Run to the Hills
September 15, 2008 3:37 AM Subscribe
The collapse of holiday firm XL has prompted the largest airlift in British history as emergency flights were put in place to bring 22,000 very angry people home. Even Bruce Dickinson has been helping out.
Even more bad news today. Some people don't seem to be suffering, though.
Even more bad news today. Some people don't seem to be suffering, though.
Even Bruce Dickinson has been helping out.
Flight Number 666
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 4:32 AM on September 15, 2008 [1 favorite]
Flight Number 666
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 4:32 AM on September 15, 2008 [1 favorite]
Even Bruce Dickinson has been helping out.
He also pilots the band's plane when they go on tour (picture) - a sort of grown up version of driving the van.
posted by rongorongo at 4:35 AM on September 15, 2008
Needs more cowbell.
posted by mandal at 4:40 AM on September 15, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by mandal at 4:40 AM on September 15, 2008 [1 favorite]
Flight Number 666
Only problem is it keeps running, scrambling, flying
Rolling, turning, diving, going in again...
posted by jonmc at 4:43 AM on September 15, 2008 [3 favorites]
Only problem is it keeps running, scrambling, flying
Rolling, turning, diving, going in again...
posted by jonmc at 4:43 AM on September 15, 2008 [3 favorites]
Wait. The Bruce Dickinson?
posted by Navelgazer at 6:04 AM on September 15, 2008 [5 favorites]
posted by Navelgazer at 6:04 AM on September 15, 2008 [5 favorites]
Oh, now I see. It is the other Bruce Dickinson.
posted by Navelgazer at 6:04 AM on September 15, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by Navelgazer at 6:04 AM on September 15, 2008 [1 favorite]
"The loneliness of the long distance ... pilot?"
"My son, ask for theyself another aircraft - for that which I leave is too small for thee."
God, I could go on all day.
posted by Pogo_Fuzzybutt at 6:05 AM on September 15, 2008
"My son, ask for theyself another aircraft - for that which I leave is too small for thee."
God, I could go on all day.
posted by Pogo_Fuzzybutt at 6:05 AM on September 15, 2008
He's still the cock of the walk, baby.
posted by middleclasstool at 6:16 AM on September 15, 2008
posted by middleclasstool at 6:16 AM on September 15, 2008
Seriously, I'd have to give him a piece of mind if he came over the pa to announce his captaincy of the flight.
posted by jsavimbi at 6:40 AM on September 15, 2008
posted by jsavimbi at 6:40 AM on September 15, 2008
Dickinson's interests include literature, writing, fencing (at which he has competed internationally, and he also founded a fencing equipment company under the brand name "Duellist"), train technology and flying Boeing 757 charter jets for the UK charter airline Astraeus where he is employed as a Captain. He was taught to fly by British Airways commercial pilot Captain Phil Dales.
In the summer of 2006, Dickinson flew about 200 UK citizens home from Lebanon during the Israel/Hezbollah conflict. On 12 February 2007, Dickinson was given permission to fly Rangers F.C. to Israel for their UEFA cup game against Hapoel Tel Aviv. Dickinson asked if he could pilot this flight as soon as he found Astraeus had the contract for it. After the collapse of XL airways in September 2008 he piloted an Iceland Express aeroplane and flew home 180 stranded holiday makers from Egypt.
The dude gets around, doesn't he. I wonder what sort of stuff he writes.
posted by chuckdarwin at 6:52 AM on September 15, 2008
In the summer of 2006, Dickinson flew about 200 UK citizens home from Lebanon during the Israel/Hezbollah conflict. On 12 February 2007, Dickinson was given permission to fly Rangers F.C. to Israel for their UEFA cup game against Hapoel Tel Aviv. Dickinson asked if he could pilot this flight as soon as he found Astraeus had the contract for it. After the collapse of XL airways in September 2008 he piloted an Iceland Express aeroplane and flew home 180 stranded holiday makers from Egypt.
The dude gets around, doesn't he. I wonder what sort of stuff he writes.
posted by chuckdarwin at 6:52 AM on September 15, 2008
And West Ham supporters are worried. XL is their shirt sponsor. (I don't know if Brucie is a 'stam fan, probably not though).
posted by Nick Verstayne at 6:57 AM on September 15, 2008
posted by Nick Verstayne at 6:57 AM on September 15, 2008
What is this "holiday" stuff, from the context it doen't seem to mean christmas...once I know that I can get to the important part, working "Charlotte the harlot" into a comment.
posted by 445supermag at 7:11 AM on September 15, 2008
posted by 445supermag at 7:11 AM on September 15, 2008
(I don't know if Brucie is a 'stam fan, probably not though).
Steve Harris is, he played for the youth team.
posted by ceiriog at 7:12 AM on September 15, 2008
Steve Harris is, he played for the youth team.
posted by ceiriog at 7:12 AM on September 15, 2008
Dickinson writes imitation Sharpe.
