Abu Dhabi, Dec. 23, 2006 (WAM) -- The Organizing Committeeof the Al Ain International Aerobatic Championship, scheduledto be held from 26 to 30 January 2007, has revealed many excitingsurprises and global sport activities including the anticipatedimportant participation of the World Parabatic Swoop Team (WPST),which is the first high performance parachute exhibition teamspecializing in high-speed parabatic maneuvers and landings.

Using specially designed parachutes the WPST's aerial maneuversand landings are revolutionary.

Swooping is an action extreme sport with high spectator and sponsor appeal. It is a world class event recognized by the WorldSwooping Association, the International Parachuting Committee,International Olympic Committee and United States ParachutingAssociation.

The Al Ain International Aerobatic Championship, which will beheld under the patronage of General Sheikh Mohammed bin ZayedAl Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy SupremeCommander of the UAE Armed Forces, is being organized by theAbu Dhabi Tourism Authority, in collaboration with the UAE AirForce and Air Defence.

The WPST attend over a dozen competitions and exhibitions eachyear. They perform not only at air shows but also outdoor events,festivals, competitions and much more. WPST members have hundredsif not thousands of jumps, with the team leader having over 10,000parachute landings. Team members have been in the sport betweenthree and fifteen years and are held to the highest standards.

Some of the WPST members are National or World level championsand are actively involved with the aviation community.

Swooping is a sport where aerial athletes (parachutists) jumpfrom an aircraft or launch themselves from a fixed object andfly high performance parachutes through courses set up over theground, water or down a mountain. Swoopers exceed speeds of over90mph during a swoop. Unlike traditional skydiving, swoopingtakes place at ground level in front of a crowd.

Unlike traditional ram-air parachutes that are between 150 and250 square feet, WPST parachutes are between 46 and 90 squarefeet and very fast. WPST parachutes are specifically designedfor "swooping" and incorporate "cross bracing" technology thatis built into each self inflating cell. When the parachute inflatesthe cross bracing locks the canopy into position forming a morestable aerodynamic wing. WPST parachutes have thinner airfoilsections than traditional parachutes with increased performance.

WPST parachutes can fly at speeds of over 100mph and land atspeeds of over 70mph.

For decades parachute exhibitions have involved bigger, slowerparachutes that glide gracefully into the target area, with theparachutist often toting a flag or banner. As impressive andeffective as this display may be, it is outdated.

The WPST, located in Colorado, USA, has pioneered the way fora new kind of parachute flight. Using much smaller, faster parachute"wings", WPST pilots spiral toward the ground at over 90mph,then with spectacular precision and consistency, pull out ofthe dive and soar across the earth's surface at over 70mph andfor several hundred feet.

This type of landing, commonly referred to as "swooping," canbe done over land or water, and can also be executed in unison,with up to four WPST pilots spiraling and swooping in perfectsynchronization. The most common act is where pilots or "swoopers"perform a synchronized parabatic routine followed by a high speedsynchronized landing in front of the crowd. All "simultaneousswoops" can be performed side by side or head-to-head.

In the two-man combinations WPST pilots perform two individualswoops in succession and two-man simultaneous swoop, while inthe four-man combinations they perform four individual swoopsin succession, two, two-man simultaneous swoops in succession,three-man simultaneous swoop with solo swooper leading or followingin succession, and four-man simultaneous swoop.

WPST special performances include 'Jet Pack Man' where the Teamdoes synchronized routine with Jet Pack Man, 'Truck Landings'where large grass, dirt or paved areas can be used to accommodatetruck landings, and 'Motorcycle or ATV Landings' where mediumgrass, dirt or paved areas can be used to accommodate motorcycleor ATV landings.