nice, actually it rain today a little but otherwise really nice working condition.

G-training in the Gym and time to learn more.

A meeting with display organizer, and G-training in the Gym togheter with Magnus and relaxing at & in the pool :) but also lot of paperwork today. The free time also gives us time to learn more about things like the Go Pro cameras- I brought 5 of them and hope to get really nice film- like in China 2010 (which I will release for you soon ;) The airshow organizer here plan a formation flights with the other teams over Abu Dhabi and Dubai before the show, think that could be really cool. If so I think Me and Sus will take the WASP and the CATWALK for the flight. Nice weather today+25C & blue sky. Well hope to be able to go to the base tomorrow- we´ll see.

Poolside & reloading our batteries

Today we took it easy since the containers will show up at the air force base tomorrow. It felt good to have a day off to start with. Lot of things to organize with Edit concerning transportation etc, she support me back home- it feels great.

So me and Magnus hit the poolside of the hotel and after that the gym. I have a hard time relaxing more then 5 min at the pool of some reason my leg start to move and run..;-).. Benny went to sleep a few hours. We had a nice lunch at the hotel and after that we took a cab to a nearby shooping mall, 3 guys in a shoppingmall= bought nothing :-) Will end the evening with dinner. Well tomorrow is a new day, have no idea what will happen :-)

At Hilton in Al Ain nice- gym and +29,5 C in the pool. A day with rest so far.

Python new fueltank

Landed In Dubai!

We have arrived to Dubai. Well we'll change the aluminium fueltank ca 120L 4kg to a brand new one (clean of course) in the PYTHON so I brought the tank with me and since it's sensitive to transport I took it with me as handluggage :) all went well thru security :) I put the tank and I strap it in fwd cargo1 in the B738 with great help of commander Magnus Ekstrand. Thanks!
Temperature here is +23C
Well heading for the hotel in Al Ain to get same sleep. So what will happen tomorrow? I have no idea? but I'll let you know ;)

Airshowpilot Jacob Holländer

Well here we fly again for a new airshow adventure! this time in UAE and Al Ain aerobatic show! The show Will be held between 2-5 of februari.
If you around in UAE at that time don't hesitate to visit this amazing airshow.
Me myself, Benny Olaffson and Magnus Holländer is departing today to Dubai with the best airline in the world-Norwegian.com- well one of the reason why I think so is that I'm working for them ;)
The 2 containers with Python Wasp and Catwalk arrived to Dubai port the 25 of december From Shangai. 800L of smoke oil and 70 kg of pyrotechnic have also been send to Dubai From Sweden. The time is poaring like water Benny use to say and its thru It feel that we just come back From China.

My goal is to blogg for you everyday from 16 Jan-9 Feb

The Scandinavian Airshow team for Al Ain 2011 is except me:

Edit Holländer: General manager
Benny Olaffson: Technician
Sus Jan Hede'n: Airshowpilot
Hella Stening: Cheif Wingwalker
Emma Alexson: Wingwalker
Lisa Henriksson: Wingwalker
Magnus Holländer: Mechanic
Claes Bonde: Pyrotecnic
Linda Holländer: Ground Crew

I'm really looking fwd to meet All again.

It always feels great to fly off season it gives the spring when you pull out the aircraft in May in Sweden more less "how did I do it now again feeling" also I'm really looking fwd to meat the other team participating in the show..
This is also the first time I bring a pyrotechnician with me -Claes Bonde it Will be really great to work with him and get the Catwalk going with the
Pyro.

Here we go just boarding.:)

Airshowpilot Jacob Holländer

Al Ain aerobatic show 2-5 Feb! Tomorrow 16th January me and Scandinavian Airshow maintenance crew is departing for Dubai to start assembly the aircrafts.
The rest of the crew will depart for Dubai the 27 Jan.
Don´t miss to follow us here on this fantastic air show adventure in the dessert with my team in this beautiful & amazing country.

Welcome!