For a second, I thought I was going to get to read some more Napoleonic Wars novels, only this time Bonaparte is a resurrected pharaoh or something. Color me disappointed.
posted by adamdschneider at 7:52 AM on September 15, 2008
For a second, I thought I was going to get to read some more Napoleonic Wars novels, only this time Bonaparte is a resurrected pharaoh or something. Color me disappointed.
posted by adamdschneider at 7:52 AM on September 15, 2008
445supermag, the term 'vacation' is an Americanism.
posted by chuckdarwin at 7:56 AM on September 15, 2008
posted by chuckdarwin at 7:56 AM on September 15, 2008
Maybe he's a Rangers fan. He flew them to a match.
posted by chuckdarwin at 7:57 AM on September 15, 2008
posted by chuckdarwin at 7:57 AM on September 15, 2008
Dickinson writes imitation Sharpe.
Most of Maiden's songs were written by Steve Harris. On his own, he worte stuff like this excellent number.
posted by jonmc at 8:07 AM on September 15, 2008
Most of Maiden's songs were written by Steve Harris. On his own, he worte stuff like this excellent number.
posted by jonmc at 8:07 AM on September 15, 2008
445supermag, the term 'vacation' is an Americanism.
"Vacation Firm" still has no obvious parallel, travel agent maybe?
posted by 445supermag at 8:27 AM on September 15, 2008
"Vacation Firm" still has no obvious parallel, travel agent maybe?
posted by 445supermag at 8:27 AM on September 15, 2008
Yeah, that's probably it's closest analogue.
posted by chuckdarwin at 8:38 AM on September 15, 2008
posted by chuckdarwin at 8:38 AM on September 15, 2008
Dickinson wrote a pair of bawdy novels about a character named Lord Iffy Boatrace, as well as the screenplay for the recent B-movie The Chemical Wedding. He also recently piloted a group of Brit soldiers back from Afghanistan. The guy rocks.
Up the Irons!
posted by stargell at 8:43 AM on September 15, 2008
Up the Irons!
posted by stargell at 8:43 AM on September 15, 2008
Oh- that's why West Ham's kit looked so strange yesterday.
posted by Zambrano at 9:30 AM on September 15, 2008
posted by Zambrano at 9:30 AM on September 15, 2008
I wonder what sort of stuff he writes.
Ahem. And yes, it's as tastelessly awesome as the title suggests.
posted by NeonSurge at 10:35 AM on September 15, 2008
Ahem. And yes, it's as tastelessly awesome as the title suggests.
posted by NeonSurge at 10:35 AM on September 15, 2008
Oh- that's why West Ham's kit looked so strange yesterday.
And will Man U soon have to do the same thing... (AIG).
posted by Zambrano at 11:09 AM on September 15, 2008
And will Man U soon have to do the same thing... (AIG).
posted by Zambrano at 11:09 AM on September 15, 2008
So what happens when a major team's sponsor goes poof? Do they just take the next firm on the list?
posted by chuckdarwin at 1:16 PM on September 15, 2008
posted by chuckdarwin at 1:16 PM on September 15, 2008
i once flew home from a ski trip on a plane flown by bruce dickinson and can confirm it was by some distance the most exciting thing about the trip. there was an almighty cheer when he said 'hello, this is your pilot, bruce dickinson' (he was featured in the in-flight mag - gotta be the biggest thing ever to happen to Astraeus - so we knew it was the right one)
can't say it inspires a whole lot of confidence during an ice storm at geneva airport, though.
also, he's curiously short. i know this because my friend made me follow him from baggage reclaim all the way through gatwick.
posted by trulyscrumptious at 3:04 PM on September 15, 2008 [1 favorite]
can't say it inspires a whole lot of confidence during an ice storm at geneva airport, though.
also, he's curiously short. i know this because my friend made me follow him from baggage reclaim all the way through gatwick.
posted by trulyscrumptious at 3:04 PM on September 15, 2008 [1 favorite]
I've always wanted to make a video for Aces High featuring Bruce Dickinson sitting in the cockpit, piloting a 757, with nothing really interesting happening. Just him sitting at the controls, calmly flying the plane while the music plays kind of tinnily in the background, suggesting that it's probably coming out of his earphones.
I don't know why, but that vision just amuses me.
posted by quin at 3:20 PM on September 15, 2008
I don't know why, but that vision just amuses me.
posted by quin at 3:20 PM on September 15, 2008
In this instance, said 'holiday firm' is a charter airline. Sort of like the super cheap cram-you-in 'airlines' that fly from various cities to Las Vegas at 1 in the morning.
posted by wierdo at 4:21 PM on September 15, 2008
posted by wierdo at 4:21 PM on September 15, 2008
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Good evening, ladies and gentleman, Captain Dickinson here, with first office Bob Routning. We're afraid we're in for a bit of a delay, Heathrow is under some fog and backed up quite a bit, so it looks like our current arrival time is TWO MINUTES TO MIDNIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!
posted by eriko at 4:01 AM on September 15, 2008 [12 favorites]