He was the vocalist for albums such as No Prayer for the Dying, Dance of Death and Flight 666. But of all the things Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson has put his name to, none can surely be as terrifying as ... er, Safety in the Balance, an educational film designed to maximise in-flight safety.
Still, with nearly two decades of aviation experience behind him, you can't knock Bruce's credentials. Dickinson left Iron Maiden in 1993 in order to pursue a solo career, a passion for fencing and an interest in become a pilot. Despite rejoining the band in 1999, he hasn't stopped flying Boeing 757s and was recently made marketing director of Astraeus Airlines.
Sadly, the Iron Maiden singer isn't wearing the plastic smile and primary colours of an airport steward in this video for the UK Civil Aviation Authority. Rather, he's dressed in a high-vis jacket and maintains a serious frown. But what this short film lacks in mile high chic, it gains in amusing moments as the captain leads us through some essential aviation guidelines. So forget powering across the Atlantic or gliding above the Grand Canyon – the most exciting journey Bruce makes here is the trip to the airport's loading point, (stage)diving on to a mysterious conveyor belt in order to go where no metaller has gone before and, er, follow your suitcase through some rubber flaps. Rock'n'roll!
