Iron Maiden arrives in Vancouver on private Boeing 747

“Ed Force One” made its landing at Vancouver International Airport today carrying British heavy metal band Iron Maiden.

The Boeing 747 plane, named after the band’s mascot “Eddie”, arrived just before 3 p.m. this afternoon from Edmonton, where the band played on Friday.

The band is slated to take the stage at downtown Vancouver’s Rogers Arena on Sunday evening. The aircraft carries the band’s members, tour personnel, and equipment from city to city for their international “The Book of Souls” world tour in support of their latest album.

Earlier in the day, fans tracking the tour expressed confusion on social media when plane tracking apps showed the jumbo jet making a peculiar loop near Kelowna in the B.C. interior on its way to Vancouver. Some initially speculated a diversion while others later guessed they were doing some sightseeing.

Iron Maiden’s tour began at Ft. Lauderdale, Florida in late-February and is scheduled to end at Wacken, Germany in early-August. Over five months, their private aircraft will take them to 67 cities in 35 countries on six continents.

Following the Vancouver concert, the band will play in Tacoma, Denver, and Los Angeles.