The guest of the next issue of the «Meet the Locals» program is the champion of air races and air shows. Having become the youngest pilot in his homeland, the UAE, today he wins international competitions.
What does the car say?
«I entered the Flight Academy when I was 15 years, — recalls Gamal. — From the first day I realized that this was my business. The most interesting thing happened during an independent flight, it was the first flight alone, and I will never forget it. I was so scared! The noise of the engines … I tried to understand what the machine wanted to say, I just felt it, you know.
When you fly over the UAE, where I come from, where I have lived all my life, you are overwhelmed with special emotions. I graduated at the age of 17, became the youngest pilot in the country.»
Acrobatics on a plane
Gamal got acquainted with aerobatics in 2013. “This is essentially an aviation sport. You fly special aircraft that are able to move in an unusual position. I realized that this is what I want to do, I began to train more and more. In 2015, I decided that I wanted to participate in competitions,” he says. — At the first competition in my life, I took the last place. Experience is really needed there, and it comes when you break your neck 20 times, no less. And I wanted to compete more, learn more and gain the confidence I wanted»
A pilot's dream
“When I started flying, my legs were trembling. In 2018, this was no longer the case, and we went to competitions in Spain. There I took first place in four categories and first place in the overall standings,” the pilot continues. — A week later I received a letter with an invitation to the Red Bull training camp to become a qualified air racer, and this is the dream of any pilot. We spent five days there. Everything went much faster, you had to fly through inflatable gates, between large balloons. I remember once I flew fourth. And before jumping into the plane, my coach said: «The plane will go through the arch, don't be afraid!» I got good power and speed. Just before the arch, I just rushed forward, I thought: «No, I won't pass, I'll crash.» So I decided to land. The coach told me: «Well, this is the end, you'll go home.»
And then I thought: «No, I'll take this gate.» When I was able to get through them, I had the feeling that I own the world. They told me that I had qualified, they said: «You will be a pilot of the Red Bull Air Race.
The same year there was covid, and I decided to take a break. And now I'm back in the sport. This time — with the support of XDubai. With them I will definitely return to the competition. I am aimed at the world championship, I look forward to it. And again I am going to take first place.»