Etihad Airways to stage Grand Prix Fly-By

Spectators at the F1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday will be wowed by a low flying Airbus A340-600 shortly before racing commences. As tension reaches fever pitch on the grid in the moments before the lights go green at 5pm (UAE time), the specially liveried aircraft will swoop over the racetrack at a height of 600 feet, piloted by A330/A340 Chief Pilot Giorgio Evangelisti. It will be in the air for one hour, during which time it will make several passes. The aircraft is one of two specially F1-liveried planes. Both were flown to Hamburg Finkenweder Airport in order to be painted with the distinctive chequered flag design. Etihad Airways Chief Executive Officer James Hogan said: \"The fly-bys are becoming a tradition at the F1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. We certainly feel they add to the colour and spectacle of the day. Etihad Airways is very proud of its sponsorship of the F1 Grand Prix on Yas Island, and the fly-bys are intended as a celebration of our involvement.\"