Behind The Scenes: Etihad Conducts A Mid

The airline proved no mission was impossible for it to pull off.

Remember when Emirates placed a stuntwoman on top of the Burj Khalifa and had the world going into a frenzy at how the airline managed to pull off such a fantastic feat? Fast forward to today, and another Gulf carrier has joined in on the extreme fun after Etihad Airways did a mid-air orchestra to celebrate the launch of a well-anticipated movie.

Yes, we're talking about an Etihad Airways team professionally playing the movie's iconic theme song while on a jaw-dropping skydive from tens of thousands of feet in the air at exceptionally high speeds - all without missing a single note or beat and landing safely with style. How, when, where? Let's dive right in.

To celebrate the launch of the movie 'Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One' and as part of its partnership with Paramount Pictures, Etihad Airways released a video on all its social media platforms. Many millions watched this video as everyone was awed to see the airline's team performing a stunt that had genuinely never been done before.

This stunt saw a team of professional skydiving musicians playing the instantly recognizable 'Mission: Impossible' movie theme song as an orchestra - consisting of the conductor, a violinist, a guitarist, a bassist, and a drummer while free-falling from 13,000 feet at 120 miles per hour through the air. Not a single beat or note of the song was missed throughout the performed stunt.

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While it all sounds impossible for this stunt to have been conducted flawlessly and safely, Etihad Airways undoubtedly did it and fittingly named the project 'At Etihad, Nothing Is Impossible.' And to complete this mission, the airline and its advertising agency Impact BBDO had to do the impossible - to find talented musicians who are also skilled skydivers.

Once this unique and specialized team was found, the stunt choreographers always had to prioritize each member's safety, which is why the stunt took weeks of preparation. Each skydiver was given their part of the music to practice and learn by heart, which they needed to be able to play perfectly despite the wild environment while skydiving.

Custom riggings were also made for each instrument to ensure the skydivers could safely and adequately play and pull their parachutes when the time came. Through each practice stunt attempt, a professional skydiving cinematographer jumped with them to capture it all, including group shots where each instrument affected the rate at which they fell. Tweaks were made after each practice till everyone was satisfied.

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And the hours and weeks of practice and preparation paid off, as Etihad Airways was undoubtedly able to create an impossible skydiving orchestra of its own and further emphasize the stunt project's name - about how the airline pushes boundaries, ensuring that nothing is impossible to achieve.

While it is overall a brilliant marketing move when airlines successfully pull off such stunts, it's also quite intriguing to see how far they are willing to first think about and then push through such mind-blowing boundaries to make these stunts into a reality. It's also always curious to wonder which airline will be next in trying something similarly wild.

What did you think of the airline's stunt maneuver? Let us know in the comments below.

Journalist - Fascinated by aircraft since young, Charlotte’s dream was to work alongside them. Recently graduated with her degree in Aviation Business Administration and a minor in Air Traffic Management, she hopes to better contribute to the industry soon. Based in Singapore.