Iconic British metal outfit Iron Maiden will take to the skies in a tricked-out jetliner piloted by band frontman Bruce Dickinson during its 2008 world tour.

According to a press release, the band, its 60-member crew and support staff, and over 12 tons of equipment will travel from one locale to the next via a specially commissioned and converted Astraeus Boeing 757 decorated with the Iron Maiden logo and the band's skeletal mascot, Eddie.

"We had the idea last year of converting a jumbo jet into effectively what would be a flying 113 ton 'splitter bus' for touring and we have been working seriously on it ever since," Dickinson--who is a qualified Airline Captain for Astraeus Airlines--said in a prepared statement. "It's pretty complex but in the end we were able, with a lot of help from Astraeus Airlines, to overcome all the technicalities of customising the plane for our purposes. We are taking out the back 10 rows of seats to fit in a customised cargo hold that we can use again in the future if this jaunt works. This is in addition to all the standard storage holds.

"By taking band, personnel and equipment in one form of transport, it makes all the touring so much easier and overcomes the logistical difficulty of people and equipment going in different planes. We can even work out exactly how big our carbon footprint is and take care of that responsibility! We will be packing as much of the show into the plane as we possibly can for this first leg and intend to give the fans something very special to remember. And it allows me to combine 2 of my greatest passions, music and flying."

Dickinson expects to log over 50,000 miles during the tour.