The start of the 2016 F1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix has been marked with a spectacular Etihad Airways and Al Fursan flypast. Etihad Airways’ A380 Chief Pilot, Captain Ali Al Jabri, was in command of the superjumbo. It’s an honour for our flight crew to be selected to take part in the fly past alongside the UAE’s display team and be a part of the spectacular event that is the F1® race,” said Captain Al Jabri. “We’ve conducted similar fly pasts in previous years, and based on the many positive comments we hear from people, we know they take it away as an abiding memory of the event.” Months of planning takes place before the formation is performed ahead of the Formula 1® showpiece on race day. The total flying time is 50 minutes from take-off to landing at Abu Dhabi International Airport and once in the air, the aircraft enter a holding pattern for about 10 minutes, during which they complete several passes over Yas Marina Circuit. Captain Al Jabri spoke of the incredible team effort and dedication required to ensure the best possible visual experience on race day: “Safety is obviously of major importance to us when flying the aircraft so we’ve been working alongside the display team and practising the fly past over the last few weeks.