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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesIron Maiden’s 2016 Ed Force One was TF-AAK, a Boeing 747-400 chartered from Air Atlanta Icelandic and flown by vocalist Bruce Dickinson after he trained for the aircraft’s type rating. The jumbo jet replaced the band’s earlier Boeing 757 touring aircraft, survived a serious ground accident in Chile, and returned to the tour after both port-side engines were replaced. It is no longer in service with the band; secondary aviation reporting says the aircraft was retired and broken up in 2024.
What was the 2016 Ed Force One?
Ed Force One was the nickname for Iron Maiden’s specially branded touring aircraft, not the name of one airframe used throughout the band’s touring history. For The Book of Souls World Tour in 2016, the aircraft was TF-AAK, a Boeing 747-400 chartered from Air Atlanta Icelandic. The band had used Boeing 757s on earlier tours, including those in 2008 and 2011. Iron Maiden’s August 2015 announcement introduced the 747 as an upgrade for the coming tour.
The band said the planned itinerary would cover around 35 countries and more than 55,000 miles (88,500 km) across six continents. Those were advance estimates, not a final accounting of the tour’s route or distance flown.
Why did Iron Maiden move from a 757 to a 747?
The 747 offered practical touring advantages: more room for the band and crew, greater range, and a larger cargo hold for stage equipment. The move was a step up in capacity from the 757s, not merely a change in paint scheme. Herpa’s descriptions of its TF-AAK models also note the 747’s extra space, range, and cargo capacity.
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Bruce Dickinson trained for the 747 and received the aircraft’s type rating so he could fly it on the tour. He was both Iron Maiden’s vocalist and the pilot of Ed Force One, rather than a passenger lending his name to the aircraft.
What happened to Ed Force One in Chile?
On March 12, 2016, TF-AAK was involved in a ground accident at Santiago Airport. Iron Maiden reported that both engines on the aircraft’s port side had to be replaced. In a March 21 announcement, the band said the replacement engines—each weighing 5,000 kg—had been flown 12,000 km and valued the pair at four million dollars. These figures come from the band’s account of the repair operation.
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The band announced that the repaired 747 would leave Santiago on March 22 and rejoin the tour in Brasília. It then carried the band’s personnel and more than 20 tons of equipment onward. Dickinson described the return of the aircraft in the band’s repair announcement: “The speed and thoroughness of this incredibly complex operation was stunning and we are so very pleased to get our plane back!”
Where is the Iron Maiden 747 now?
TF-AAK did not continue as Iron Maiden’s touring aircraft indefinitely. Recent secondary aviation reporting says it was retired and broken up at Cotswold Airport in July 2024. That account is not an operator statement or an aircraft-register record, so the breakup is best described as reported rather than independently confirmed here. Iron Maiden’s band biography confirms the broader change in touring aircraft: the 2016 The Book of Souls period marked an upgrade from the earlier 757s to a 747 piloted by Dickinson.
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- The official Super7 x Iron Maiden collaboration continues
- Eddie comes to life as a series of 3.75-inch ReAction figures
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Ed Force One models and memorabilia
Herpa cataloged models of the exact TF-AAK aircraft. Its catalog lists product 535564 as a 1:500 metal model and product 613293 as a 1:250 plastic SnapFit model. These listings document the models’ existence, but do not establish current retail stock or prices.
Aviationtag also produced an Iron Maiden Ed Force One edition made from original TF-AAK aircraft skin. Aviationtag’s edition page currently marks all variants sold out, so it is a record of the aircraft’s afterlife as memorabilia, not a current buying option.
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- 1/400 BOEING 747 DIECAST MODEL AIRPLANE:Expertly crafted in 1:400 scale, this Boeing 747 model airplane measures approximately 6 inches (15 cm) in length and accurately recreates the distinctive appearance of the legendary passenger jet. Detailed markings, realistic proportions, and fine craftsmanship capture the iconic character of the Boeing 747, often known as the "Queen of the Skies."
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