Bruce Dickinson is going to pretend

[Kahnee]

Bruce Dickinson is preparing to embark on a marathon non-stop "cyber flight" around the world in seven days with a group of flight simulator enthusiasts.

The frontman of Iron Maiden, who holds an airline pilot's licence, will be part of a 17-strong British flight team on a virtual round-the-globe adventure called Simfest.

Departing from a virtual Sydney International Airport in Australia on Sunday November 4, the journey will take the team seven days and seven nights.

Simfest is part of World-Flight, an annual event in which teams from around the world use home-built flight simulators to fly around the world and raise money for a chosen charity.

This year the British cyber pilot team is supporting Cancer Research UK.

Gary Oliver and Mark Hastings custom-built their own Boeing 777 flight simulator in Gary's garage, and are masterminding the British effort, and hope to raise £5,000 for the charity.

Gary, 23, from Camberley, Surrey, said: "It's going to be a bit of a marathon, but there will be 17 of us from around the UK taking on the roles of pilot, co-pilot and cabin crew, so hopefully we will get some sleep."

Mark, 33, from Bracknell, Berkshire, said: "We decided to use our growing hobby as a way to raise money for charity."

The pilots will fly under as many real-world rules and regulations as possible and will be guided by teams of virtual air traffic controllers using VATSIM, the free global virtual air traffic controller network.

Supporters of the mission can follow the flights on web cams and online tracking.

[Duncan Disorderly]

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[Falconhoof]

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[Duncan Disorderly]

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[eth]

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[Frosty Jack]

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