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Daredevil pilot lands plane on Burj Al Arab helipad with ‘Bullseye’ stunt

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Another breathtaking moment has been added to the list of feats achieved at Burj Al Arab in Dubai when a pilot achieved a perfect drop landing on the iconic hotel’s famous helipad.

Polish pilot Luke Czepiela, who has also done many difficult types of flying feats, termed it a “bulls-eye landing” in the prevailing weather conditions and the given challenges.
At 6.58am on March 14, the pilot became “the first person in history to land a plane on the helipad” at 212 metres of height.

Ranking his other achievements in detail, Czepiela went on to rate his latest feat on a stellar resume as “11 out of 10”. A former Red Bull Air Race Challenger Class World Champion, he had just 27 metres of round space to bring his Cub Crafters STOL (short take-off and landing) plane to a stop from a landing speed of 43km/h. He brought it to a halt in just 20.76 metres from touchdown on his third attempt.

Although the aircraft is designed for abrupt landings in typical conditions, landing a plane on a platform raised 212 metres in the air, next to a 56-storey building, and with no visual cues to guide him made Czepiela’s historic landing an extraordinary feat.

Czepiela had been preparing for this historic moment since 2021, having completed 650 test landings at ground level in Poland, the US, and Dubai to build his confidence in landing on the helipad without any visual references.

“Normally, when approaching a runway, I can easily see how high above it I am and control the approach path. But today, the ground was 212 metres below, and the helipad disappeared over the nose of the plane, reducing my periphery. As my last few references disappeared, I had to rely on my practice and instincts to bring the plane to a stop before running out of space,” he said.

The world’s only seven-star Burj Al Arab hotel has a history of staging events, mostly around sports, to raise the adrenaline levels of viewers and visitors ever since Tiger Woods hit a routine tee shot from the green pad in 2004.

In 2005, two of tennis’ biggest legends, Roger Federer and Andre Agassi, played a match on a makeshift court on the landing area.

In 2013, former Formula 1 driver David Coulthard performed doughnuts to celebrate Red Bull Racing winning the Formula One Drivers’ and Constructors’ championships that season.

In 2019, professional BMX rider Kriss Kyle rode his bike off the edge of a helicopter and landed on the helipad in a few breathtaking moments.

Crime

Don’t fall for it: Dubai Police warn against fake work-from-home job offers

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Looking for a side hustle? Be careful.

Dubai Police have warned residents not to fall for fake part-time job offers circulating on social media and messaging apps after uncovering a scam that tricked a young man into helping criminals move stolen money.

In a social media post, Dubai Police shared how the scam typically unfolds. The victim responded to an online advert promoting a work-from-home job with flexible hours and quick earnings. After being told he had been accepted, he was instructed to open a new bank account or use his existing one to receive and process what were described as customer payments.

Money was then deposited into his account, and he was instructed to transfer it to other bank accounts in exchange for a commission.

The scammers claimed he was working for an overseas financial services company, but investigators later discovered the transfers were linked to a criminal network.

The victim told police he believed the job was genuine and had no idea he was helping fraudsters.

How the scam works

Police said these scams usually begin with online job ads offering fast cash for simple tasks.

Victims may then be asked to:

  • Use their bank account to receive and transfer money.
  • Pay registration or activation fees.
  • Share personal or banking details.
  • Complete financial transactions for a commission.

Authorities warned that scammers often use unsuspecting people’s bank accounts to move illegally obtained funds, which could leave the account holder facing serious legal consequences.

How to stay safe

Dubai Police urged job seekers to:

  • Verify employers before accepting any job offer.
  • Never share bank details with unknown individuals or companies.
  • Avoid jobs that ask you to transfer money on behalf of others.
  • Ignore employers requesting upfront payments or registration fees.

Anyone who receives a suspicious job offer is encouraged to report it through Dubai Police’s eCrime platform or by calling 901 for non-emergency assistance.

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Dubai residents in Al Satwa, Al Quoz and Mirdif can now book Bus-On-Demand rides

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Getting around Dubai without a car just became a little easier.

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has expanded its Bus-On-Demand service to Al Satwa, Al Quoz and Mirdif, taking the total number of neighbourhoods covered across the city to 20.

The app-based service is designed to make short trips quicker and more convenient by connecting residential communities with nearby Metro stations and public transport hubs.

The expansion comes as more residents continue to use the service. During the first six months of 2026, Bus-On-Demand carried more than 527,000 passengers, a 25.1 per cent increase compared to the same period last year.

June was the busiest month so far, with 105,990 passengers using the service.

To meet growing demand, the RTA has increased the fleet to 55 buses while expanding the service area by 54 per cent.

How to book

Booking a ride is simple. Download the Dubai Bus-On-Demand app, create an account and choose your pick-up and drop-off locations.

Passengers can pay using credit cards, debit cards or nol cards directly through the app.

Areas covered

The service is now available in:

  • Al Barsha
  • Al Nahda
  • Dubai Silicon Oasis
  • Dubai Academic City
  • Al Rigga
  • Port Saeed
  • Business Bay
  • Downtown Dubai
  • Oud Metha
  • Al Karama
  • Barsha Heights
  • Al Mankhool
  • DIFC
  • Al Warqaa
  • Dubai Investment Park
  • Jumeirah Village Circle (JVC)
  • Al Qusais
  • Al Satwa
  • Al Quoz
  • Mirdif

The RTA says it will continue expanding the service as part of Dubai’s plan to make public transport smarter, more convenient and more sustainable.

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Rain hits parts of UAE as NCM warns of more showers

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Rain continued to sweep across parts of the UAE on Wednesday, with showers reported in Bada Zayed in Abu Dhabi’s Al Dhafra region in the afternoon and early evening in Siji, Fujairah, as unstable weather conditions persisted.

The rainfall comes as convective clouds continue to develop across several parts of the country, creating the potential for more showers through the evening.

The National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) said unstable weather is expected until 10pm, with convective clouds likely to bring rainfall of varying intensity, strong winds and reduced visibility in some areas.

Residents in affected areas are advised to stay updated with the latest weather alerts and drive carefully, as sudden rain and blowing dust could impact road conditions.

Weather maps show the heaviest cloud cover over large parts of Al Dhafra, with additional cloud formations developing over parts of Al Ain and the Ras Al Khaimah-Fujairah border.

Videos shared on social media showed rain falling in the UAE on Wednesday afternoon, with local weather trackers reporting good rainfall across the area.

The NCM has advised residents in affected areas to stay updated with the latest weather alerts, as convective clouds can develop quickly and may bring sudden showers, gusty winds and blowing dust.

Forecasters continue to monitor the situation and are expected to issue further updates if weather conditions change.

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