Emirates and Arsenal have unveiled The Aircrafted Arsenal Crest, a 2.4-metre-high sculpture created from upcycled components sourced from the airline’s Airbus A380 and Boeing 777 aircraft.
Revealed at Emirates Stadium, the illuminated installation
transforms aviation materials into one of football’s most recognisable symbols,
marking 20 years of the Emirates and Arsenal partnership and its extension
through to 2033.
The unveiling follows Arsenal’s Premier League-winning
season and signals a new chapter in the long-running relationship.
Created in 34 days by a team of 15 engineers, designers,
mechanics, technicians and painters, the sculpture combines aviation
engineering with Arsenal’s heritage.
The club’s iconic cannon has been reconstructed using
components from an Emirates A380, including a main landing gear wheel hub for
the cannon wheel and titanium bleed air ducting reshaped into its barrel.
The shield incorporates aluminium fuselage skin from a
Boeing 777, while aircraft cargo tracks, floor panels and roller components
have been repurposed throughout.
Arsenal lettering has been shaped from aircraft windows and
fitted with integrated warm white lighting.
Designed and built in Dubai by Emirates Engineering’s
Aircraft Material Upcycling team, the Crest was assembled using components
selected for their strength, shape and potential for transformation.
Materials were cleaned, cut, curved, machined, riveted and
assembled before being painted in Arsenal’s official colours.
The completed sculpture was flown from Dubai to London on an
Emirates SkyCargo freighter before being installed at the stadium.
The project also creates a link between Arsenal’s industrial
origins and Emirates’ engineering heritage.
The club’s cannon has featured on every version of Arsenal’s
emblem since 1905 and inspired its nickname, The Gunners.
The Aircrafted Arsenal Crest incorporates Emirates’ aviation
identity into the historic symbol.
The Crest was unveiled by Tim Clark, President of Emirates
Airline, and Richard Garlick, Chief Executive of Arsenal, ahead of Arsenal’s
match against Borussia Dortmund at the Emirates Cup.
Clark said: “Emirates and Arsenal have shared an
extraordinary journey over the past 20 years. We have watched the club evolve,
welcomed new generations of supporters and celebrated many defining moments
together.
To mark this anniversary, we wanted to create something permanent that could
only come from Emirates and Arsenal. Our Engineering team has transformed
components from our Airbus A380 and Boeing 777 aircraft into one of football’s
most iconic symbols.
The craftsmanship behind the Crest is exceptional. It reflects the precision,
discipline and ambition that define both aviation and elite sport, while giving
these aircraft materials an entirely new purpose.
As we enter the next chapter of our partnership, this sculpture is both a
celebration of everything we have achieved together and a statement of our
shared ambition for the future.”
Garlick said: “We’re hugely grateful to Emirates for
creating this special tribute to our club and to 20 years of partnership
between us. The Crest stands as a powerful reflection of our relationship and
everything we've achieved together along the way. We enter this next chapter
together with confidence, ambition and a shared belief in what lies ahead for
our partnership and our club.”
Through 2033, Emirates will remain Arsenal’s front-of-shirt,
training kit and stadium naming rights partner.
The Aircrafted Arsenal Crest will now be permanently displayed in Emirates’ hospitality space at Emirates Stadium. -TradeArabia News Service