DUBAI // A Pakistani entrepreneur’s mission to become the first person from his country to circumnavigate the globe in a plane is facing major turbulence even before his first flight takes off.
Dubai-based Fakhr-e-Alam, who owns two companies and is a famous face in his homeland through a successful acting and music career, aims to embark on the journey, billed as Mission Parwaz, in July but his Pakistani passport is causing him problems.
He plans to travel to 46 cities in 52 days, covering 30,756 nautical miles. “I will start my journey from Karachi, Pakistan, and travel towards the south of China and will then fly across to the Far East, Australia, USA, Europe, Middle East and so forth,” he said.
The man who has a 20-year acting career and has released six albums said he hopes to have several stopovers on the journey. “My stay depends on factors like flight time. There is a leg over the Pacific which will be 13 hours on a twin engine. At the end of this leg I would like to rest for at least 72 hours,” Mr Alam said.
“At some places I will stop for refuelling and stretching my legs before taking off again in less than three to four hours.”
Mr Alam, 40, has been living in Dubai since 2004 and owns a maintenance company and fashion business but he is struggling to get travel permits on time.
“As I hold a Pakistani passport, I was facing problems in getting visas on time. Countries I intend to travel were taking so much time in doing background checks. Even to date, I am anxiously waiting for China and Australia visas,” he said.
Another obstacle is his lack of flight experience. With less than 100 hours of flying time, he stands to break a world record if he completes the journey but an inexperienced pilot flying alone comes with dangers.
“Yes, the risks are there. The risk is further enhanced if I fly a single-engine unpressurised aircraft but my lack of experience also makes me more cautious about all my aeronautical decision-making,” said Mr Alam.
“I have no arrogance or over-confidence. I have a young family I want to come back to so I will not push my luck or take unnecessary risks.”
A further stumbling block is financing the trip. He needs another US$530,000 to start his mission. “The total cost of the mission with a two-engine aircraft is US$780,000. I am funding my training on my own so far and I have sponsorships worth US$250,000 but there’s still a long way to go,” he said.
Mr Alam said most of the cost will be spent on renting the aircraft. “I am renting the aircraft. I cannot afford to buy one. If we raise enough money I would like to lease a King Air or a Cessna 421C.”
Despite Mr Alam’s ambitious plans, questions have been raised about the viability of the flight.
Ejaz Haq, the first flight operations head at Emirates Airline, believes that Mr Alam has to do a lot of homework before going ahead. “He has no real experience in long-distance navigation. In such a mission intimate knowledge of your craft is imperative. You need to be properly trained on it,” said Mr Haq, who has more than 25,000 hours’ flying experience.
“If he goes about it the right way with the right team backing him up, he should succeed. I wish him God speed.”
Mr Alam wants to dedicate the mission to world peace. “It is my flight to peace, which is dedicated to the sacrifices of those 60,000 Pakistanis that have died at the hands of terrorists. It’s about paying tribute to all those who fight for global security and world peace,” he said.
To help Mr Alam with his goal, email him at missionparwaaz@gmail.com.
akhaishgi@thenational.ae
Ain Dubai in numbers
126: The length in metres of the legs supporting the structure
1 football pitch: The length of each permanent spoke is longer than a professional soccer pitch
16 A380 Airbuses: The equivalent weight of the wheel rim.
9,000 tonnes: The amount of steel used to construct the project.
5 tonnes: The weight of each permanent spoke that is holding the wheel rim in place
192: The amount of cable wires used to create the wheel. They measure a distance of 2,4000km in total, the equivalent of the distance between Dubai and Cairo.
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
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More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
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Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
The biog
Favourite film: The Notebook
Favourite book: What I know for sure by Oprah Winfrey
Favourite quote: “Social equality is the only basis of human happiness” Nelson Madela. Hometown: Emmen, The Netherlands
Favourite activities: Walking on the beach, eating at restaurants and spending time with friends
Job: Founder and Managing Director of Mawaheb from Beautiful Peopl
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Name: The Protein Bakeshop
Date of start: 2013
Founders: Rashi Chowdhary and Saad Umerani
Based: Dubai
Size, number of employees: 12
Funding/investors: $400,000 (2018)
MEFCC information
Tickets range from Dh110 for an advance single-day pass to Dh300 for a weekend pass at the door. VIP tickets have sold out. Visit www.mefcc.com to purchase tickets in advance.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
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Price: On request
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A foster couple or family must:
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- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
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Ant-Man and the Wasp
Director: Peyton Reed
Starring: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas
Three stars
US tops drug cost charts
The study of 13 essential drugs showed costs in the United States were about 300 per cent higher than the global average, followed by Germany at 126 per cent and 122 per cent in the UAE.
Thailand, Kenya and Malaysia were rated as nations with the lowest costs, about 90 per cent cheaper.
In the case of insulin, diabetic patients in the US paid five and a half times the global average, while in the UAE the costs are about 50 per cent higher than the median price of branded and generic drugs.
Some of the costliest drugs worldwide include Lipitor for high cholesterol.
The study’s price index placed the US at an exorbitant 2,170 per cent higher for Lipitor than the average global price and the UAE at the eighth spot globally with costs 252 per cent higher.
High blood pressure medication Zestril was also more than 2,680 per cent higher in the US and the UAE price was 187 per cent higher than the global price.
