by Donald Wood
Last updated: 1:00 PM ET, Tue August 11, 2015
Photo via Twitter/RoyalAirForceUK
Iron Maiden frontman and avid pilot Bruce Dickinson was forced to make an emergency landing in his retro aircraft last week due to low fuel.
In a report from Danny Boyle of The Telegraph, Dickinson was flying his Fokker triplane-an aircraft similar to the one the Red Baron flew during WWI-when he realized he wouldn't have the fuel needed to make it to his destination.
Instead of taking a gamble with the remaining fuel, Dickinson made the smart move and called for an emergency landing at a Royal Air Force airfield (RAF Halton) near Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, England.
Military officials at RAF Halton were on scene to help the singer as he made a safe and successful landing. Dickinson left his plane at the base to be refueled after taking advantage of the Strasser Scheme, a plan that allows airplane pilots to make an emergency landing at all Ministry of Defense airfields and 99 percent of the United Kingdom's civilian airfields.
The Royal Air Force shared an image of Dickinson's plane in the hangar on Twitter:
RAF Halton squadron leader Gary Coleman told The Telegraph, "We applaud Bruce Dickinson's decision to divert to RAF Halton rather than press to his destination with potentially low fuel. To see such a well-regarded pilot, and world-renowned rock singer, make this decision is great for our student pilots to see. It makes them realize that anyone can find themselves low on fuel due to unforeseen circumstances and that the right decision is to divert. He really does have a magnificent Fokker Triplane, so it was a pleasure to provide it with a home for a few nights until we sent him on his way."
As for Dickinson, he is an experienced pilot with over 20 years of flying experience. Not only does he run an aircraft maintenance business near Cardiff airport, but he also flew the Boeing 747 that took Iron Maiden on its 2008-09 world tour.
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