Bruce Dickinson, most notable for his vocal work in one of heavy metal’s most legendary acts Iron Maiden, has admitted that he has stepped down from his passion of flying commercial jets. The singer has stated that after turning 65 years old recently, he has had to retire his love for flying the jets, although he still continues his other passion besides performing- fencing.

Anyone familiar with Dickinson’s autobiography What Does This Button Do? will know the singer is not merely the frontman for one of the most successful metal bands of all time, he is also an avid flyer and admirer of aircraft and fencing enthusiast-the latter of which has seen the musician competing in various competitions over the years. Dickinson is, indeed, accomplished in both fields, having acquired his pilot’s license in the 1990s- flying Iron Maiden’s 757 plane, dubbed Ed Force One, during their global tours.

Now, as the singer has just turned 65, Dickinson has revealed that he has had to take a massive step back from flying-at least with the commercial plane variety. Speaking to Triple M Rock, Dickinson said, “I just turned 65. In most jurisdictions in the world, if you’re a pilot – a commercial pilot – at 65, they sneak you round the back and just put a bullet in your brain. Like an old dog or an old horse, gotta put it down now. The last time I went near a commercial aircraft to fly it was in 2017.”

The Iron Maiden frontman has also embarked on a few solo projects over the years, recently announcing his seventh solo endeavour The Mandrake Project which is due for release sometime in early 2024. And the singer still somehow manages to find the time to indulge in his passion for fencing-a sport he has participated in since the 1980s.

Dickinson continued, “I’m still fencing. I’m a veteran now. There’s a vets team and I still do Commonwealth championships. Being a vet is brilliant, actually, because all you have to do is survive and wait, and eventually everybody else will die, then you get in the team.”

Dickinson recently revealed that Iron Maiden have absolutely no plans to call it a day, with enthusiasm within the band still at its highest. Demand for the group could not be any more apparent as the band are set to continue their highly successful Future Past Tour in Australia and New Zealand in September of 2024. Dickinson will also be touring his solo project in the Spring in Mexico and South America.