A Dane, a Brit and an American walk into an airport.

Sounds like the beginnings of a great joke, right? What if I told you they were all looking for Flight #666? That’s not the punchline, it’s the true story of three lucky guys I know who have boarded the friendly skies via Bruce Air, a chartered plane flown by Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinson, for what has to be one of the most unique and exhilarating Music-Fan Experiences!

Pilot Bruce Dickinson surrounded by his precious cargo, Paris 2003 (Photo courtesy of Rasmus)

Pilot Bruce Dickinson surrounded by his precious cargo, Paris 2003 (Photo courtesy of Rasmus)

Iron Maiden is a band known for their fiercely loyal fans, and their official fan club began arranging fan club trips via bus coaches back in the late 90s. In 2003, the concept of Bruce Air became a realization – who better to transport IM’s trusty fans to their gigs than the lead singer himself, a licensed commercial pilot?

My friend Kevin Paish fondly remembers flying on the very first Bruce Air trip offered to the public in 2003. Hailing from England, Kevin had a short jaunt to Gatwick airport to catch Flight #666 to Dublin on a chartered Astraeus 737 during the Dance of Death Tour. “Going down the runway you were aware it was Bruce flying and you felt ‘Woah!’ but soon it was okay. He came out shortly after take off to sign things and meet people, along with [Iron Maiden’s drummer] Nicko, who was also on the plane.”

Some fans went sightseeing that day, others were able to catch bassist Steve Harris play a football match. “A friend and I were in the centre of Dublin waiting for a bus to the gig,” Kevin recalls, “and we saw Bruce walking down the road with a coffee in his hand. We called to him and thought he may just wave, then carry on. However he walked over to us, then recognized us from the flight as he said ‘I told you I’d get you here in one piece!’”

Photo credit: Kevin Paish

Dublin 2003 – Photo credit: Kevin Paish

I met Rasmus Stavnsborg at a fan club meet-up in New York City in 2004, when he complimented me on my West Ham scarf, and I swooned over his custom logo leather pants (true story!). Hailing from Denmark, Rasmus actually holds the Guinness World Record for the Largest Collection of Iron Maiden Memorabilia.

Diploma given to all aboard Bruce Air – one of 4000 items of memorabilia owned by Rasmus

Signed diploma given to all aboard Bruce Air – one of 4000 items of memorabilia owned by Rasmus (photo courtesy of Rasmus)

Rasmus had the honor of being one of about 20 fans who won tickets on the “Maiden” voyage of Bruce Air (prior to the Dublin fan club trip, there was a flight to Paris mainly reserved for press/media). To this day, Rasmus recalls his fondest memory from the trips as receiving the “phone call saying that I won a ticket for the first Bruce Air ever!” It was the first of many: from Stockholm to Serbia to Valencia, Spain – these are just a few of the destinations Rasmus has reached through Bruce Air over the years. Many of the friends he met aboard – both fans and members of the media – are people he still travels with when Maiden is on tour to this day.

Serbia-bound: Photo credit Rasmus

Rasmus and Bruce, Serbia-bound aboard Bruce Air – Photo courtesy of Rasmus

When asked What went through your mind when you first heard Bruce’s voice from the cockpit and the plane started racing down the runway for takeoff?  Rasmus reports: “I was hoping that my voice recorder would work, as I wanted to tape it all – and it did! The fans where singing and it was just a lot of fun.”

Rasmus and other fans wait in the Airport, Valencia Bruce Air. Photo credit: Jim Orioles

Rasmus and other fans wait in the Airport, Valencia Bruce Air. Photo credit: Jim Orioles

Florida fan Jim Orioles first had to get to London in order to begin his journeys aboard Flight #666 but that didn’t deter him from partaking in three different Bruce Airs: Milan, Valencia and – my favorite – the Bruce Air Birthday Bomber to Warsaw and Prague (complete with a party in the airplane hangar with Birthday Boy Bruce DJing and cutting his airplane-shaped cake).

Not for the superstitious – Flight #666 – photo courtesy of Jim Orioles

Not for the superstitious – Flight #666 – photo courtesy of Jim Orioles

“When I first heard Bruce, I was thinking how amazing it was that he was the lead singer in my favorite band and that he was the captain of a major airline plane.” Jim told me. “He had a lot to say, typical Bruce. On the Milan flight, he announced that we broke the record for drinking all the booze on the airplane!” Jim recalls “it sort of felt like the plane on Fantasy Island except Bruce was flying it.”

Iron Maiden’s Eddie should be flying First Class, not in luggage! Photo courtesy Jim Orioles

Iron Maiden’s mascot Eddie should be flying First Class, not in luggage! Photo courtesy Jim Orioles

When asked if these particular concerts “felt” different, knowing he wasn’t just going home to his own bed after the show, but instead, getting on a plane with the guy who just sang in front of thousands of people, Jim agreed. “It was like you were traveling together. All 200 of us!  In Milan we went backstage with Bruce and took some nice photos. And the birthday gig was different because after the gig we went to Bruce’s birthday party. So yes, I think the shows were a little more special. Arriving in London at the wee hours of the morning walking towards customs and immigration with Bruce was cool.”

This is your captain speaking…scream for me! (photo credit: Rasmus)

This is your captain speaking…scream for me! (photo credit: Rasmus)

There haven’t been any Bruce Airs planned for future tours, but never say never. In the meantime, if you want to experience the rush of actually being in the cockpit, you can try your hand at the Bruce Air Simulator! Again, you’ll have to get yourself to England. The Bruce Air Flight 666 Experience costs £666 (of course!) for one hour of simulator time with Bruce.

Of course, I had to ask all three what their dream Bruce Air destinations would be, if they could choose:

Africa (Rasmus), Las Vegas (Kevin), Hong Kong or somewhere in China (Jim)

Me? I’d request a repeat trip to Reykjavik, Iceland, since I missed that one the first time around. Me and Bruce and the Blue Lagoon…and 199 other metal fans. Or maybe I could convince him to auction off a private trip!