Bruce Flying Newcastle United's Players to Lisbon
Here's today's Bruce news which appeared on the Evening Chronicle and The Mirror in the UK:Rock star flies Toon - Apr 13 2005
By The Evening Chronicle
Newcastle United players' rock star lifestyles came full circle as heavy metal icon Bruce Dickinson took the controls for their flight into Lisbon.
The Iron Maiden frontman, who took up flying in the 1990s, was a pilot on their Astraeus Airlines jet, which was chartered to fly the Magpies to Lisbon for tomorrow's UEFA Cup quarter final match.
Toon skipper Alan Shearer and teammates couldn't believe their eyes when they spotted Dickinson, whose hits include Number of the Beast and Bring Your Daughter To The Slaughter, step into the Boeing 727's cockpit as First Officer.
Chronicle photographer Nigel Dobson, who was on the flight, said: "When we landed there was an announcement along the lines of `thanks to the pilot and co-pilot Bruce Dickinson'.
"One or two people started looking around, there was a definite murmur."
[attachmentid=382]
Unlike most pampered Premiership stars, the 46-year-old rocker is also an author and radio DJ, as well as rock legend and commercial pilot.
It was after taking a break from Maiden in the early 1990s that he decided to take his Private Pilot's Licence, the first step to becoming a commercial flyer.
He joined the airline by chance after being spotted accompanying a friend on a simulator by John Mahon, now Astraeus' operations director.
The singer has been flying with the company since early 2002 and regularly takes passengers to destinations in Europe and the Middle East.
In interviews, the star has told how fans are often taken aback at the news their hero is at the controls.
"We have had Iron Maiden fans on board who when they heard my name being announced as first officer asked the hostesses if it was the rock star. When told it is, they spend the flight with their jaws on the floor then ask if they can have a chat with me.
"After we landed a couple of fans have put their heads around the door and said `Oh my God, it is him'."
He added: "It's a great job. Every time I arrive at the aircraft to start a flight I think `Wow, someone has lent me this for the day'. Nothing else compares."
Bruce's next high-profile flight takes place in June when he takes a Heavy Metal Boeing 757 packed with Iron Maiden fans from Gatwick to Iceland.
After flying in, he will take to the stage to play at Reykjavic's 15,000 capacity Egilsholin Stadium as part of the band's Eddie Rips Up Europe 2005 tour.
Source: Newcastle Evening Chronicle
6 Comments
For a moment I thought it said Bruce dies in tragic plane accident. I was about to die. 
QUOTE(The Saint @ Apr 13 2005, 11:00 PM)
Here's today's Bruce news which appeared on the Evening Chronicle and The Mirror in the UK:
Rock star flies Toon - Apr 13 2005
By The Evening Chronicle
Newcastle United players' rock star lifestyles came full circle as heavy metal icon Bruce Dickinson took the controls for their flight into Lisbon.
The Iron Maiden frontman, who took up flying in the 1990s, was a pilot on their Astraeus Airlines jet, which was chartered to fly the Magpies to Lisbon for tomorrow's UEFA Cup quarter final match.
Toon skipper Alan Shearer and teammates couldn't believe their eyes when they spotted Dickinson, whose hits include Number of the Beast and Bring Your Daughter To The Slaughter, step into the Boeing 727's cockpit as First Officer.
Chronicle photographer Nigel Dobson, who was on the flight, said: "When we landed there was an announcement along the lines of `thanks to the pilot and co-pilot Bruce Dickinson'.
"One or two people started looking around, there was a definite murmur."
[attachmentid=382]
Unlike most pampered Premiership stars, the 46-year-old rocker is also an author and radio DJ, as well as rock legend and commercial pilot.
It was after taking a break from Maiden in the early 1990s that he decided to take his Private Pilot's Licence, the first step to becoming a commercial flyer.
He joined the airline by chance after being spotted accompanying a friend on a simulator by John Mahon, now Astraeus' operations director.
The singer has been flying with the company since early 2002 and regularly takes passengers to destinations in Europe and the Middle East.
In interviews, the star has told how fans are often taken aback at the news their hero is at the controls.
