Iron Maiden are touring in a unique fashion in 2008. They will be traveling in a specially commissioned and customised Boeing 757, flown by Airline Captain and Maiden vocalist Bruce Dickinson.

The Astraeus 757, decked out in Maiden and Eddie designs, will carry the band, road crew and other personnel of around 70 people plus over 12 tons of equipment.

This first leg of the ‘SOMEWHERE BACK IN TIME’ World Tour opens in Mumbai India on Feb 1st, and continues through Australia and Japan before arriving in the U.S.

The entourage then fly to Mexico then the band’s first ever concerts in Costa Rica and Columbia, and then on to Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Puerto Rica and New York, before finishing in Toronto on March 16th.

Comments Bruce Dickinson, “I have been flying commercial passenger jets for Astraeus Airlines for a few years now and we are commissioning an Astraeus Boeing 757. It will go in for overhaul, painting and conversion in November which will then give us time to ensure we have all the necessary safety documentation, especially with regard to fire safety. It also means it could possibly be flying commercial air routes decked out in Maiden colours for a couple of months before we start!”

To tie in with forthcoming 2008 releases on DVD of the classic ‘LIVE AFTER DEATH’ concert video this tour, aptly entitled ‘SOMEWHERE BACK IN TIME’, will revisit the band’s history by focusing almost entirely on the 80’s in both choice of songs played and the stage set, which will be based around the legendary Egyptian Production of the 1984-85 ‘Powerslave Tour’. This will arguably be the most elaborate and spectacular show the band have ever presented, and will include some key elements of their Somewhere In Time tour of 1986/7, such as the Cyborg Eddie.

So Far there are only 2 US dates and the closest to Detroit is the Toronto show.