"We have had Iron Maiden fans on board who when they heard my name being announced as first officer asked the hostesses if it was the rock star. When told it is, they spend the flight with their jaws on the floor then ask if they can have a chat with me.
"After we landed a couple of fans have put their heads around the door and said `Oh my God, it is him'."
He added: "It's a great job. Every time I arrive at the aircraft to start a flight I think `Wow, someone has lent me this for the day'. Nothing else compares."
Bruce's next high-profile flight takes place in June when he takes a Heavy Metal Boeing 757 packed with Iron Maiden fans from Gatwick to Iceland.
After flying in, he will take to the stage to play at Reykjavic's 15,000 capacity Egilsholin Stadium as part of the band's Eddie Rips Up Europe 2005 tour.
Source: Newcastle Evening Chronicle
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Rock star flies Toon - Apr 13 2005
By The Evening Chronicle
Newcastle United players' rock star lifestyles came full circle as heavy metal icon Bruce Dickinson took the controls for their flight into Lisbon.
The Iron Maiden frontman, who took up flying in the 1990s, was a pilot on their Astraeus Airlines jet, which was chartered to fly the Magpies to Lisbon for tomorrow's UEFA Cup quarter final match.
Toon skipper Alan Shearer and teammates couldn't believe their eyes when they spotted Dickinson, whose hits include Number of the Beast and Bring Your Daughter To The Slaughter, step into the Boeing 727's cockpit as First Officer.
Chronicle photographer Nigel Dobson, who was on the flight, said: "When we landed there was an announcement along the lines of `thanks to the pilot and co-pilot Bruce Dickinson'.
"One or two people started looking around, there was a definite murmur."
[attachmentid=382]
Unlike most pampered Premiership stars, the 46-year-old rocker is also an author and radio DJ, as well as rock legend and commercial pilot.
It was after taking a break from Maiden in the early 1990s that he decided to take his Private Pilot's Licence, the first step to becoming a commercial flyer.
He joined the airline by chance after being spotted accompanying a friend on a simulator by John Mahon, now Astraeus' operations director.
The singer has been flying with the company since early 2002 and regularly takes passengers to destinations in Europe and the Middle East.
In interviews, the star has told how fans are often taken aback at the news their hero is at the controls.
"We have had Iron Maiden fans on board who when they heard my name being announced as first officer asked the hostesses if it was the rock star. When told it is, they spend the flight with their jaws on the floor then ask if they can have a chat with me.
"After we landed a couple of fans have put their heads around the door and said `Oh my God, it is him'."
He added: "It's a great job. Every time I arrive at the aircraft to start a flight I think `Wow, someone has lent me this for the day'. Nothing else compares."
Bruce's next high-profile flight takes place in June when he takes a Heavy Metal Boeing 757 packed with Iron Maiden fans from Gatwick to Iceland.
After flying in, he will take to the stage to play at Reykjavic's 15,000 capacity Egilsholin Stadium as part of the band's Eddie Rips Up Europe 2005 tour.
Source: Newcastle Evening Chronicle
[right][snapback]102097[/snapback][/right]
Brilliant find mate 
Howey the lads 
Amazing, man!!!
What would you do if you're in a flight and hear that Bruce is the officer?!?!?!?
Well, it didn't bring luck to the Newcastle boys... 
Anyway. Maybe they'll have Bruce to cheer them on the way back
Cheers
QUOTE(The Saint @ Apr 14 2005, 09:58 PM)
Well, it didn't bring luck to the Newcastle boys...
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Iron Maiden lead singer is Newcastle's pilot
April 15, 2005
IMAGINE going to a Uefa Cup away fixture and having an icon of the heavy metal world as your pilot.
That happened to the Magpies yesterday.
In his part-time career as a commercial airline pilot, Bruce Dickinson, lead singer of Iron Maiden, took Graeme Souness and his Newcastle United team to the capital of Portugal on their charter flight to Lisbon.
In his day job, Dickinson's work includes going on a stage and telling his audience: 'Bring your daughter to the slaughter.'
If the Iron Maiden man has indeed flown the Magpies to a slaughter, they'll be hoping it will have Sporting Lisbon end up on the suffering end of it in the Estadio Jose Alvalade tomorrow. - Wire Services.
Source: Electric New Paper
Cheers